Wyandot chickens: description of the breed, photos, reviews

2024 Author: Howard Calhoun | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 10:16

Efficient, calm, full of dignity - Wyandot chickens, which appeared in the USA in the 19th century, gathered the best qualities of meat and egg breeds. The first birds entered the standard in the USA in 1883 (they were silver representatives of the breed), in Russia it happened in 1911.

Development of the breed

The first silver-bordered variety, as already noted, was recognized and adopted as a standard in the States in 1883. In 1933, black, yellow, Colombian, partridge, silver-bordered, black-patterned silver, and white appeared. In 1960 and 1965, gold-bordered and yellow-Columbian were added. In 1977 - blue.

Chicken and rooster: looks

They have a classic rounded shape, yellow or horny beak, long yellow bare legs. The crest is small (in the male, too, in comparison with leghorns, for example). Chickens are very calm in nature, almost never, even near food, do not fight. Females are also excellent mother hens.

As of January 1, 2012, the American Poultry Association (APA) recognized 10 color options, withthat today more than 17 variants are known. Wyandotte is a breed of chickens whose photos invariably attract attention due to the bright and beautiful colors of birds.

Among those for which there is a breed standard: black, blue, fawn, fawn-Colombian, Colombian, golden-bordered, partridge, silver-bordered, white, silver with black pattern.

The weight of an average rooster ranges from 2.5 to 3.5 kg, chicken - from 2 to 3 kg. Wyandot chicks grow very fast and reach adult size at 15 weeks old.

White chickens

White-colored Wyandottes were at one time very popular due to their productivity, tasty meat, liveliness and endurance, but during the Second World War the population greatly decreased.

These hens laid large light brown eggs and usually had beautiful silky plumage. However, most British Wyandots had soft, downy feathers, produced fewer eggs, and needed much more protection from the elements.

In the middle of the 20th century, most white Wyandotes successfully laid throughout the winter (some hens produced up to 240 eggs per year - an outstanding result) and were an ideal choice when a cold-resistant bird capable of producing many eggs was needed and tasty meat with a minimum of worries, with a calm and friendly character.

Color Options

Although the American Poultry Association only officially recognizes10 colors (it is not easy to achieve inclusion in the standard, one of the requirements is that there must be at least 5 APA member breeders breeding this particular species for at least 5 years), there are many more:

1. White. Appeared in 1885 thanks to the selection of B. M. Briggs from light-colored silver Wyandots, white Leghorns and Orpingtons, as well as Dorkings. Their feathers and down are pure white. Inclusions of a different shade or yellow coating are considered a serious flaw.
2. Silver. They were the first recognized birds of this breed. Silver Wyandot chickens are descended from a whole range of assorted ancestors, such as Cochinkin, Brahma, Leghorn, Seabright, Bentham, Hamburger, Orpington.
3. Black. Strictly black down and feathers with a greenish tinge and with yellow metatarsus, the same or dark horn beak. The male may have some white in the tail braids. The down at the base of the feathers may also be white. The standard does not allow bronze color in the flight feathers or braids of a rooster, dark metatarsus in a hen or pale in a male, just like a black beak or plumage without a green sheen.
4. Blue. This somewhat exotic coloring appeared as a result of crossing silver Wyandotes with blue Andalusians. Blue Wyandot chickens have a uniform color of feathers and down, without bordering. The loin, head and mane of the rooster, together with the integumentary plumage of the wings, are darker, sometimes velvety black. A little white is acceptable in the fluff. The metatarsus and beak are yellow (or the beak is horny). Unacceptable shortcomings include unevenness,spotting coloration, black spots, white or black beak, greenish or brown shade of feathers. Young roosters should not have white tails.
5. Silver-bordered. The history of the appearance of this color has several stages. First of all, breeds of chickens Seabright and Cochinchin were crossed, in the second - silvery Hamburg with a dark gate. Mestizos from the first pair were further crossed with chickens from the second. Further selection shaped what can be seen in breeders today.
6. Gold-bordered. Roosters of this variety, according to the standard, have a golden color of feathers (including the head and mane) with a black pattern on them. The tail is black with a green sheen. In a chicken, the main color of the plumage is golden brown, with a black pattern with a green sheen. Tail feathers and down are black. Wyandot golden was bred by Joseph McKean of Wisconsin as a result of crossing silver-banded hens of this breed with Winnebago roosters.
7. Striped. They look more pockmarked than striped. But in fact, according to breed standards, their main color is brilliant black. However, there are clearly defined white stripes on each feather at regular intervals. The correct plumage as a whole should look bluish-gray. The down of the striated Wyandotes has the same pattern as the feathers, but of a lighter shade. It is unacceptable if the stripes or the pattern as a whole are fuzzy, too large, and the plumage gives the impression of a dark or brownish color.
8. Colombian. Received in 1893 by the same B. M. Briggs. The result (according to the stories) is largely accidental, the crossing of white Wyandotes with striped Plymouth Rocks was not planned. The result of the union was further crossed with a red Rhode Island and a light gate. The resulting bird is mostly white, with black streaks along the feather shaft and a silvery mane fringe.
9. Golden white. The main color of the roosters is golden. The pattern is white, the tail, belly and down are white (like that of a chicken). The head is golden with a white line pattern.
10. Wyandot golden. The mane of both varieties is the same - golden in color with a dashed pattern of white.
11. Golden-maned. Bright beautiful birds. The rooster has a chest, shins, belly and tail black with a greenish sheen, flight feathers have a brownish fan, while they themselves are rich black. The head of the female and male is red-brown. The mane of a hen and the head with a mane of a rooster are golden yellow with a black pattern. At the same time, the main shade of plumage in females is gray-brown, without any pattern.
12. Silvermanes. The main color of the chicken is gray interspersed with small black dots. The rooster has a black chest with a green tint, shins and belly. The head is white, as are the wings from the shoulders to the transverse stripes.
13. Fawn. A very common color among outbred chickens is a simple, uniform, rich yellow color. It is considered unacceptable if the birds of this species are spotted or variegated, too dark or light, or with a reddish tint. There are also fawn white-striped andfawn black colombian. The main color in females and males is yellow. The plumage pattern is the same as that of the "Colombians". At the same time, the fluff is gray.
14. Calico. A very interesting variety of chickens - their main color is light chestnut brown, but at the same time on each feather at the tip there is a black spot with a greenish tint, in the middle of which there is a white dot. Males differ from females in that their pattern is slightly darker and more expressive.
15. Red Wyandottes. They have the same feather color as the Rhode Islands, sometimes a little lighter.
16. Partridge. In 1895-1896, partridge Wyandotes were bred in the state of Iowa in the USA. Golden Hamburg, Indian fighting, partridge cochinchins, English fighting and Italian partridge chickens took part in the creation of the breed.
17. Dark. They have a beautiful clear black pattern on a light background, dark slate fluff.
18. Golden blue. Chicks from pairs of this color are blue with white plumage. Adult males are mostly golden, only the down is blue and the belly is dark gray. Females are golden brown with a blue pattern.
19. Dwarf Wyandot. A breed of chickens that appeared in the 20th century in England and Germany.

