Silver Laced Wyandotte: Characteristics, Egg Production, Price, and More!

Not everyone is a “chicken person,” but those who tend to wear it like a badge for their entire lives. Chicken people don’t just love all chickens; they have favorite breeds, colors, and more. When a chicken collector learns about a breed or color of chicken they do not have yet; they know their collection will never be complete until they have some of that variety, too. We will delve into the world of the silver-laced wyandotte in this article and learn about their characteristics, egg production price, and more.

Meet the Silver-Laced Wyandotte

The silver-laced Wyandotte is a truly American chicken. The Wyandotte breed was named for a Native American tribe, the Wyandot, located in upstate NY and Ontario, CA. The first settlers initially made friends with the Wyandot. It is likely that the chickens are a cross of several different breeds, with two being the Brahma and the silver-spangled Hamburgs. It’s possible other contributors were the highly glamourous Polish fowl and feather-footed Breda. They were originally called the American Sebright, but once they entered into the APA Standard of Perfection in 1883, they were officially named for the tribe.

The birds were created because there wasn’t a chicken that was both a great egg layer and also served as a good meat bird. Once the Brahma-sized, beautifully feathered bird was established, it served both purposes well. Once poultry farming became industrialized in the 20th century, the Wyandotte was no longer seen as a good egg layer or meat bird that was capable of putting on weight fast enough. Their numbers quickly began decreasing until they were endangered in their own country. Now, only the white Wyandotte is critically endangered. Backyard and hobby farming took off and brought back each of the different Wyandotte varieties over the years, but all of the colorful types were more popular than the plain white birds.

Silver-Laced Wyandotte Characteristics

Looks Aren’t The Only Thing This Chicken Has!

The silver-laced Wyandotte has a well-mannered and assertive personality. They are great chickens for children and will happily eat out of their hands, to the delight of the children. Don’t be alarmed if these chickens are fans of being cuddled because it’s in their nature. Like cats, they enjoy human interaction on their terms. If you or your child work closely with a specific chicken or chickens to establish a bond (think food), it is possible that a bond will form. This works especially well if these are chickens that have lived with you since birth and received some snuggles from that point forward.

The silver-laced Wyandotte is an assertive chicken, so it’s far less likely that you will need to rush from your home to break up fights or separate them from the other breed in your flock. They stand their ground, rather politely but firmly, and let their attacker know who they’re messing with and that bullying will not be tolerated. This may not go for the bantam variety since they are a completely unrelated but twin breed. Bantams tend to get picked on due to their size. Of course, every chicken has a different personality.

They are able to fit in with any type of flock but do like to stick closest to their own breed. Having several hens for companionship is preferred. After all, birds of a feather flock together.

Silver-Laced Wyandotte Egg Production

Since the silver-laced Wyandotte is a larger-bodied chicken, their eggs are also large. The pale to medium brown eggs are sometimes laid one for every day of the week, though others may lay every other day. Depending on age and if the hen is broody, they will continue to put out a good number of eggs weekly for most of their lives.

They occasionally become broody, which will halt their egg production, but generally not for long. It can also be beneficial to have a broody hen to stick others’ eggs under if you desire more chickens. The silver-laced Wyandotte are a popular breed and hobby, and backyard breeders especially love them.

Silver Laced Wyandotte Price and Purchasing Info

Chickens, no matter the breed, are the cheapest thing about raising chickens! Silver-laced Wyandottes are friendly, docile, large birds that make great friends, egg-layers, and meat birds. They aren’t available in your local farm stores generally but can be purchased from local farms and also online. Be careful who you choose to buy from online. There are many scams around the sale of farm poultry.

Silver-laced Wyandottes run $5 – 8 each for females and about $2 less for males. If you are new to chicken keeping, make sure to do plenty of research before purchasing chickens. It’s fun to have multiple varieties that produce different colored and sized eggs. Smaller chicks will always produce very small eggs, so stick with larger breeds if the egg size is important. You will also be able to sell “farm fresh” eggs by the dozen for $3 – 10. Price is dependent on what part of the country and state you’re in. Eggs are a great way to barter with your neighbors in farming communities.

The Hidden Costs of Raising Chickens

Like anything else, especially pets, buying chickens is the cheapest part of owning them! It is important to treat periodically for mites and internal parasites. It’s a good idea to vaccinate your chickens. It’s also important to have a safe, cozy chicken coop that’s fairly easy to shovel clean and that isn’t a major fire hazard. If it comes to it, you may need to consider covering the windows during cold snaps and hanging heat lamps. Avoid this unless absolutely necessary. Heat lamps are highly flammable, and many farmers have lost barns and homes due to them.

Chicken feed can be costly if you prefer fancier brands or if you have many chickens to feed. Don’t forget to give them electrolyte water when it’s hot and plenty of healthy scraps.

A Few More Facts About the Silver-Laced Wyandotte

• Silver-laced Wyandottes are cold-hardy birds. They very rarely get frostbite and handle cold weather better than many breeds of chickens.
• They do not do well in hot weather due to their thick feathers. Make sure always to offer cold water and add some with an electrolyte solution. They need to have cool, shady areas to escape the hot sun in the summer months.
• Silver-laced Wyandottes are very good foragers and may tend to wander. It’s best to keep a rooster around to warn of predators.
• These chickens lay 200 – 250 eggs per year.
• Wyandotte chickens do not make a lot of noise except the rooster’s call and the occasional egg-laying squawk, which makes them great for backyards in suburban areas.
• Silver-laced Wyandotte chickens are resistant to common chicken diseases.