Description
Columbian Wyandotte Chicken
Breed Overview and Origin
The Columbian Wyandotte chicken is a handsome American breed with a clean, bright look and a calm backyard temperament. If you like Wyandottes but prefer a crisp white bird with black markings instead of laced feathers, this variety is a beautiful choice.
This variety takes its name from the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition, also called the Chicago World’s Fair. The American Poultry Association notes that the Columbian color resulted from crossing White Wyandottes with Barred Plymouth Rocks, and breeders first exhibited it at the 1893 exposition.
Cackle Hatchery® offers Columbian Wyandotte chicks for sale as production-type birds, not show type. These chickens work well for backyard flocks, brown eggs, confinement, or free-range setups when you give them good care and enough space. Cackle lists them under brown egg layers and cold weather chickens.
Appearance and Characteristics
Columbian Wyandottes have white bodies with black markings around the neck, tail, and wings. Their clean legs, rose comb, and rounded Wyandotte shape give them a classic American breed look.
The rose comb is not just for looks. Because it sits close to the head, it exposes less flesh to winter weather than a large single comb. That can help in colder climates, especially when you also provide a dry coop with good ventilation. Cackle’s cold weather chicken category notes that many winter-hardy breeds have smaller combs and wattles, which can reduce frostbite risk.
These birds are practical as well as pretty. They have enough size and substance for dual-purpose use, while still laying brown eggs for the home flock.
Columbian Wyandotte vs Other Wyandotte Colors
The Columbian variety has a very different look from the laced Wyandotte colors. Instead of black lacing around every feather, Columbian birds have mostly white plumage with black accents on the neck, wings, and tail.
Choose the Columbian Wyandotte if you want a clean white-and-black bird with a classic rose comb and steady backyard usefulness. On the other hand, choose a laced variety, such as Black Laced Silver, Black Laced Golden, Blue Laced Red, or Splash Laced Red, if you prefer more patterned feathering.
If you are comparing options, Cackle Hatchery’s Wyandotte chicken color options page is a helpful place to see the different varieties available.
Production Type vs Show Type Wyandottes
Cackle Hatchery® currently offers the Columbian Wyandotte as a production-type line, not a show type. That means these birds focus more on backyard usefulness, brown eggs, hardiness, and flock temperament than on exhibition judging.
For most backyard keepers, that is exactly the point. You get a pretty chicken that can still live like a practical flock bird.
Show-type birds focus more on exact breed-standard traits, such as body shape, color pattern, and exhibition quality. However, if your goal is eggs, family-friendly temperament, and a good-looking flock, the production type is usually the better fit.
For more background on that difference, Cackle Hatchery’s guide to the difference between production chickens and show chickens is a useful read.
Egg Production and Utility
Columbian Wyandottes are useful brown egg layers with good backyard value. They lay medium to large brown eggs and bring enough body size to serve as a traditional dual-purpose chicken.
Cackle Hatchery® lists the Columbian variety under brown egg laying chickens and describes it as ideal for both brown egg and meat production. Actual laying can vary with age, daylight, feed, weather, housing, and overall flock care.
These hens may also go broody from time to time. When they do, they can make excellent mothers. That can be a nice trait if you enjoy a more natural flock cycle, though broodiness may pause laying while a hen sits or raises chicks.
Temperament and Suitability
Columbian Wyandottes are generally docile, steady, and pleasant to keep. They are a good fit for backyard coops, family flocks, homesteads, and small farms.
They can do well in confinement, and they also enjoy free range when you can provide a safe setup. That flexibility makes them easy to work into many flock plans. Give them clean water, balanced feed, dry housing, predator protection, shade, and enough space, and they should settle in nicely.
Because they have a rose comb and a sturdy body, they handle cold weather well. Even so, every flock still needs a dry, draft-protected coop with good airflow. In warmer weather, shade and fresh water help keep them comfortable.
As with any chicken, individual temperament can vary. Still, Wyandottes have a long reputation as sensible, attractive, useful birds.
Is the Columbian Wyandotte Right for Your Flock?
Choose Columbian Wyandottes if you want:
A white chicken with black neck, wing, and tail markings
A docile backyard bird
A brown egg layer
A production-type Wyandotte from Cackle Hatchery®
A cold-hardy rose comb chicken
A bird that can handle confinement or free range
A dual-purpose chicken for eggs and meat
A hen that may go broody and mother chicks
A clean-legged breed with a classic American look
Overall, this variety is a good choice if you want a bird that is attractive, useful, and not overly fussy. It has enough beauty to stand out and enough practical value to belong in a working backyard flock.
If you are still comparing breeds, Cackle Hatchery’s Chicken Breed Selector and Chicken Breeds List Comparison Chart can help you sort birds by purpose, egg color, appearance, and flock needs.
