Breed · Chicken breed
Wyandotte
Gallus gallus domesticus
Also known as: Silver-laced Wyandotte
The Wyandotte is an American dual-purpose chicken breed known for its rose comb, cold-hardiness, and many attractive laced and patterned colour varieties, kept for brown eggs, meat, and exhibition.
Record
Livestock breed- Breed of
- Chickens
- Species
- Chicken (Gallus gallus domesticus)
- Type
- Dual-purpose
- Origin
- United States
- Recognition
- Registered
- Conservation status
- Not establishedReported per source and date (e.g. FAO DAD-IS); not a fixed property of the breed.
- Registries
- FAO DAD-IS · Global · as of 2026-07-12Chicken breed recorded in the global domestic animal diversity inventory.
- American Poultry Association (Standard of Perfection) · United StatesRecognised breed; Silver-laced variety standardised from 1883.
- Adaptation
- Very cold-hardy: the compact rose comb and dense feathering reduce frostbite risk, suiting the breed to cool and cold climates.
- Primary uses
- Dual-purpose meat and egg production, Exhibition across numerous colour varieties, Backyard and smallholder flocks
Registry listing or variety protection is jurisdiction- and date-specific and does not by itself indicate current commercial availability, universal cultivation approval, patent status, or a recommendation.
The Wyandotte is a dual-purpose chicken breed developed in the United States in the 1870s and 1880s, first standardised as the Silver-laced variety. It was bred as a practical farm fowl and quickly became prized for both utility and appearance, spawning numerous colour varieties.
Compact and rounded with a distinctive low rose comb, the Wyandotte is notably cold-hardy and generally docile. It lays brown eggs, provides a good meat carcass, and is widely kept by exhibition breeders and backyard poultry keepers.
Origin and history
The Silver-laced Wyandotte was admitted to the American Poultry Association standard in 1883, and further colours — including Golden-laced, White, Buff, Blue, Partridge, and Columbian — followed as the breed grew in popularity. Named after the Wyandot people, the breed became a staple American dual-purpose fowl and remains a favourite of the exhibition fancy.
Appearance and characteristics
- A rounded, medium-heavy body with full, dense plumage and a curved outline.
- A low, close-fitting rose comb that resists frostbite, aiding cold tolerance.
- Yellow legs and skin; red earlobes; an extensive range of solid and laced colour varieties.
- A generally calm, manageable temperament suited to mixed flocks.
Use and management
The Wyandotte is kept as a dual-purpose bird for brown eggs and meat, and extensively for exhibition owing to its many decorative varieties. The rose comb and dense feathering make it well adapted to cold climates, and its calm nature suits backyard and free-range systems. As with many long-established breeds, utility and show strains can differ in productivity.
Relationships
Evidence-backed connections in the knowledge graph.
Scope & limitations
Geographic scope: Global breed overview; standards, colour varieties, and populations vary by country and registry.
Climate context: Particularly suited to cool and cold climates thanks to its rose comb and dense plumage.
- This is a general breed profile, not strain-specific performance data or husbandry guidance.
- Numerous colour varieties and show-versus-utility lines differ in traits; only qualitative generalisations are given.
- Conservation risk status is not asserted here because it varies by variety, country, and population.
Sources
This article draws on the following authoritative sources. See our sources & methodology for how they are selected.
- [1]DAD-IS — Domestic Animal Diversity Information System (opens in a new tab)Authoritative
FAO Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture
Cited for: Breed recording and global diversity status
- Type:
- Official registry
- Jurisdiction:
- Global
- Accessed:
- 2026-07-12
- Moderate
Cited for: Breed origin, history, and general characteristics
- Type:
- Reference database
- Jurisdiction:
- Global
- Accessed:
- 2026-07-12