The Wyandotte Thread

[delisha]

I sometimes hate to give my opinions..I know that bird comes from good lines however he will also pass on some things you might need to consider. The biggest is wing carriage and shoulder placement. Those are two pretty important features in Wyandottes. It is what gives them all the round shapes. He should not have that long flat top line.
His lacing is muted, but not as important as other things.

that bird has some good points..he is vibrant in color..looks to be the correct size. Nice color leg, eye, and comb. I love his short beak and nice wattles. I wish I had that. But I would not sacrifice good wing placement or top line. I bet when people see him they remark on how beautiful he is.

If he is all you got..be careful on who you bred him to..and why you are using him..
you will be reproducing what you see
and a few of those things should not be on a Wyandotte.

 

[poltroon]

The reality is that when we are working with golden laced wyandottes we are having to accept and work with faults we wouldn't tolerate in a white or black wyandotte. The population has been allowed to dwindle and there just aren't very many individuals to work with. I always have my ears and eyes open for better individuals.

One thing to consider on that particular bird is that I suspect some of the lack of roundness is actually due to poor feather condition. After he molts, he may look quite a bit better.

It's really valuable to know intimately what issues we need to watch for and address and so I always appreciate the opportunity to learn more about how to proceed. Tell me more about breeding for wing carriage: would you consider it more or less important than size, for example?

 

[dajen]

I'm hearing what everyone has to say and absorbing it all. I have been looking for a cockerel since August. I've put requests out on every list that I can think of. They are just not to be found anywhere. This is what I have to work with. It will force me to be much more selective in my choices of who I keep. I will be growing out everything that hatches and have order eggs fro Urch and Ruth. I want to continue with this breed and if baby steps are what I have to take them that's what I'll do.
I appreciate everyone's comments and welcome more if you have them.

 

[Blooie]

I'm hearing what everyone has to say and absorbing it all. I have been looking for a cockerel since August. I've put requests out on every list that I can think of. They are just not to be found anywhere. This is what I have to work with. It will force me to be much more selective in my choices of who I keep. I will be growing out everything that hatches and have order eggs fro Urch and Ruth. I want to continue with this breed and if baby steps are what I have to take them that's what I'll do.
I appreciate everyone's comments and welcome more if you have them.

I haven't got any any skin in this game, because breeding chickens is the farthest thing from my little pea-sized brain yet. But I just wanted to make a comment, especially on the post above by dajen. I've been following this thread simply because as a new Golden Laced Wyandotte owner I was interested. I must say, the comments, the photo sharing and explanations, the constructive criticism, and the gracious way those comments were appreciated and accepted is just how it's supposed to be done. I've seen some threads on here - and other sites as well - where the sniping and the rudeness and the condescension sometimes made me uncomfortable for the poor, unsuspecting person who asked the initial question. Well done, everyone!

 

[poltroon]

I'm hearing what everyone has to say and absorbing it all. I have been looking for a cockerel since August. I've put requests out on every list that I can think of. They are just not to be found anywhere. This is what I have to work with. It will force me to be much more selective in my choices of who I keep. I will be growing out everything that hatches and have order eggs fro Urch and Ruth. I want to continue with this breed and if baby steps are what I have to take them that's what I'll do.
I appreciate everyone's comments and welcome more if you have them.

I remember thinking "Oh, surely someone has a spare cockerel. How hard can this be?"

Took us a couple of years to get ours, and he came as a chick. He was the only male in the batch.

 

[dajen]

I remember thinking "Oh, surely someone has a spare cockerel. How hard can this be?" :/  

Took us a couple of years to get ours, and he came as a chick. He was the only male in the batch.

This is exactly what I was thinking. It has made me even more determined to continue with this variety. They may not be great this year but each year I will improve on the last and keep the GLW around.

 

[DMRippy]

Quote: Are there other differences with the BLACK BLRW than the mahogany gene? Couldn't you just breed AWAY from that gene and then have some goldens to work with?

 

[poltroon]

Are there other differences with the BLACK BLRW than the mahogany gene? Couldn't you just breed AWAY from that gene and then have some goldens to work with?

It seems a little backwards to me. Honestly, for the worries I have about our GLW, they are typier than any of the BLR large fowl I've seen in person (not that I've seen all that many).

As beautiful as the BLRW color is, I have some personal sadness to see the original varieties of Wyandottes receive so little attention. New varieties are exciting, but Wyandottes already come in so many interesting varieties that are in danger of dying out. It seems a shame to lose them.

SLW are the original variety, added to the Standard in 1883. GLW were added in 1888 before even white and black. This is the heritage of the Wyandotte.

I think an easier path is to introduce new blood via SLW, which are a bit easier to get that GL (though not as easy as BLR).

 

[8isenuff]

Ok...I'm ready to hear the critics...and I actually do want to hear them. i'm new to chickens and have decided on Wyandottes. I have some eggs in the incubator from Ruth Caron, but also have this 10 month old BLRW splash and a GLW hen. I'd like to know what too look for, good and bad, in comparison to the flock memebers I already have.....sooooo here's my cockrel/roo (when are they rooxs vs cockrels?)

 

[NanaKat]

Rooster is a general term for a male chicken....not the preferred term....definitely not roo.
Cockerel is a male bird less than 12 months of age
Cock or cock bird is a male over 12 months of age