WYANDOTTE

History: The Wyandotte family is large; the first variety was the silver laced, from America in 1883, at which time it also came to England. The partridge Cochin and gold spangled Hamburgh males were crossed with the silver females to produce the gold laced variety. The white Wyandotte came as a sport from the silver laced, the buff followed by crossing buff Cochin with the silver laced. In 1896 the partridge variety was introduced from America, the result of blending partridge Cochin and Indian Game with that of the gold laced. Colombians were the result of crossing the white Wyandotte with the barred Rock, and it was the crossing of the gold laced and the white varieties which produced the buff laced and the blue lacked. Blacks, blues and barred have been made in different ways in this country. The latest variety is the red, created in Lancashire from the gold laced with selective matings with white Wyandotte, Barnevelder and Rhode Island Reds.

Characteristics: A graceful, alert, active but docile breed. A short and deep body, the back broad and short, the breast full, round and broad. The wings are medium sized and the tail is medium yet full and spread at the base. The head is short and broad with a rose comb and the face is smooth, with a fine texture. The legs are medium length, thighs covered with soft feathers, shanks free of feather or fluff

Colours: Barred, black, blue, buff, Colombian, partridge, silver pencilled, red, white, silver laced, gold laced, blue laced, buff laced.

At The Garden Hen we keep the gold laced variety which has rich golden feathers, with black edging giving a "laced" look. The tail has a green lustre.

Why do we keep Wyandottes at The Garden Hen? They are one of the most attractively marked birds.

Cockerel Hen

Eggs: Tinted, 180 per annum

Classification: Heavy/soft feather

Weight: Male - not less than 4.08 kg (9 lb), Female - not less than 3.17 kg (7 lb)