The Wyandotte Thread

[Ariel301]

I've heard that too, but I don't know if it has any truth to it.

 

[nhnanna]

I have heard that too.

 

[Katy]

Quote:
I've heard that too, but I have yet to talk to a serious breeder who thinks it's good idea or has any truth to it.

 

[WyandotteTX]

Raised Wyandottes for 15 years and every single breeder I ever talked to said to never breed from a single comb bird. Why? The reasoning was, why propogate imperfections? You wouldnt breed from a rose comb bird with an inverted leader either or wrong shape or any other breed defect, so why the single comb?

To me personally, if its a single comb bird its NOT a Wyandotte to begin with. Wyandottes are rose comb, bottom line.

The only thing I have ever read or heard about fertility with the rose comb and wyandottes is about when Cock birds get older (3 years plus) they will not be fertile until the temperatures increase later in the season. In my experience I would agree with this statement also. Otherwise their fertility was the same as anything else I have ever raised.

 

[Germaine_11.20]

Quote:
Thank you! That really does make sense and that is what my instincts told me, I just wanted more opinions in case I was wrong.

 

[JanieMarie]

I like that reasoning! Thanks for your input WyandotteTX!

 

[slybird353]

I have heard from geneticists that single combs and fertility are found on the same genome. I have also heard from longtime Wyandotte breeders not to completely breed out the single comb as it will lead to fertility problems. I have found that whenever I see very few or no single combs I have poor fertility in that line. I have had many successes using single combs. Personally I would rather hatch out 100 chicks and have to cull out 10 to 20 single combs, than throw out a hundred blank eggs, and trust me I’ve done, and do both.
Jesse

 

[karen71]

I can't wait just got some BLW eggs to hatch !!!!

 

[WyandotteTX]

Guess we will agree to disagree on the rose comb/straight comb debate. I stopped keeping any in my SP bantam flock bc I was hatching out tons of chicks but was having to cull way more than I was comfortable with honestly. Of course the bantams may be different than the standards are when it comes to fertility though. With the Rosecomb bantam in their background, just a thought that the genetics might be different with them. Cold weather had more of an effect on fertility with my Wyandottes than anything else. If I tried to hatch much early in January or early February the fertility wouldnt be so good but as the weather warmed up the fertility would increase greatly.

Looked at all your varieties on your website Mr Paul, those are some extraordinary Wyandottes. You should be proud of them. For years it seemed like no one raised any of the standard varieties, it is great to see someone take them on and improve them for the future. Being that Silver Pencilled have always been my favorite my eyes get big and a great smile comes across my face seeing your standard SP. Great type and very impressed with the coloring of your females, especially around the neck and the pencilled feathers on their back. Those are good!! Your males too have great color in their wings and really show off the distinct pattern that makes SP Wyandottes so extraordinary.
One question though, I notice you raise some of the bantam varieties, do you raise any SP bantams? I know there are very few breeders of them anymore. I sadly only have one pair left. Going to try to ramp up my breeding program for them again to get the improvements that I at one time had already achieved. Oh yeah and I love that red barn chicken house you built!!

 

[silvergatefarms]

Me too! love the barn.
Can't wait until end of month to get your wyandottes Mr. Jesse.