The Wyandotte Thread

[dmaldet]

Maybe what I should ask is what other breeds would fit in with what I already have. Totally new to chickens as you can probably tell with what I have already together.

 

[Catandherchicks]

So I was looking to add two wyandottes to my mixed backyard flock. At this point I have mixed feelings because so many are saying they are more aggressive to smaller breeds. I have Easter where, polish, marans and some mutts. What are your thoughts for me? Looking to end up w flock of twelve mixed breeds in total.

Thank you

I can only relate my limited experience. I have a Blue Laced Red Wyandotte and an Easter Egger who are hatchmates. I also have two Olive Egger hens. The BLRW and EE are buddies, probably since they grew up together; they were hatched by one of the OEs who went broody. The Wyandotte doesn't pick on anyone but is larger than the rest. However, she is not at top of the "pecking order". She is easily 30% larger than the EE and 25% larger than the OEs. Since the Wyandottes you'd be bringing in would be the newcomers to your pretty flock, perhaps they wouldn't be the aggressors. Good luck.

 

[Sylvester017]

So I was looking to add two wyandottes to my mixed backyard flock. At this point I have mixed feelings because so many are saying they are more aggressive to smaller breeds. I have Easter where, polish, marans and some mutts. What are your thoughts for me? Looking to end up w flock of twelve mixed breeds in total.

Thank you

I also have two wyandottes that came with two Americans' from the same breeder at age 8 weeks. I have found the larger birds like our wyandottes pick on the Easter eggs layers. I don't know why, Maybe if we had them as babies from the start it would of been easier, but now the smaller breeds get picked on.

Easter Eggers and pure Ameraucanas tend to be non-combative temperaments and are kind flockmates which tends to make them easy targets for dual-purpose breeds to take advantage of the gentler birds. Wyans have a tendency toward domination so would do best with other dual purpose or egg layer breeds like Marans, Leghorns, Orps, 'Lorps, RIR, BRs, etc. Gentler or lighter-weight breeds like EEs, Amer's, Polish, Breda, Faverolles, Silkies, Sultans, bantam Cochins or Brahmas, Crevies, etc, are more docile birds that tend to get picked on by heavier or dual purpose breeds. Wyans are gorgeous birds but I couldn't put them into my gentle flock of Bredas, Silkies, and Ameraucana. I had to re-home my Legs and Marans because they took advantage of the gentle nature of my docile birds. Some people say they don't have problems mixing Wyans w/Silkies but about 50% feedback I get is that the Wyans are bossy. Who knows? Any breed mixes are a gamble. I've limited my breeds to under 5-lb and docile so they are compatible with our smaller Silkies (Breda and Ameraucana or EEs have been best).

 

[ChickChic45]

This is Ezekiel, my young SLW roo! He loves me and lets me pet him but he will run a mile to catch and punish my husband! My older roo, Caesur, is an Ameraucana and controls the chicken domain! He will intercept Ezekiel's attacks on humans whenever he is around. Ezekiel is very much the gentleman to the ladies and is not rough with the EE's, Polish or Silkies.

 

[dmaldet]

So I chickened out with the wyandottes. Was very hard because she had each color and they were beautiful. I decided on a brahma and a barnveilder. Not sure how you spell it. I will be getting two more as soon as I rehome two more roosters.

This is Marshall & Peanut Butter Cup with my grandson

 

[NanaKat]

 
I looked around a bit a couple years ago to find this in GLWs, and have ended up starting a major project to get what I want

Best of luck with your project! I have gotten the strong impression, after researching through various means, that this breed is not focused on for practical use by breeders. Since I have not found one breeder who can give me an accurate sense of production, I must assume it is all about the look and the lacing. It is rather interesting that there is lots of mention of Wyandottes in online articles about "best chickens for your homestead" yet not one actual data source for the claims made about "being good winter layers" or number of eggs laid.

I have Columbian Wyandotte that are great meat birds as well as very good winter layers.

 

[Sylvester017]

So I chickened out with the wyandottes. Was very hard because she had each color and they were beautiful. I decided on a brahma and a barnveilder. Not sure how you spell it. I will be getting two more as soon as I rehome two more roosters.

This is Marshall & Peanut Butter Cup with my grandson

Cutie! So is Peanut Butter Cup! Many who have Brahmas and Barnevelders consider them less aggressive and in fact call large fowl Brahmas "gentle giants." I never had Barnies but most feedback is that they are not as aggressive as other dual purpose but I don't know from personal experience -- just feedback I get back from owners. Anyway, the Brahmas and Barnies are beautiful birds too. When I experimented with different breeds along the way I had homes lined up for any large fowl that grew to be too aggressive to keep with my gentles. For some reason when hens mature from 11/2 to 3 yrs old they begin to show their true tendency either for domination or for timidness. My Legs and Marans got very bossy anywhere from one yr old to 3 yrs old and I had to re-home the assertive adults. All breeds have to go through normal pecking order status but if a hen gets too mean we don't keep her because meanness can be contagious in a flock. When we re-home a mean chicken there's instant peace in the backyard flock as they re-adjust to the absence of the bully and a more normal subtle pecking order is re-established.

 

[dracoe19]

I haven't been on the BYC forums for a long time so I wanted to share some of my birds. I'll have to catch up on the forums at some point.

 

[NanaKat]

Abigail, beautiful birds are always a treat to see. Glad to see you back.

 

[pioneerchick816]

@dracoe19
All your birds are beautiful

Great photos!