Breed History and Preservation
The Wyandotte breed began in the United States in the 1870s. The Silver Laced variety came first, and other colors followed as breeders developed new patterns and varieties.
The Columbian variety came later and got its name from the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago. The American Poultry Association article on Columbian Wyandottes explains that the variety came from crossing White Wyandottes with Barred Plymouth Rocks and was first exhibited at the World’s Fair.
Cackle Hatchery® lists the variety as APA recognized in 1905. That recognition helped establish it as one of the traditional Wyandotte color varieties.
Today, the Columbian color remains a good option for customers who like the Wyandotte breed but want a clean white-and-black pattern instead of lacing.
Recognition and Availability
The American Poultry Association recognizes Wyandottes in the American class. Cackle lists the Columbian variety as recognized by the Standard of Perfection in 1905.
Cackle Hatchery® offers Columbian Wyandotte baby chicks as production-type birds. Many customers who enjoy the standard-size variety also like the Columbian Wyandotte Bantam Chicken, the miniature version. Cackle lists the bantam as seasonal and sold as baby chicks only.
Availability can change by season, hatch date, egg numbers, and order timing. So, before you plan your flock, check Cackle Hatchery’s Availability Chart for current hatch and shipping options.
Related Breeds and Helpful Cackle Hatchery® Resources
If you like Columbian Wyandottes, you may also want to compare other Wyandotte chicken color options from Cackle Hatchery®, including Black Laced Silver, Black Laced Golden, Blue Laced Red, Splash Laced Red, and other varieties when available.
For more background on the breed family, read Cackle Hatchery’s article, Wyandotte chickens in the heritage breed spotlight. It gives a helpful overview of Wyandotte history, temperament, and the varieties Cackle offers.
For broader flock planning, browse Cackle Hatchery’s brown egg laying chickens, cold weather chickens, Chicken Breed Selector, and baby chicks for sale.
FAQ: Columbian Wyandotte Chicken
What is a Columbian Wyandotte chicken?
A Columbian Wyandotte chicken is a white-and-black variety of the Wyandotte breed. It is known for a rose comb, clean legs, brown eggs, docile temperament, and good backyard usefulness.
Why is it called Columbian Wyandotte?
The variety was named after the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago, where breeders first exhibited it.
What color are Columbian Wyandottes?
They are mostly white with black markings around the neck, tail, and wings. This gives them a clean, bright look that stands out from the laced Wyandotte varieties.
Are Columbian Wyandottes good egg layers?
Yes. They are useful brown egg layers for backyard flocks. Actual production can vary with age, daylight, feed, weather, housing, and overall care.
What color eggs do they lay?
They lay brown eggs, usually medium to large in size. That makes them a good choice if you want an attractive bird that still helps with the egg basket.
Are these chickens friendly?
They are generally docile and steady. With regular care and calm handling, they can make pleasant backyard chickens for families and small flocks.
Are they good for beginners?
Yes. They can work well for beginners because they are hardy, useful, and usually calm. Like all chickens, they still need clean water, balanced feed, predator protection, dry housing, and enough space.
Are Columbian Wyandottes cold hardy?
Yes. Their rose comb and sturdy Wyandotte body help them handle cold weather. Still, they need a dry, draft-protected coop with good ventilation.
Are they good for free range?
Yes. These birds can do well in free-range or semi-free-range systems. They also adapt well to confinement when you give them enough room and enrichment.
Do Columbian Wyandottes go broody?
They may go broody from time to time. When they do, they can make excellent mothers, although broodiness may pause egg laying for a while.
Are Columbian Wyandottes good for meat?
Yes. They have dual-purpose value and can work for both eggs and meat. Most backyard keepers choose them mainly for eggs, temperament, and appearance.
What is the difference between production type and show type?
Production-type birds focus more on practical backyard use, eggs, meat value, and flock temperament. Show-type birds focus more on exhibition traits and breed-standard appearance. Cackle currently offers the Columbian Wyandotte as a production type.
Are Columbian Wyandottes heritage chickens?
Yes. Columbian Wyandottes belong to the historic American Wyandotte breed family. Cackle lists this variety as APA recognized in 1905.
Does Cackle Hatchery® offer Columbian Wyandotte Bantams?
Yes. Cackle Hatchery® offers Columbian Wyandotte Bantam Chickens, the miniature version of this variety.
Where can I check chick availability?
You can check Cackle Hatchery’s Availability Chart for current hatch and shipping availability. Availability can change by season, hatch date, and egg numbers.
Christian Galante –
Excellent chickens! Decent egg layer and docile.
Dustin Boling –
We have had several different breeds over the years but this is our favorite! The Columbian Wyandotte’s have a great personality and lay a decent amount of eggs.
Celanie Lotriet –
We ordered 3 females of these along with many other breeds as chics. They ended up being our most beautiful and friendly hens. We love them and they are huge!
