Chicken Viandot: description of the breed, photo, reviews

Spectacular, calm, full of dignity - Viandot chickens, which appeared in the United States in the XIX century, collected the best qualities of meat-egg breeds. The first birds entered the standard in the US in 1883 (they were silvery representatives of the breed), in Russia it happened in 1911.

Development of the breed

The first silver-fringed variety, as already noted, was recognized and accepted into the standard in the States in 1883. In 1933 appeared black, yellow, Colombian, grouse, silver-fringed, silvery with a black pattern and white. In 1960 and 1965, golden-fringed and yellow-Colombian were added. In 1977 they were blue.

Chicken and cock: appearance

They have a classical round shape, yellow or horny beak, long yellow bare legs. The crest is small (in the male too, in comparison with leggorns, for example). Chickens are very calm in nature, almost never, even near food, do not fight. Samochki to the same - excellent ments.

As of January 1, 2012, the American Poultry Association (APA) has recognized 10 color options, while more than 17 variants are known today. Viandot - a breed of chickens, photos of which invariably attract attention thanks to the bright and beautiful colors of birds.

Among those for which the breed standard exists: black, blue, fawn, pale-Colombian, Colombian, golden-fringed, partridge-like, silver-fringed, white, silvery with black pattern.

Weight of the average rooster varies from 2.5 to 3.5 kg, chicken - from 2 to 3 kg. Chicken Wyandot grow very quickly and reach the size of adults at the 15th week of birth.

White chickens

Wyandoty of white coloring were at one time very popular due to their productivity, delicious meat, liveliness and endurance, however during the Second World War the population greatly decreased.

These chickens carried large light brown eggs and, as a rule, had a beautiful silky plumage. However, most British Wyandots had a soft fluffy feather cover, gave fewer eggs and needed much more protection from the elements.

In the middle of the 20th century, most white Wyandots were carried successfully throughout the winter (some chicken gave up to 240 eggs per year - an outstanding result) and were the ideal choice when a cold-resistant bird was needed, capable of giving a lot of eggs and tasty meat at a minimum Cares, with a calm and friendly character.

Color options

Although the American Poultry Association officially recognizes only 10 colors (achieving inclusion in the standard is not so simple, one of the requirements - there must be at least 5 breeders-members of the APA, breeding this species for at least 5 years), there are much more:

1. White. They appeared in 1885 thanks to the selection of BM Briggs from silvery vandots of light shades, white leggorns and orpings, and also dorking. Feathers and down they have a pure white color. Inclusions of a different shade or yellow coating are considered a serious drawback.
2. Silvery. They were the first recognized birds of this breed. The Wyandot silver chickens originated from a whole set of different ancestors, such as Kohinquin, Brahma, Leggorn, Seabright, Bentamka, Hamburg, Orpington.
3. Black. Strictly black fluff and feathers with a greenish tint and with yellow metatars, the same or dark horny beak. A male in the tail of a tail may have a little white color. The fluff at the base of the feathers can also be white. The standard does not allow bronze color in flight feathers or cock rods, dark hens or pale ones in a male, just like a black beak or feathers without a green gloss.
4. Blue. This exotic coloring in some way appeared as a result of crossing of silvery Wyandot with blue andalusks. Blue Wyandot chickens have a uniform color of feathers and down, without bordering. The loin, head and mane of the cock together with the cover feathers of the wings are darker, sometimes velvety black. In fluff, a little white is permissible. Hocks and beak are yellow (or beak horny). Unacceptable shortcomings include unevenness, patchiness of color, black spots, white or black beak, greenish or brown feathers. Young roosters should not have white in the tail.
5. Silver-edged. The history of the appearance of this coloring has several stages. First and foremost, the breeds of Sirabrite and Cochin chickens crossed, in the second - silvery Hamburg huts with a dark bra. The metis from the first pair was further crossed with the chickens from the second pair. Further selection has formed what can be seen in breeders in our time.
6. Golden-fringed. Roosters of this variety have a golden color of feathers (including heads and manes) with a black pattern on them. The tail is black with a green sheen. The chicken has the same color of plumage - golden brown, with a black and green glitter pattern. The tail feathers and down are black. Wyandot Golden was deduced by Joseph McKean from Wisconsin as a result of crossing the silver-fringed hens of this breed with the Winnebago roosters.
7. Striped and striped. They look, more likely, pock-marked than striped. But in fact, if you believe the standards of the breed, their main color is brilliant black. However, at each crossing, clearly defined white stripes pass through equal intervals. Proper plumage as a whole should look bluish-gray. Down in the cross-striped Wyandot has the same pattern as the feathers, but a lighter shade. It is unacceptable if the stripes or the picture as a whole are indistinct, too large, and the plumage creates an impression of a dark or brownish color.
8. The Colombian ones. Received in 1893 by the same BM Briggs. The result (if you believe the stories), in many cases, the crossing of white Wyandots with striped plymutroks was not planned. The result of the alliance was further crossed with a red rod-aylend and a light brass. The resultant bird is mostly white, with black strokes along the feather rod and silvery fringing of the mane.
9. Golden-white. The main color of the roosters is golden. Drawing - white, tail, belly and fluff - white (as in chicken). Head - golden with a white dashed pattern.
10. Wyandot is golden. The mane is the same in both varieties - golden in color with a dashed white pattern.
11. Golden-throated. Bright beautiful birds. In the cock, the chest, shins, belly and tail of a black color with a greenish gleam, the feathers have a brownish fan, while they themselves are saturated black. The head of the female and male is red-brown. The mane of the chicken and the head with the mane of the cock have a golden yellow color with a black pattern. At the same time, the basic shade of plumage in females is gray-brown, without any figure.
12. Silvery-pointed. The main color of the chicken is gray with the interspersion of small black dots. The rooster has a black, green-tinged chest, shin and stomach. The head is white, as are the wings from the shoulders to the transverse bands.
13. Paley. Coloring is very common among mongrel hens - a simple, uniform, rich yellow color. It is considered unacceptable if the birds of this species are spotted or mottled, too dark or light, or with a reddish tint. There are also fawn white-striped and fawn black-Colombian. The main color of the female and male is yellow. The plumage pattern is the same as that of the "Colombians". In this case down is gray.
14. Printed cotton. A very interesting variety of chickens - the main color is light chestnut brown, but there is a black spot on each end with a greenish tint, in the middle of which there is a white dot. Males differ from females in that they have a slightly darker and more expressive pattern.
15. Red Wyandoty. They have the same color of feathers as the rod-island, sometimes a bit lighter.
16. Kurapatchatye. In 1895-1896 in the state of Iowa in the United States, partridge wyandots were taken out. In the formation of the breed took part the golden Hamburg, Indian fighters, partridged Cochins, English fighting and Italian partridge hens.
17. The dark ones. Have a beautiful clear black pattern on a light background, dark slate fluff.
18. Golden-blue. Chickens from pairs of this coloring turn out blue and white plumage. Adult males, mostly golden, only fluff blue and abdomen dark gray. Female - golden brown, with a blue pattern.
19. The dwarf wyandot. The breed of chickens, which appeared in the twentieth century in England and Germany.

