Wyandotte

 
 
The Silver Laced Wyandotte is the parent variety of the Wyandotte family. It originated in New York State. It was first known as "American Sebright" and "Sebright Cochin." The true origin is shrouded in mystery. The Dark Brahma and Spangled Hamburgs were used by the originator of the "American Sebright" was evidenced by the cropping out of the Hamburg comb and Dark Brahma color markings in some of the earlier Eastern strains.

Golden Laced Wyandottes originated in Wisconsin. They were produced by mating Silver Laced Wyandotte females with a cross-bred Partridge Cochin-Brown Leghorn cockerel.

The color pattern of the Sebright Bantam has been more or less of an ideal for breeders of Silver and Golden Laced Wyandottes. It is one that should conform to the larger size of the fowl by having more sharply defined and wider black lacing to harmonize with the broader oval center of the feather.

White Wyandottes originated from sports of the Silver Laced variety in New York State. The texture of feather is important in Wyandottes, especially in the White variety, where broad feathers and smooth fitting plumage are necessary to preserve the characteristic curvilinear breed type of the true Wyandotte.

Buff Wyandottes are light colored Rhode Island Reds, but though lacking in type and off in color, they laid the foundation of a Buff Wyandotte for breed, type and color. Golden and White Wyandotte crosses and Buff Cochin-White and Golden Wyandotte crosses dominated in other strains.

Black Wyandottes originated from black sports of the Silver Laced variety.

Partridge Wyandottes originated in the East and West. The Partridge Cochin furnished the color patterns for both the Eastern and Western strains, but the varieties with which the Cochin were crossed were somewhat different. The Eastern strain was the result of a Partridge Cochin-Golden Wyandotte cross; the Western strain was produced from Partridge Cochin-Cornish-Golden Wyandotte crosses.

Silver Penciled Wyandottes were produced by blending two strains; one a Partridge Wyandotte-Dark Brahma cross, the other, a cross of Silver Laced Wyandottes and Silver Penciled Hamburgs cross.

Columbian Wyandottes were named for the 1893 Columbian Exposition held in Chicago in 1893. This variety was produced by crossing a White Wyandotte and a Barred Plymouth Rock.

Wyandottes are of medium weight, dual purpose fowl for the production of meat and eggs. The skin is yellow and the eggs shells vary in color from very light to a rich brown, depending on individual, strain, and the stage of production.