Wyandotte question

[4 luv of eggs]

I am new to this as are so many here so please forgive me if this is a worn out question. I have two SLW that were sold as pullets. I bought them from Bowman's Feed Store. They are almost four weeks now and both of their combs are pink but not particularly large. I read somewhere that this is a sign that they're Roos. They seem more agressive than their counterparts, two PR and two BA and seem a bit bigger and more curious. They are also feathered pigs. I don't have a picture of them yet, at this ugly stage I'm afraid they'd break the camera. Also, would I be able to see the beginning of a spur yet? There seems to be a bump on the back of one's legs. Thanks for your help.

 

[TurkeyMountainChickens]

Hi -

Don't you just love the awkward teenage stage?

A bit of pink in the comb is common in Wyandotte pullets. They usually have more color than other breeds at this age. If the comb is bright red
(think Rudolph) and the wattles are, too, then you probably have a cockerel. The picture below has a GLW pullet on the right, and cockerels on the left and in the background.

 

[4 luv of eggs]

They are rather like pimple-faced, gawky, big-footed teenagers. Looking at them right now, I see nothing that even resembles a SLW.

Thanks for that info. I'm beginning to think I see roo all over the place. Paranoid, I guess. I didn't know how accurate the feed stores are when they are advertised as pullets. Only the Partridge Rocks seem to be pullets. The Australorps remind me of seagulls. They still have a fair amount of white fuzz on them.

 

[chicken_china_mom]

I have SLW hens, and my experience with them when they were chicks is that they were BRATS. They ate up all the food, were the first to figure out how to escape the brooder, they picked fights, they were just downright awnry, and extremely curious. But as they got older, they mellowed out and now they are calm girls that lay me nice brown eggs. But as chicks, I wanted to strangle one or two of them, lol. Especially Evie, she was a nipper, always going for the hands. Her name is short for Evil, cause I used to call her the Evil chicken. She is great now and my older daughter's favorite Wyandotte. I had one girl who's comb came in fast and red, and initially we had been calling her Lady, but changed it to Sir because we thought that she was a he, but by the time we figured out that she was really a she, the name had stuck, and she still answers to Sir, lol. Combs in Wyandottes can be a little tricky. I had one that didn't even develope a comb til she was probably 7 or 8 months old. Can you post a picture of your Wyandottes? How old are your birds? Your "brats" should mellow out as they get older. I think it's why there are so many mixed reviews on Wyandottes. People either love them, or they hate them. I happen to love them. My experience with Marans chicks has been the same. I want to strangle them as chicks, but they grow up into the lovliest, nicest birds. If you can survive the bratty months when they are small, you are rewarded with wonderful birds. Hang in there, your girls will get better with age, like a fine wine!

 

[NWChicks]

My Wyandottes (one SL, one GL) are both brats! The GL is named Peanut because when we got her she was very, very tiny. She wouldn't eat at first either and we were so worried we would lose her. I mixed Kefir into her chick crumbles and she turned velociraptor on me and has never gone back. She is among the youngest of my chicks and is definately the smallest but she'll even face off to the 8 month EE that we have. She doesn't win that one but she thinks she can, lol. My husband says she has "little chicken syndrome".

Her comb and wattles are a much lighter shade of pink than the SL even though they're the same age.

The SL is bigger and has more pink to her comb/wattles and isnt the brat the little one is, but is still a brat. If I hold her best friend (a Russian Orloff) she'll jump up and try to peck or bite my hand until I put her friend down! She's afraid of most of the other chickens but the GL defends her so she's not totally picked on. Both girls, both brats but with different personalities. I'm excited to see how they look/act full grown! Enjoy yours! (And if you don't, send them to me because I love this breed!

)

 

[newchicksnducks]

My GLW pullets were also much more independant than the other girls. When they were only 9 weeks or so, they were they ones that would disappear into the back yard while free ranging while the others would stay closer to the coop. I think the breed is just a bit more aggressive and indendant

 

[4 luv of eggs]

Thank you all for your words of encouragement. I guess the brat thing is part of their nature. Since they got their first taste of egg yolk and mealworms you can't put your hand in the brooder without being pecked by these two. They will be four weeks old on Wednesday. Wanda sounds so much like Evie that they could be the same bird. I'm glad they calm down. I was beginning to wonder what I had gotten myself into. LOL

I'll post some picture's a little later. I need DH help in that matter and he's already gone to bed. Thanks again.