Wyandotte Question : What makes a wyandotte a wyandotte?

[BlossomSilkies]

They come in many different colors, but say, buff, what makes this a wyandotte and not a Orpington for example.

 

[flyingmonkeypoop]

First is type. Without the standard type it wouldnt be a wyandotte. They need to be big, full birds with yellow legs. Some hatchery stock buff wyandottes look like rose combed buff rocks because they are closer feathered and bred more for production instead of show. When you see a good buff orpington next to a good buff wyandotte it is like night and day

 

[Ariel301]

Comb type is an obvious difference. Wyandottes do not have a single comb like Orpingtons do.

 

[gryeyes]

I have a BLW and a couple of "self blue" Orpingtons. Somewhere along the line, a chick was born and has grown up to be a lovely pullet with the same coloration but not the "lacing" of the Wyandotte, and she's got a single comb, so I was able to guess one of the Orp girls had to be her egg mother. I have another, smaller pullet with the same coloration but feathered legs and a pea comb. This leads me to believe the BLW is her momma, and either a antam cochin or a bantam brahma is her daddy.

Doesn't really answer the question that much, but the comb is a definite clue.