Character of birds

Chickens as a whole are very calm and friendly, however they keep some distance with the person - they do not spin around the owner unless they are specially tamed.

In addition, they like to "talk" - which includes the singing of cocks, and the clucking of hens. Excellent incubate and grow chickens, as their own, and from other chickens.

How many eggs can be obtained from the Wyandot?

At the age of about 25 weeks the birds begin to sweep. In the first year they give 180 to 200 eggs, in the second - from 130 to 150. Some particularly good layers can produce up to 240 pieces per year.

For comparison: representatives of egg breeds give up to 220-250 pieces in the first year (some hybrid chicken - up to 300). In 1979, the LEGhorn laying hen laid 371 eggs, becoming the record holder for this indicator among all registered cases.

Advantages of Wyandot

If you summarize all of the above, then the advantages of the breed include resistance to cold, unpretentiousness in food, friendly and calm character, delicious meat with a fairly large number of eggs laid.

At the same time, birds have the instinct of hatching and grow chickens well, they start to sweep early. You can keep them in open cages, because they can not fly.

It is worth mentioning some of the shortcomings that the Wyandot chickens have. Reviews about them are usually enthusiastic, especially from beginners. However, this poultry is prone to obesity (which is not critical) and is sensitive to infections. Therefore, their habitat must be kept as clean as possible, and also limited to communication with other people's chickens.

Conditions of detention

These birds are unpretentious, however, it is better to feed them several times a day or to make sure that food and water are always available. The diet should be further enriched with calcium and vitamins. Some farmers use chopped dry dog food for this purpose.

Birds need free-range, especially in summer. Since they can not fly, you can either release them into the garden, or build a special aviary. The coop should have roosts and be cleaned regularly (using caustic soda or other safe disinfectants).

Who will they suit?

An excellent choice of Viandot chickens will be for beginners and for people who want to keep independent, calm, friendly birds. They are also good in the role of "2 in 1" - both as a source of meat, and as layers.

Perfectly suitable for farms that have land that can be given to chickens for walking. Samochki are "living incubators".

Dwarf Wyandot

In addition to the usual variety of breeds of different colors, there is one more. Dwarf vandots. This breed is characterized by a smaller size and weight that fluctuates around 0.9-1 kg, and, accordingly, they need less food. Chickens more round in shape. Eggs are also smaller.

Despite the size that these chickens have, the dwarf viandot in the rest is very similar to the usual - the same colors, similar conditions, feeding, instinct of incubation and calm nature.