Wyandotte Chicken Breed: The Ultimate Guide

The Wyandotte chicken breed is a favorite among backyard flock owners for their dependable, egg-laying, easygoing nature and cold hardiness. They are an excellent bird for a beginner chicken owner, families with kids, or even an experienced chicken flock owner looking for a dependable egg layer.

History of the Wyandotte chicken breed

The Wyandotte chicken breed is an American chicken breed that was developed in the 1870s and named for the indigenous Wyandotte people. They were initially called American Seabrights but were changed to Wyandottes when they were admitted to the American Poultry Association in 1883. The first type of Wyandotte chicken was a silver-laced variety, followed by a golden-laced variety.

The personality of a Wyandotte chicken

The Wyandotte chicken breed is calm and friendly and would make a great addition as a backyard family pet. They don't often go broody, but they make excellent mothers when they do. Wyandottes are generally a quiet breed and are a good choice if you have neighbors nearby.

While Wyandottes are a calm and friendly breed, in a mixed flock, they tend to be a dominant breed that naturally falls at the head of the pecking order.

The appearance of Wyandotte chickens

Wyandottes have a heavy body, which makes them a great dual-purpose choice, and a small rose comb makes them perfect for cold climates because they are not prone to frostbite. They have clean feathered yellow legs and four toes. The rooster's weight is 8-9 lbs and the hen's 6-7 lbs.

Feather facts about Wyandotte chickens

There are several feather patterns found in the Wyandotte chicken breed. The American Poultry Association recognizes Columbian, golden laced, silver laced, partridge, silver penciled, black, blue, buff, and white. Other colors bred but not recognized by the APA are the blue-laced red, chocolate, and lavender variety.

Egg color and production of the Wyandotte chickens

Wyandotte hens are good layers of large cream to brown-colored eggs. They usually start laying eggs around 4-5 months of age. You can expect them to lay about 150-200 large eggs yearly or 3-4 per week. They tend to lay well in the winter compared to other chicken breeds.

Care and health for Wyandotte chickens

The Wyandotte chicken breed is very hardy and can do well in both heat and cold weather. They don't have any specific health concerns and should be cared for as any other chickens in your flock are. The average lifespan if the Wyandotte chicken breed is 6-12 years.

Do you have any Wyandotte chickens in your backyard flock? Share with us in the comments below.