The Blue Laced Red Wyandotte is a type of Wyandotte chicken known for its adorable appearance.
Although the variety is newer in the United States of America in comparison to other varieties of Wyandotte chicken, it has gained fast popularity because of its stunning plumage.
This article will discuss everything you need to know about the Blue Laced Red Wyandotte chickens.
If you plan to add this variety to your backyard flock, you have come to the right place. Keep reading to learn more.
History Of The Blue Laced Red Wyandotte Chickens
Wyandottes were first bred in the USA in the 1870s. They are named after the Wyandot, Native Americans of North America.
The breed was created by four breeders, Fred Houdlette, L. Whittaker, John Ray, and H.M. Doubleday, with the first Wyandotte bird being of the silver-laced variety.
The original Wyandotte chickens are said to be created from the dark Brahmas, and silver spangled Hamburg chicken varieties.
The breed was officially recognized in the USA a few years after breeding and was taken to England Shortly after. Breeders continued to experiment with breeding these birds in order to create new and colorful varieties of Wyandottes.
Today, around 30 varieties of Wyandottes are recognized in Europe, while eight are officially recognized in the USA. They include:
- 1883- Silver Laced
- 1888- Gold Laced
- 1893- Partridge
- 1893- Black
- 1893- Buff
- 1902- Silver Penciled
- 1905- Columbian
- 1977- Blue
Great Britain lists the following as the officially recognized varieties:
- Blue
- Black
- Barred
- Blue Partridge
- Blue-laced
- Buff
- Buff-Laced
- Gold-Laced
- Columbian
- Partridge
- Silver-penciled
- Silver-laced
- White
- Red
There has been some debate as to when and where the Blue Laced Red Wyandotte chickens came from. However, evidence suggests that these adorable birds first appeared in either the USA or Britain in the 1800s.
Breed Standard And Appearance
The Blue Laced Red Wyandotte is a mix of several chicken breeds. To produce the exact effect of this delicate chicken breed, you will need to pay close attention to breeding.
Since the Blue Laced Red Wyandotte chicken breed is not yet recognized by the American Poultry Association (APA), there is no breed standard for this bird.
However, many reputable breeders agree that this chicken should have the bodily shape of the Wyandotte.
It should have a broad and U-Shaped body, a yellow beak and legs, and red wattles, comb, face, and earlobes. The earlobes should be close to the head.
It is complex to get the right coloring of the Blue Laced Red Wyandotte chickens. The red base coating has to come from a bird with mahogany red coloring, created from yellow-red pheomelanin and red enhancing genes.
The blue lacing is more complex, as two Blue Wyandottes chickens will not breed true blue. Instead, a bird with the Andalusian blue gene and the lacing gene should be bred with a black chicken in order to create the true blue lacing that is necessary for a Blue Laced Red Wyandotte. Generally, it is a bit complicated to create a true Blue Laced Red Wyandotte chicken.
Personality And Temperament
Generally, Wyandottes are friendly chickens that can be an excellent addition to any backyard flock. However, these birds are not cuddly and should not be confused with pets.
They are not particularly prone to overfriendliness, especially to new faces. The personality of Blue Laced Red Wyandotte usually differs from one bird to another.
Some are calm throughout, while others are relatively sociable. However, these adorable birds tend to have lofty personalities than be pushovers.
They are non-aggressive, although they will not tolerate any bullying done to them. Like roosters of other chicken breeds, Blue Laced Red Wyandotte roosters are a bit aggressive and will fight to protect the rest of the flock from predators.
They will do well under confinement. They are also good foragers that will enjoy free-ranging if given an opportunity.
Overall, they come from a long line of traditionally tolerant birds that trend towards serious individualism instead of social behaviors.
These can be a nice addition to any backyard flock and will do well when raised alongside other chickens.
However, you will need to ensure that the other birds are friendly, too, so that your Blue Laced Red Wyandottes do not become victims of harassment.