Heather Diehl –
Received my shipment of Wyandotts earlier than expected. These are very beautiful, calm birds.
Jon Palmer –
These chickens are great, very friendly. I ordered 9 last April and only one of them has started to lay. Two of them were scissor beaks, which was disappointing. I was sent extra for my whole order and all three of them were roosters. I live in STL and my chicks were sent to KC first. I was worried they’d arrive dead. Not a great first experience ordering from Cackle.
stephiemarie1980 –
My husband actually picked these girls out when I placed my order. From the pictures I thought they were nice but they are my favorite of all the wyandottes I ordered. They are super sweet and friendly. They are also so beautiful and fluffy. I cant say enough about them. I will definitely be adding more of them to my flock!
Tiffanie Andrews-Rost –
Love this breed. They are consistently friendly and outgoing. Getting along well with the other birds in my flock. I ordered pullets and seem to have received one rooster but he is turning out well and gentle with the rest of the flock.
Sarah Davies –
We ordered three columbian wyandottes and got four in mid May. They are super friendly birds (except for one who is a bit feisty). All were correctly sexed as pullets. I am very pleased with them, and am looking forward to them starting to lay this fall.
Katie Powell –
I paid for them, I paid for the shipping. But never received them. Then I was told I would have to pay for the shipping AGAIN if I wanted them. Feeling like I got scammed at this point.
Cackle Hatchery (store manager) –
We did offer this option in the past but due to the USPS surcharge of 15.00 per shipment we are left with just the option to refund what was shorted on your order.
sconnor0418 –
This is my 4th order of chicks over the years. They are now 3 months old and a beautiful and friendly bread of chicken. They are a great addition to my mixed flock and are doing well.
John Wages –
Our 15 Columbian Wyandottes arrived the week of Apr. 15 and are now 4 1/2 mo. old. Cockerels have begun crowing and have been big enough to dress for fryers for at least a couple of weeks. Pullets haven’t started to lay yet, but probably will soon. When the chicks arrived, all were alive, extras were included, and we didn’t lose a single one. They were very healthy and robust. We raised a different breed from another hatchery alongside the Wyandottes, and we lost quite a few of those.
Our goal has been to find a chicken breed that would lay all year long (hot summers to 100F, fairly cold winters often to single digits for a few days here in NE MS), would be dual-purpose, would contain a few broody hens every year so we wouldn’t need to use an incubator, and ideally wouldn’t be an overly loud, flightly, or agressive breed. I’m not sure all of that’s even possible in one chicken! The ones that lay in the heat are just not the same as the ones that lay all winter, but that’s ok. It just means we need a couple of different breeds. Whether a given group of chickens ends up flighty or agressive seems to depend on how much time you spend with them, although the Mediterranean breeds are more nervous. As for the broodiness, it’s just not there in any production strain we’ve found.
What’s a winning combination for us may be different from what works for you. But I’ve been really impressed so far with the Columbians. Also very pretty birds. If they’re like other production lines we’ve tried from Cackle, they will lay very well. Tupelo, MS
5dizmama –
We received our shipment of a variety of birds in May 2024, included in this group were three females of the Columbian Wyandotte birds (still trying to determine if one is actually a rooster). This batch has not started to lay yet; however, they are the sweetest birds, they love to be handled and do not scare easily. We have named all of them “Betty Whites”.
Kathy Arnold –
Wow. Where to begin….. three years ago, I purchased 4 Columbian Wayndotts, planning to keep the one best hen, which I did. We had just moved from a small town to a little place near a moderate sized river where snakes grow longer than I am tall. Of course one 4 – 5 footer climbed through a 1/2 in mesh screen. YES! I SAID 1/2 INCH MESH! And after eating 4 chicks, he could not get back out…. I found them in time to open the snake, wash the babies, & save 2. O . One was the hen I kept. She is worth more than any hen I have on my property. She lays almost every day, sets and hatches eggs every year (last year, she sat on eggs in the spring and in the fall!!!). This year, I purchased another hen and a Rooster. I will let you know how it works out. I have fallen in love with these chickens. To say they are “hardy and little work horses on the farm” is an understatement.
pj.martine.adams –
Ordered 9 Columbian and 11 black-laced gold Wyandottes pullets from the 10/3/22 hatch. They shipped fine but one of the black-laced was wonky on arrival and didn’t last the first night. Slight mix-up on the order as I received 12 Columbians and 8 black-laced. I didn’t bring it to Cackle’s attention because I figured they were exercising their right to substitute. Several weeks later I was refunded the cost of the 3 black-laced with an explanation from Cackle that their audit found the error. So essentially I got 3 Columbians for free.
