Breed Profile
Black Laced Silver Wyandotte Chicken
APA 1883Breed Overview and Origin
The Black Laced Silver Wyandotte chicken is one of those birds that catches your eye the moment it walks through the yard. With silvery-white feathers edged in black, a neat rose comb, and a calm nature, this breed brings both beauty and usefulness to the backyard flock.
This variety started in New York State and became the original foundation for the Wyandotte family. Many poultry keepers know it by the older name Silver Laced Wyandotte. In 2014, Cackle Hatchery® began using the more descriptive name Black Laced Silver Wyandotte to help customers tell it apart from newer color patterns, such as Blue Laced Red and other laced Wyandotte varieties. Cackle explains this naming update on both its product and hatching egg pages.
If you want a pretty bird that still earns her feed, this is a good one to consider. These chickens lay brown eggs, handle confinement or free range, and bring a gentle, steady personality to the flock.
Cackle Hatchery® offers Black Laced Silver Wyandotte chicks for sale as a production type, not a show type. Cackle also notes that its poultry breeding farm has developed this production-type bloodline since 1989.
Appearance and Characteristics
These birds have clean legs, red earlobes, red wattles, and a red rose comb. Their feathers are mostly silvery white with black lacing around the edges, which gives them that crisp, dressed-up look Wyandottes are known for. The tail is black, and the overall pattern stands out beautifully in a mixed flock.
The rose comb is more than just a breed feature. Because it sits low and close to the head, it can help reduce frostbite risk compared with large single combs. That makes Wyandottes a practical choice for many colder climates, especially when you also provide a dry, well-ventilated coop.
The Livestock Conservancy describes Wyandottes as having a fairly flat rose comb with small rounded points, along with bright red faces, wattles, and earlobes. It also notes that the Silver Laced variety was the original color and that many other Wyandotte colors came later.
Black Laced Silver Wyandotte vs Silver Laced Wyandotte: Are They the Same?
Yes. At Cackle Hatchery®, Black Laced Silver Wyandotte refers to the same classic color variety many people call Silver Laced Wyandotte.
Cackle began using the longer descriptive name in 2014 because newer Wyandotte colors made the older naming less clear. The name helps describe exactly what the bird looks like: silver-white feathers with black lacing. So, if you are searching for Silver Laced Wyandotte chicks, this is the Cackle Hatchery® production-type version you are looking for.
Production Type vs Exhibition Type Black Laced Silver Wyandottes
Cackle Hatchery® offers both production-type birds and Black Laced Silver Wyandotte Exhibition/Show Type chicks. These options serve different flock goals.
Choose the production type if you want a practical backyard bird for brown eggs, hardiness, and daily flock enjoyment. This is the better choice if your main goal is a useful hen that looks good and lays well.
Choose the exhibition type if you care more about breed-standard appearance, show potential, and a more exhibition-focused breeding direction. Cackle notes that its exhibition bloodline has been developed separately from the production type.
For most backyard keepers, the production type gives you the best mix of beauty, eggs, and practicality.
Egg Production and Utility
Black Laced Silver Wyandottes are useful brown egg layers with a good dual-purpose background. Their hens lay medium to large brown eggs, and their sturdy bodies give them more substance than many lighter laying breeds.
Cackle Hatchery® lists this variety under brown egg laying chickens and offers it as a production-type chick for customers who want beauty and utility in the same flock. Actual egg production can vary with age, daylight, feed, weather, housing, and overall care.
These hens may also go broody from time to time. When they do, they can make excellent mothers. That can be a nice bonus if you enjoy a more natural flock rhythm, though broodiness may pause egg laying while a hen sits or raises chicks.
Cackle Hatchery® also offers Black Laced Silver Wyandotte Started Pullets for customers who want older birds closer to laying age. At limited times of the year, Cackle offers Black Laced Silver Wyandotte Fertile Hatching Eggs for customers who want to hatch their own non-show type chicks.
Temperament and Suitability
These Wyandottes are generally docile, steady, and easy to enjoy. They make a good choice if you want a backyard chicken that looks fancy but still behaves like a practical farm bird.
They can work well in confinement, and they also enjoy free range when you can provide a safe setup. That flexibility makes them useful for backyard coops, homesteads, and small farms. Their calm nature also helps them fit into family flocks.
As with any breed, individual personalities can vary. Even so, many keepers like Wyandottes because they combine beauty, hardiness, and a sensible temperament.
Is the Black Laced Silver Wyandotte Right for Your Flock?
