Silver Laced Wyandott vs other Wyandotts

[Skinny rooster]

I have been told that the Silver Laced Wyandott standard birds are smaller than other Wyandott colours, example white or Columbian. Is this true? I have two unrelated groups and I find them quite small, whereas at the sales or shows, the Wyandotts of other colours look huge to me.

[Ontario Chick]

Hatchery birds tend to be smaller then the bred to SOP show birds.
The SOP calls for the same weight requirements for all varieties of Wyandottes.
You will find the large birds are usually result of years of good selective breeding by experienced breeders.
You can make good headway by getting a well bred large male to improve the size, but there really aren't any short cuts, time and patience does it!

[coonhound]

I seen SOP silver laced wyandottes that are huge but the hatchery birds are very tiny

[Cuttlefish]

The average gold laced available seems to be even smaller than the silver laced, since fewer people breed them seriously. Patterned birds are a challenge and colour + pattern is worse still. I think since feathers are the first thing you (or a buyer) will see, the lacing takes priority over a lot of other "type" points.
But I've also encountered talk of different feather textures in Wyandottes, ie: the white ones have a softer textured feather, some have more fluff than others... both of which will affect how big a bird might look.

[Skinny rooster]

Thanks for the info, I was wondering about this, at the moment my silver Wyandott bantams could easily breed with my standards. Unlike the barred rocks or Cochins where the size difference makes it almost impossible.

[Ontario Chick]

You live close enough to me, why not drop in, in the spring time, I am always up for an in-depth discussion on fine points of Wyandotte breeding. :)

[Skinny rooster]

Thank you for the offer, I will take you up on it. I will bring pictures and get your opinion. I don't think I commented but the most interesting idea I ever saw was when you posted pictures of your birds in show cages, I will probably never show birds but I thought that was a good idea and want show cages now!

[Ontario Chick]

The "Show cage was made out of every last scrap of wire on the place and have been endlessly useful.
I will probably never show birds again, but you have never seen a bird properly until they are eye level, also when you need that third hand, that cage comes in really handy
Will see you in the spring.

[heyden]

Anyone with Standard sized White wyandotte's Am needing a rooster and would be interested in more hen's or pullets.

[Killerbunny]

This is interesting, my last gold laced hen although a production bird is huge - called Big Bird for many reasons LOL! She's 6 now though and doesn't lay anymore.