Wyandotte chicken breed is one of the prettiest and good looking breeds of the poultry world. They were originated in the U.S. in the 1870’s. Wyandotte chickens are not a pure breed.
They were made of mostly Sebrights and Cochins, experts agree that Brahmas and Spangled Hamburgs were used in making the breed. Wyandottes are dual purpose chicken breed and are good layers.
They are very hardy, productive birds and lay right through the winter. They can tolerate low temperature and survive in the winter. Their striking and contrasting plumage make them a particular standout in the flock.
Wyandotte chickens come with different color variety. But the Silver Laced variety is the most common and very popular variety. And Silver Laced Wyandottes are the original variety of the breed. Wyandottes usually have a white ring of feathers around their neck. This chicken breed is docile and hens are devoted mothers.
Currently, Wyandotte is a very popular can common breed of chicken in the United States. They are dual-purpose birds and kept for both eggs and meat. However, here we are describing more information about this chicken breed.
Wyandotte Chicken Characteristics
Wyandotte chickens are medium sized birds with quite long clean legs and a rose comb. Their legs are yellow. The feathers of this chicken breed are broad and loosely fitting. The area around the vent is very fluffy. Their feathering is often laced and always glamorous.
There are a total of 17 known colors, including the most common silver laced, golden laced, buff, black, partridge, silver pencilled, lavender, blue laced, pure white etc. Their comb and wattles are deep and glorious red. On an average, a Wyandotte male weights around 8.5 lbs and a female weights around 6 lbs.
Behavior/Temperament
Wyandotte chicken is a very easygoing and gentle bird. But they have a tendency toward dominating other birds in the flock and have strong personalities.
They prefer to free range and are good foragers. Wyandotte chickens are little bit noisy. Hens incubate eggs and are good mothers. They are very energetic and it’s really fun to have some Wyandottes around.
Uses
Wyandotte is a dual-purpose breed of domestic chicken. It is good for both meat and eggs production.
Special Notes
The Wyandotte is a very strong and hardy dual purpose chicken breed. It bears confinement well and relatively calm in nature. They are docile, easily handled, friendly and quiet. See details of Wyandotte chicken breed below.
| Breed Name | Wyandotte |
| Breed Purpose | Dual Purpose |
| Breed Temperament | Bears Confinement Well, Calm, Docile, Easily Handled, Friendly, Quiet |
| Breed Size | Medium/Heavy (6-8 lbs) |
| Broodiness | Yes (Frequent) |
| Comb | Rose Comb |
| Climate Tolerance | Cold (Hardy in Winter) |
| Egg Color | Brown |
| Egg Size | Large |
| Egg Productivity | Medium (around 200 eggs per year) |
| Feathered Legs | No (Clean Yellow Colored Legs) |
| Rarity | Common |
| Varieties | Silver laced, golden laced, buff, black, partridge, silver pencilled, lavender, blue laced, pure white etc. |
Pros/Advantages
- Good egg layer
- Friendly
- Cold hardy
- Easy to care
- Great mother
- Very beautiful
- Amazing colorful feathers
- Like to play around
- Gentle
- Good for dual purpose
Cons/Disadvantages
Wyandotte chickens are a bit noisy. Not everyone likes the sound of chickens. So, it can be a problem if you live in urban areas.
Is Wyandotte Good for You?
Yes, Wyandotte chickens are good for you if you…….
- Want to raise dual purpose chicken breed.
- Like birds with colorful and beautiful feathers.
- Have some land and time to raise some chickens.
- Want to produce some fresh eggs by your own.
- Want to have fresh chicken meat.
- Want to incubate eggs and take care of the chicks by your own chickens.
- Love to have some chickens as pets.
Hope this guide has helped you. Good luck and may God bless you!
Hello, I have 3 golden laced Wyandotte’s raised with 4 lavender Orrington’s and 4 Rhode Island Blues. It’s so strange that I hear so many different things about them. Mine are pretty quiet and calm. One of my favorites loves to sit on my lap and cuddle her head in my arm. They are 14 weeks and have not started laying yet. They are very friendly and beautiful birds. I was very close to all of them while they were chicks. We raised them in the house because it was too cold to put them out. We spent a lot of time with them, petting, holding them and letting them walk around a small area lined with a waterproof cloth. They perched on me since little, so now they clammer for lap attention. The Wyandotte’s do not isolate themselves from the others at all. They sit or lay, sunbathe together always. I have not seen any picking on others by them or even showing hostility. One of the RIB hens does the most bossing around so far. It seems I only have one cockerel and it’s the biggest Wyandotte. He’s very sweet so far, so hopefully he will be good with the ladies. I go out and sit with them daily. It’s a beautiful and calming part of my day. Thank you for your article, I love reading about them.
We are really very very pleased hearing your good experience about this beautiful chicken breed. Good luck!