Speckled Sussex vs Silver Laced Wyandotte – What is the Difference?
Speckled Sussex and Silver Laced Wyandotte are great backyard chickens for every chicken farmer. They are docile and friendly. These breeds are also good layers, making them some of the best chickens to raise in the coop or backyard.
They are friendly and adapt perfectly well to their environments. Speckled Sussex and Silver Lace Wyandotte can continue laying even in the cold and dark winter months.
What are Speckled Sussex Chickens?
Speckled Sussex chickens are chickens that originate from Sussex, England. These chickens have been around for the past century. These medium-sized attractive chickens have beautiful plumages of base mahogany color.
Their unique colors end in white tips with a black bar separating the tips from their feathers. Baby Speckled Sussex chicks vary greatly in coloration. Some chickens have dark chestnut plumage, while others have a creamy buff. Baby chicks from this breed can also have light and dark stripes on their backs.
What are Silver Lace Wyandotte Chickens?
Silver Lace Wyandotte Chickens are among the oldest chicken breeds in America. They are a result of the creation by four breeders who made these chickens popular in America. Silver Lace Wyandotte Chickens are colorful and hardy chickens.
Silver Lace Wyandotte hens are productive layers. They are some of the best chickens to raise in winter because the birds are cold-resistant. Thanks to their good dispositions, they are a wonderful choice of chicken breeds for families.
Speckled Sussex vs Silver Lace Wyandotte
These two chicken breeds look almost the same and have similar traits. Nonetheless, the two breeds differ in several aspects, and that’s why a beginner chicken keeper should understand the difference between the two birds. Here is a comprehensive comparison between Speckled Sussex and Silver Lace Wyandotte.
– Appearance
The Speckled Sussex chickens have a stunning appearance. They have dark and rich mahogany plumage. Every feather has a white tip, and a black bar separates the white ends from the mahogany. The feather pattern in these chickens gets more outstanding and vibrant each year.
Because of their coloration pattern, Speckled Sussex chickens have a great camouflage that helps them avoid predators while free-ranging. Speckled Sussex hens and roosters have red wattles, earlobes, and combs.
The birds have horn-colored beaks, white legs, skin, and feet. They are short, and they also have muscular things. Speckled Sussex chickens have broad, deep chests and have flat and board backs.
Silver Lace Wyandotte chickens are robust and compact chickens that are pretty wide. They have broad heads and rose combs. These chickens have red earlobes, combs, and wattles. Their beaks are stout and horn-colored, while their eyes are reddish-bay.
– Size & Weight
Speckled Sussex chickens are medium-sized chickens. Speckled Sussex hens weigh between 6.5 and 7 lbs. Roosters weigh around eight pounds, although some roosters can be heavier than the average weight of these chickens.
Silver Lace Wyandotte chickens are large-sized standard chickens. Silver Lace Wyandotte hens weigh approximately 6.5 lbs. Roosters weigh around 8.5 lbs. There are bantam versions of these roosters that weigh between 36 oz. and 40 oz.
– Temperament
Speckled Sussex chickens have an even temperament. These birds are friendly, docile, and calm. Your Speckled Sussex chickens will calmly follow you as you walk around your yard. They are, however, very alert to danger.
Speckled Sussex hens are wonderful mothers, while roosters will go to any length to protect their flock members. These chickens are also quiet and complacent, given the basics they need for survival. They seem loyal to their owners.
Silver Lace Wyandotte chickens have a great temperament. Some chickens from this greed have strong personalities, an aspect that makes them seem aloof. Although these chickens aren’t cuddly, they are friendly and can also be pretty social.
– Egg Production
Speckled Sussex chickens are dependable layers. These chickens can lay between four and five eggs per week, averaging around 240 eggs annually. Many people keep these chickens primarily for egg production. These chickens lay light brown or tinted eggs. Young Speckled Sussex hens start laying at 20 weeks old, although some can lay earlier depending on their diet.
Silver Lace Wyandotte chickens are also great layers. Silver Lace Wyandotte hens lay approximately 200 eggs yearly. These chickens can lay during winter months because they are cold-resistant. The eggs from these chickens are medium, light, or dark brown.
– Meat Production
Silver Lace Wyandotte hens are wonderful layers, but these birds aren’t dependable meat producers. Because they are dual-purpose birds, these chickens are also good for meat. Silver Lace Wyandotte roosters are reliable for meat because they are way larger than hens. These chickens are great for meat because they have delicious lean meat.
Silver Lace Wyandotte chickens are fairly good for meat production. Their medium size makes them dependable meat producers for small families. Chicken keepers prefer rearing Silver Laced Wyandotte roosters for meat because they are almost as large as other roosters from prolific meat-producing breeds.
– Care & Housing
Sussex chickens have no special housing and care needs. These chickens are great to keep in free range or confinement. However, they need a coop to shelter in at night because they are vulnerable to predators.
A standard coop for these chickens should have ample space for every single chicken to prevent instances of chickens bullying each other. The cage should be 100% secure from predators. Furthermore, the coop for your Speckled Sussex chickens should have proper ventilation.
These chickens can thrive on regular chicken feed and other food items like vegetables, protein-rich foods, and fruits.
Silver Lace Wyandotte chickens are some of the easiest breeds to care for and house. These birds can live in almost any coop, provided they are secure and have enough space. Their diet is wide, and they can eat several food items, including insects, chicken feed, treats, and vegetables. Nonetheless, these chickens can be picky and avoid eating dirty or stale foods.
Conclusion
Silver Lace Wyandotte and Speckled Sussex chickens are some wonderful chickens to raise, especially for eggs. They are some of the calmest and friendliest breeds you can include in your backyard flock. They are stunningly gorgeous and can therefore add invaluable aesthetic value to your flock.