Choose Black Laced Silver Wyandottes if you want:
A beautiful silver-and-black backyard chicken
A brown egg layer
A docile flock bird
A rose comb chicken for colder climates
A clean-legged breed
A bird that can handle confinement or free range
A hen that may go broody and mother chicks
A production-type Wyandotte from Cackle Hatchery®
A classic American heritage breed look
Overall, this bird is a good fit if you want something attractive without giving up usefulness. It has enough style to stand out and enough practicality 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 is an American breed with roots in New York State. The Silver Laced variety came first and became the foundation for the many Wyandotte colors that followed. The American Poultry Association admitted the variety to the Standard of Perfection in 1883. Cackle’s exhibition page also notes that it originated in New York State and served as the original Wyandotte variety.
The exact ancestry is not fully settled. However, The Livestock Conservancy says the breed likely came from Dark Brahmas, Spangled Hamburgs, and other breeds. Over time, breeders shaped the Wyandotte into a useful American chicken with a rose comb, attractive pattern, and good dual-purpose value.
Wyandottes have also made conservation progress. The Livestock Conservancy lists the Wyandotte among its conservation successes, which speaks well for continued interest in this historic breed family.
Recognition and Availability
The American Poultry Association recognizes Wyandottes in the American class. The Black Laced Silver, also called Silver Laced, was the first recognized variety and entered the Standard of Perfection in 1883.
Cackle Hatchery® offers Black Laced Silver Wyandotte baby chicks, Black Laced Silver Wyandotte Started Pullets, Black Laced Silver Wyandotte Fertile Hatching Eggs, and Black Laced Silver Wyandotte Exhibition/Show Type chicks when available.
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 this silver-laced variety, you may also enjoy comparing other Wyandotte chicken color options from Cackle Hatchery®, including Blue Laced Red, Black Laced Golden, Columbian, and other varieties when available.
For more background on the breed family, read Cackle Hatchery’s blog post, Wyandotte chickens in the heritage breed spotlight. It gives a helpful overview of Wyandotte history and the different 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: Black Laced Silver Wyandotte Chicken
What is a Black Laced Silver Wyandotte chicken?
A Black Laced Silver Wyandotte chicken is Cackle Hatchery’s descriptive name for the classic Silver Laced Wyandotte. It is an American breed known for silver-white feathers edged in black, a rose comb, brown eggs, and a docile temperament.
Is a Black Laced Silver Wyandotte the same as a Silver Laced Wyandotte?
Yes. Cackle Hatchery® began using the name Black Laced Silver Wyandotte in 2014 to describe the color pattern more clearly. Many poultry keepers still call this variety Silver Laced Wyandotte.
Are Black Laced Silver Wyandottes good egg layers?
Yes. These hens lay medium to large brown eggs and make useful backyard layers. Actual egg 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 a pretty bird that still contributes to the egg basket.
Are these chickens friendly?
They are generally docile and steady. With regular 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. However, they still need good housing, clean water, balanced feed, predator protection, and enough space.
Are Black Laced Silver Wyandottes cold hardy?
Yes. Their rose comb helps them handle cold weather better than many large single-comb breeds. 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 space and enrichment.
Do Black Laced Silver Wyandottes go broody?
They may go broody on occasion. When they do, they can make excellent mothers, although broodiness may pause egg laying for a while.
What is the difference between production type and exhibition type?
Production-type birds focus more on practical backyard use, brown eggs, hardiness, and flock utility. Exhibition-type birds focus more on breed-standard appearance and show potential.
Are Black Laced Silver Wyandottes heritage chickens?
Yes. The Silver Laced Wyandotte is the original Wyandotte variety, and the American Poultry Association admitted it to the Standard of Perfection in 1883.
What class are Wyandottes in?
The American Poultry Association places Wyandottes in the American class. This variety is the original color that helped establish the breed family.
Does Cackle Hatchery® offer started pullets?
Yes. Cackle Hatchery® offers Black Laced Silver Wyandotte Started Pullets for customers who want older birds instead of day-old chicks.
Does Cackle Hatchery® offer fertile hatching eggs?
Yes. At limited times of the year, Cackle Hatchery® offers Black Laced Silver Wyandotte Fertile Hatching Eggs for non-show type birds.
Does Cackle Hatchery® offer an exhibition type?
Yes. Cackle Hatchery® offers Black Laced Silver Wyandotte Exhibition/Show Type chicks for customers interested in a show-focused line.
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.
