The Wyandotte Thread

[bestpractice]

A boy is a young human. The bird in question is a cockerel.

Oh my, I like calling them little boys or girls. I don't call my dogs bitches and sires either... They are my baby girl and baby boy too -- and they are big, not pups anymore. Terms of endearment

 

[gilavina]

Hi All,

I got a Columbian Wyandotte as my rare bird in my McMurray order. She is so pretty! I didn't know anything about the breed, and I still don't know much. She is only a few weeks old but I think her personality is much nicer than my other birds. She is always the one who comes up to me, before any of the others -- very curious, checks everything out. I got Delaware, Barred Plymouth and New Hampshire but the Wyandotte seems so gentle -- I thought the other breeds I chose were supposed to be gentle. Does anyone here raise them, or use them for eggs? She looks a little small for meat so I'm assuming everyone raises them for eggs or pets. I was so worried because she was smaller than the others but she is so full of life and just pushes her way through everyone and does what she wants. She's adorable.

Take care,
t

Are you talking about a large fowl columbian wyandotte? I have both large fowl and bantams. Mostly I hatch and use the eggs in the off season, but also use the cull birds for meat since they are a dual purpose bird. For the most part the columbians run smaller in the large fowl than some of the other colors and there are several people working on them, but it will take time to increase their size. Its hard to know for sure how big she will get being hatchery stock, but for the most part Wyandottes are a slower growing breed than others can be often growing up to about 18months, so she will put some weight on for sure still, even if she isn't huge.

 

[AinaWGSD]

And now I have just been told (in a Bloomington specific chicken group on facebook) that "Wyandottes can sometimes be a bit on the aggressive side." Do y'all agree?

If you're just getting hens, not roosters, then no I do not agree. Even hatchery wyandottes, which *can* be a little more aggressive towards other birds are most likely to be docile towards people. I do agree, from my limited experience with my one hatchery silver laced wyandotte (SLW) that they can be more aggressive towards other birds in the flock than the other breeds you've listed. Mine is sweet as pie to us, always has been, but last summer when we were having feather picking problems she was the only one that wasn't missing any feathers.


Quote:
I guess the question is where you are looking to get birds from? Hatchery wyandottes and wyandottes from dedicated hobby breeders are like two totally different breeds. Wyandottes from a breeder are going to be larger, more likely to have correct comb type and good lacing, and from all accounts I've heard they tend to be a bit more docile in temperament. If you're getting your birds from a hatchery (or through a feedstore, since 95% of the time feed stores get their birds from hatcheries) then I'd say any of the breeds you're looking at are going to be pretty similar in egg production, meat production, and temperament. Hatchery wyandottes (at least mine) really don't have any more meat on them than easter eggers (what many hatcheries sell as "Ameraucanas.")

 

[DMRippy]

I think it is a Barred Plymouth Rock. I got a few in my order, very nice birds, but then I like all of my birds

Plymouth Rock is a breed, and Barred is a color variety. I have Barred Rocks, but I also have blue rocks, blue barred rocks and some Partridge Rocks going in the bator soon. They come in all kinds of colors like Wyandottes

Barred is the most popular by far, I guess.

 

[WyandotteTX]

A boy is a young human. The bird in question is a cockerel.

Another word for a young cockerel would be dinner. Lord knows there are always too many cockerels too feed.
I agree with you on the premise. I too was once a boy. All of my birds have always been cocks, cockerels, pullets and hens. But I am not what most people would describe as "city folk".....

 

[colby318]

None of my wyandottes are from a hatchery line. There are a very mellow breed of bird. I tell the curious that if they were people, they'd be surfer dudes. Now seriously, they are a dual purpose breed with a little more emphasis on meat production. That's why it takes them a bit longer to mature; they need to fill out that deep, wide body before they begin laying. Other dual purpose breeds such as Rhode Island reds are geared more for egg production side. They have a bit leaner and longer body. Any RIR breeder will tell you they should be brick shaped. A lot of hatchery wyandottes have been crossed with rocks and other breeds to increase/speed up the egg production timeline. That's why they are long, thin birds with the occasional single comb popping up. There are a lot of posts on BYC asking why their wyandotte isn't laying at 5 months like their skinny little production layers.

As to cold weather, I've had welsummers, orps, australorps and barred rocks here in Kentucky. It's the moisture in the air of the coop that causes frostbite (from respiration and droppings)... Good ventilation is the key. I did have a welsummer cock with a bit of frostbite on the tips of his comb but he liked to dip his whole head in the waterer. That bird had no common sense. Vaseline on his comb solved that problem but it ruined his trust for me. Hens with a single comb can sleep with their heads under their wings so they're safer from frostbite. On the flipside, during the summer larger combs dissipate heat more efficiently.

 

[bestpractice]

Are you talking about a large fowl columbian wyandotte? I have both large fowl and bantams. Mostly I hatch and use the eggs in the off season, but also use the cull birds for meat since they are a dual purpose bird. For the most part the columbians run smaller in the large fowl than some of the other colors and there are several people working on them, but it will take time to increase their size. Its hard to know for sure how big she will get being hatchery stock, but for the most part Wyandottes are a slower growing breed than others can be often growing up to about 18months, so she will put some weight on for sure still, even if she isn't huge.

Yes, large. I have Deleware, New Hampshire, and Barred Plymouth Rock and she is the smaller of the three. She is very pretty, I hope she does okay with the others because they grow fairly fast.

 

[bestpractice]

Plymouth Rock is a breed, and Barred is a color variety. I have Barred Rocks, but I also have blue rocks, blue barred rocks and some Partridge Rocks going in the bator soon. They come in all kinds of colors like Wyandottes

Barred is the most popular by far, I guess.

Okie dokie Thank you.

 

[Notting Hill]

I am very excited, I am getting a pair of blue bantam wyandottes on Sunday! I currently have 2 barred wyandotte bantam roosters and 2 white wyandotte bantam hens. If I cross the barred rooster with the blue hen, will I get blue barreds? What if I put the white hens in with the blue rooster? Thanks for your help!

 

[DMRippy]

I am very excited, I am getting a pair of blue bantam wyandottes on Sunday! I currently have 2 barred wyandotte bantam roosters and 2 white wyandotte bantam hens. If I cross the barred rooster with the blue hen, will I get blue barreds? What if I put the white hens in with the blue rooster? Thanks for your help!

That is how I got my blue barred rocks

If the whites are dominate white you will get white, if not I don't really know.