Bird Character

Chickens are generally very calm and friendly, but maintain some distance from humans - they do not revolve around the owner unless specially tamed.

Besides, they love to "talk" - which includes cock crows and hens clucking. Excellent hatching and growingchickens, both their own and from other chickens.

How many eggs can you get from Wyandotes?

At the age of about 25 weeks, the birds begin to lay. They lay 180 to 200 eggs the first year, 130 to 150 the second year. Some particularly good hens can produce up to 240 eggs annually.

For comparison: representatives of egg breeds give up to 220-250 pieces in the first year (some hybrid chickens - up to 300). In 1979, a Leghorn hen laid 371 eggs, the most on record.

Dignity of Wyandotes

To briefly summarize all of the above, the advantages of the breed include resistance to cold, unpretentiousness in food, friendly and calm character, tasty meat with a fairly large number of eggs laid.

At the same time, birds have a brooding instinct and raise chicks well, they start laying early. You can keep them in open enclosures, because they do not know how to fly.

It is worth mentioning some of the disadvantages that Wyandot chickens have. Reviews about them are usually enthusiastic, especially from beginners. However, this poultry is prone to obesity (which is not critical) and is susceptible to infections. Therefore, their habitat must be kept as clean as possible, and communication with other people's chickens should be limited.

Containment conditions

These birds are unpretentious, but it is better to feed them several times a day ormake sure food and water are available at all times. It is advisable to further enrich the diet with calcium and vitamins. Some farmers use powdered dry dog food for this purpose.

Birds need free range, especially in summer. Since they cannot fly, you can either release them into the garden or build a special aviary. The coop should be perched and cleaned regularly (using caustic soda or other safe disinfectants).

Who are they for?

Wyandot chickens are an excellent choice for beginners and for people who want to keep independent, calm, friendly birds. They are also great as a 2-in-1, both as a source of meat and as laying hens.

Great for farms with land that can be given to chickens for walking. Females are "living incubators".

Dwarf Wyandotte

Besides the usual variety of breed of different colors, there is another one. Dwarf Wyandots. This breed has a smaller size and weight, which ranges from 0.9-1 kg, and, accordingly, they need less food. Chickens are more rounded in shape. Eggs are also smaller.

Despite the size of these chickens, the dwarf Wyandot is otherwise very similar to the usual - the same colors, similar conditions of detention, feeding, brooding instinct and calm nature.