I’d had Columbians as a kid, but the black-laced are new to me. Initially I thought I’d been sent black-laced cockerels because their growth pattern was so different from the Columbians. The black-laced in general are turning out to be not easy to handle and flighty. That’s okay with me because I’m raising them up for a friend. The Columbians are super calm, docile, easy birds, and prettier than the black-laced, I think. I’m excited about this summer when they’ll be hens.
Carly Kubinski –
I placed 2 orders (first time) from Cackle this year. Columbian Wyandottes were part of my second order. I ordered sexed pullets with 1 accompanying rooster. My order was short- they refunded me what I should have had. So I ended up with 3 chicks and all of them ended up being roosters. I did reach out to customer service and they wanted individual pictures of each chicken. ( I also had issues with sexing on another breed I ordered) I was so annoyed at that point that I just threw in the towel. As far as the breed goes, they seem healthy. They are very gentle with my family and since I have mostly roosters I am thankful for that! I understand mistakes happen, but I won’t be ordering again.
Lauren –
Calm, friendly, beautiful
Wish I could upload a pic because these chicks are gorgeous. They arrived healthy and in excellent shape (with one extra chick)! They are a month old now and hurry to my kids when approached. Calm disposition, extremely friendly, and beautiful. They have certainly been a pleasant and entertaining diversion for all.
The little plastic thermometer included with our order is very helpful in keeping the spot under the heat light at just the right temp.
Rod –
Hello
My Colombian Rocks have all the traits of the Plymouth Rock breed, they are calm,docile and inquisitive. Mine started laying at 30-32 weeks. Their beautiful feathering make them a disgusted group among my chickens as they have adapted well with other breeds in my established flock. I enjoy them much!”
Chris –
Thanks
Wife very happy with the Chicks.
Spiderbunny in PR –
Thanks
Everything went perfectly. We ordered 28 chicks from different varieties & got 35 total. Shipped on May 26 & got here on the 28th. I was so worried the post office would mess things up. They never called me but thanks to Cackle’s system, I got the tracking # & monitored the shipment. They all arrived perfectly fine chirping like crazy & moving around. I followed their instructions & all were doing great til Saturday when 1 of the porcelain duccles died overnight. For such a long journey I am extremely & pleasantly surprised. We ordered 3 females of these Columbian Wyandottes & got 1 extra.Very pleased with the way the company works. Thank you so much.Highly recommend.
KDinSTL –
Sweet girls
I purchased 9 chicks, 2 are Columbian Wyandottes. I have now raised 8 different breeds and thes one is the sweetest, calmest one quite content when held.
Juan Enrique –
Excellent Breed!
Two months ago i ordered 5 Columbian Wyandottes and a im very satisfied with this breeds. They arrived well and Cackle put an extra chick to avoid problems with loses. I din’t lose anyone and they are doing well. If you want to raise some chicks, this is the place to order. Customer service is excellent.
Juan –
Excellent
Cackle Hatchery: Teh best hatchery!!! Great customer service! My chicks arrive on perfect shape and are doing great. I will buy again!! I repeat, this is a reliable thing here.
Linn County 4-H –
Dear Cackle Hatchery
On behalf of the Linn County 4-H programs, we would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your support toward the 4-H youth in Linn County. The Linn County 4-H program is utterly grateful towards all of our volunteers and donors. Your generous donation has helped the committee members purchase trophies, medals and awards for the Linn County exhibitors at the 2016 Linn County Fair. With these donations you aren’t just rewarding exhibitors accomplishments at the Linn County Fair; but you are also reinsuring exhibitors life skills in 4-H by being a role model of leadership for the youth. The Linn County 4-H program thanks you for your donations. We couldn’t have done it without you.
Mark –
Cackle Hatchery is the best
We ordered 10 Columbian pullets and 2 Columbian cockerels and Cackle Hatchery sent very healthy active chicks and even sent 2 free Columbian pullets. We are super pleased and our cockerels had little orange marks on their heads to show what were males.Cackle Hatchery is the very best out there!
Toby New York June 2009 –
Arrival of Chicks
Our baby chicks arrived June 5th early morning. They are all healthy and eating and drinking. They have healthy appetites. Thank you.
LeAnna Indiana August 2009 –
Regarding my recent order
I received my order today and I just wanted to say what a great customer service I received from the initial phone call when I placed the order and the helpful lady who talked to me about my order all the way to receiving them today. They all arrived in great shape and looked lively. Once again, great customer service! I will absolutely order from you again. and will recommend you to all my friends. Thanks a lot!
John, Texas July 2010 –
Thanks!
Our chicks made it yesterday. They all like and act in great shape after a short drink they went right to eating and running around.
Dan, Kansas May 2011 –
Customer Comments
Received our shipment of Wyandotts and Rhode Island Reds a day early and in perfect condition!! Thanks to all the staff involved with our order. Carolyn was most helpful checking the order to verify shipment ( chicks received 4 hrs later). Looking forward to doing business again!