Blue Laced Red Wyandotte Egg Laying
Breeders created the Blue Laced Red Wyandotte chickens to be effective egg-layers. However, some Wyandottes hens have suffered from low fertility rates. This has prevented these adorable birds from becoming overly abundant.
This is partly because of the rose comb gene that is inherently present in all Wyandotte birds. Although the gene provides chickens with great, fluffy feathers, it has also been linked to low fertility in these chickens.
The gene may have a more significant impact on roosters than hens. Roosters with this gene tend to have a significantly lower fertility rate than those without.
Generally, Blue Laced Red Wyandotte chickens are prolific layers. Under good care and proper nutrition, a hen can lay around 200 eggs a year.
Their eggs are usually large and brown and may appear speckled with white or dark brown. These hens also tend to sit on any eggs placed under them. This makes them an excellent addition to any backyard flock.
Health Issues And Care
Besides the increased likelihood of infertility, these birds have other care issues that you will need to pay close attention to. They have a dense feathering that should be checked regularly for lice and mite infestation.
Mites
Mites are known for causing anemia in birds. Some of the common signs of mites in chickens include over-preening, over-pecking, and abnormal molting.
You will also need to pay attention to any potential discoloration in your birds as it can be a sign of your chickens dealing with mites.
Lice
Backyard chickens are more likely to catch lice from humans or birds rather than other chickens. However, freshly introduced chickens run the risk of transmitting the parasite to nearby chickens in the flock. You will need to check your birds regularly for mites and offer them appropriate treatment.
General Care
Generally, the Blue Laced Red Wyandotte chicken is a healthy breed of chicken. They are also hardy birds that will do well in different climates.
Most of their health issues are likely to arise from parasites. Therefore, you should regularly check their feathers for mites and lice and offer appropriate treatment. In terms of grooming, you will need to be careful to keep their rear trimmed. This will help to facilitate mating as well as aid in the shedding of waste.
Tips For Raising Blue Laced Red Wyandotte Chickens
Here are some tips to successfully raise your Blue Laced Red Wyandotte chickens.
Feed Them a Well-Balanced Diet and Plenty of Water
Like other breeds of chicken, your Blue Laced Red Wyandotte chickens will need a well-balanced diet in order to live a long and more productive life.
Chicks should be fed on a chicken feed rich in proteins to aid in the general growth of the body and feathers.
Mature Blue Laced Red Wyandotte hens will require calcium in their diet. This will help in the formation of strong eggshells. In addition, your birds will require plenty of clean water to keep them hydrated.
Give Them Space to Roam
These chickens are known to be good foragers. Although they thrive in more constrained environments and are known for being easy-going, they prefer to have space to roam, especially the chicks.
Therefore, you can ensure that your Blue Laced Red Wyandottes have enough space to roam around the backyard to forage and interact with other birds. This is great for the socialization and overall happiness of your birds.
Give them Shade in Warm Weather
If you live in colder climates, you will appreciate the hardiness of these adorable birds. They also thrive well in warm weather, although they do not prefer it.
Therefore, if you are in a warm climate, you will need to provide your birds with shaded areas to escape the sun. Giving them plenty of water will also help them stay hydrated and cool off.
Take Note of Their Spot in the Pecking Order
Although the Blue Laced Red Wyandotte chickens are usually high in the pecking order in a flock, they are not prone to bullying other birds.
However, they tend not to tolerate any bullying aimed directly at them because of their superiority. Therefore, you should avoid raising them in a flock of more aggressive chickens.
Grooming
The Blue Laced Red Wyandotte chickens are known for their adorable appearance. You will need to keep up with their grooming in order to fully show off these majestic chickens.
Because of their impressive plumage, they are prone to common poultry parasites, such as mites and lice. Therefore, they should be regularly checked for such parasites.
Conclusion
The Blue Laced Red Wyandotte chickens are a genetic marvel and a feat of complex genealogical engineering.
These easy-going and adorable birds are an excellent addition to any backyard flock. They are relatively low-maintenance chickens as well as good egg layers.
