Standard Varieties of Chickens:

Wyandottes

The Wyandotte (fig. 3) is another of the general-purpose fowls and is rated next to the Plymouth Rock. From the first they sprang into popular favor and have continued so to the present time. Their origin is comparatively recent, dating back less than twenty-five years. They came originally from the Dark Brahma, Silver Spangled Hamburg, and the Bredas, a French fowl. Not a few authorities say that Wyandottes have Cochin blood in them, from the fact that their ancestors produced single combs and feathered legs.

For general purposes the Wyandotte has proved a success, being of medium size, within on a average a pound (.45 kg) less than the Plymouth Rock fowl, hardy of constitution, and prolific layers. They are easily cared for and bear confinement well. For table purposes they are of superior worth; their flesh is sweet, juicy, and tender, making excellent broilers and roasters. As layers they are among the best, averaging from twelve to fourteen dozens a year, and as winter layers they do well under ordinary circumstances.

There are five varieties of the Wyandotte class, and it is only a matter of opinion as regards a choice of the best. The general characteristics are the same in all, the difference in color of plumage being the only distinguishing mark. The Silver-laced Wyandotte is of a silvery-white plumage, with regularly marked white lacing on breast and a generous distribution of white and black throughout the entire body. The cock has a sliver-white head, rose comb, silver hackle, with a black stripe down the center of each feather, as shown in fig. 4; silvery white back; saddle same as hackle; breast black, with white center (see fig. 4); tail black; wings half black and half white, or rather, black edged with white; when wing is folded there should be a well-defined bar across the wing; shanks and toes rich yellow, free from feathering. The hen of the Silver-laced variety (fig. 5) is marked similarly to the male, excepting the back and wing, which are whiter in male than in female. The breast of female is of much importance in breeding good birds; the lacing should be large and distinct, the white centers of each feather to be free from black or brown penciling.

The Golden Wyandotte (fig. 6) is marked like the Silver, excepting that the color is golden-bay and black instead of white and black. The White variety is, perhaps, the favorite of the Wyandotte classes, from the fact that it is not so difficult to breed to feather, the plumage being pure white throughout. They are for this reason the more practical fowl for the farmer, or those who keep poultry for market. The Buff Wyandotte is in color a rich, deep, clear buff, uniform in shade throughout, except the tail, which is of a deeper buff or copperish-bronze color. The Blacks are of a rich, glossy black, with greenish sheen, excepting breast primaries, secondaries, tail and fluff, which are pure black.

The standard weight of cocks is 8 ½ pounds (3.9 kg); hens, 6 ½ pounds (2.9 kg); cockerels, 7 ½ pounds (3.4 kg); and pullets, 5 ½ pounds (2.5 kg).

FOR FURTHER READING...

The first three images below come from the Oklahoma State University Department of Animal Science's Poultry Breeds pages. The fourth and fifth images are from the FeatherSite, "an on-line zoological garden of domestic poultry". The Wyandottes page at Oklahoma and the Wyandottes page at FeatherSite contain further information about this breed's history and more images of these fowl. Clicking on each image takes you to the page specifically about that particular variety.

Image Credits (from left to right): Copyright © 1996, Oklahoma State University Board of Regents; Copyright © 1996, Oklahoma State University Board of Regents; Copyright © 1996, Oklahoma State University Board of Regents; Courtesy of Barry Koffler; Courtesy of Andy Vardy

Please note: These links point to pages that are being served off of the Oklahoma State University's web server and off the cyborganic.net web server, which are not part of the Chickscope project. Because of this, the images may be missing or corrupted, and control of this is generally out of the hands of the Chickscope development team.

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