Torn between a Wyandotte and a Sussex for my new coop

Had to pick between a Silver Laced Wyandotte and a Speckled Sussex for my backyard flock in Portland last month. I went with the Wyandotte cause everyone said they're better in cold weather, but man this bird is moody as hell. She's beautiful but she pecks at my hand every time I refill the feeder in the morning. Anyone else have a Wyandotte that's just grumpy all the time or did I get a lemon?

2 comments

2 Comments

alex_coleman1mo ago

Oh man, my Silver Laced Wyandotte (named Gertrude, of course) is the exact same way. She's been with me for about six months now and every single morning when I go to top off the feeder she does that little "nope" peck at my knuckles. I actually have to wear gardening gloves half the time just to avoid getting startled. Funny thing is, my friend in Seattle has four Wyandottes and two of them are downright friendly, so I think maybe we just got the sassy ones (or maybe it's a Pacific Northwest thing, who knows). The feather pattern is gorgeous though, so I tell myself the grumpiness is part of the charm.

taylor9291mo ago

Read somewhere that Wyandottes were originally bred in the Northeast for being tough enough to handle cold winters. Maybe that's where the attitude comes from. Gertrude sounds like she's just making sure you remember she runs the place.