How Much to Feed Wyandotte Chickens?

Wyandottes are popular backyard chickens because they’re hardy, friendly, have that distinctive laced plumage, and are great layers. To answer how much to feed them, wyandotte chickens will eat around ¼ lb of commercial feed a day on average.

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What Do You Feed Wyandotte Chickens?

Wyandottes do not have any special dietary requirements. They eat a diet similar to what most backyard chickens eat, this comprises of:

Commercial Feeds

Commercial feeds make feeding chickens and making sure they’re getting all the good nutrition they need easy.

About 90% of their diet should come from feed, and the rule of thumb is to adjust their protein intake as they grow and mature as follows:

0-6 weeks old - Newborn chicks require a starter feed that contains all the minerals and nutrients they need to grow up nice and healthy. Chicks need a high protein intake, typically around 20-22% which is easily met with starter feeds.

7-20 weeks old - You can switch to a pullet feed after around 6 weeks of age. Chickens’ protein intake drops to around 14-16 up until they mature to laying age.

20 weeks onwards - Wyandottes are typically at point-of-lay at around 5 months old (meaning they are about to start laying).

This could be a couple of weeks sooner, or later of course. You’ll know when they start laying though - the little egg in their nesting box is a dead giveaway!

A laying hen needs a good layer feed. If you look at the nutritional content of a layer feed, you’ll see they have a protein content of around 15-18%. It’ll also contain all the other nutrients, added calcium, and other minerals chickens need to lay healthy, delicious eggs.

Scraps and Treats

If you’ve raised backyard chickens you’ll know they’re more than happy to gobble up just about anything you share with them.

There are pros and cons to this. The only downside is that you need to be sure you’re giving them foods that are safe for them to eat.

This isn’t a big deal, most foods are fine. If you’re unsure you can search for the food in the search box in the sidebar on the right and I may have covered it in the blog.

On the plus side, table scraps like leftover vegetables, fruits, and other foods add some variety to their diet and provide some added vitamins and minerals.

Plus, chickens love eating different foods, and it’s fun feeding them. It’s a win-win for sure. Just keep the ‘treats’, which is basically any foods outside of their feed and what bugs they find to no more than 10% of their diet.

Related - Here's a look at how much Plymouth Rocks eat.

How Much to Feed Wyandotte Chickens per Day?

It’s always a bit of a worry at first, wondering if chickens are getting enough to eat, maybe they’re eating too much…

Generally speaking, it’s rarely a cause for concern. If you put out enough food, chickens will eat as much as they need - despite often acting like they’re never full up.

The general rule of thumb when feeding chickens is that the average adult chicken will eat at least ¼ of chicken feed a day.

This will obviously vary a little depending on their size. In the case of Wyandottes, in particular, you can expect them to eat a lot more during the winter months, too.

If you have the time, ideally you should put out half the feed in the morning, and the other half in the evening.

This keeps it as fresh as possible, and also helps you get a better idea of just how much your flock is eating throughout the day.

How Much Do Wyandotte Chickens Weigh?

The Wyandotte was developed as a dual-purpose bird. So, they’re on the larger side compared to a lot of other backyard breeds.

I’ve taken these weights from Wikipedia as they provide a good ballpark average:

Males (roosters) 3.5-4 kg (7.7-8.8 lbs)
Females (hens) 2.70-3.20 kg (6-7 lbs)

Obviously, weights can vary depending on age and some other factors, but it’s a good guide. Also, this might be pointing out the obvious, but if you see a mini Wyandotte, it’s likely a bantam.

Related - Want a bigger chicken? Here’s a look at how much Orpingtons weigh.

Are Wyandottes Good Meat Birds?

Yes, Wyandottes are good meat birds. They were developed back in the 1870s and have been carefully bred over the years to be hardy, dual-purpose birds.

They’re much more popular as show birds and are kept in backyard settings as life-long pets these days, ending up on the dining table, however.

But if you do want to raise chickens for meat and eggs, Wyandottes are a great choice.

In Summary

Wyandottes are popular backyard breeds due to being easy to raise, having a nice temperament, and being great layers.

They’re inexpensive to feed. You’ll need about ¼ lb of layer feed per bird per day, and some additional treats will be well received.

That’s about all you need to know. Don’t forget to provide grit and fresh drinking water, and I’m sure you’ll have a happy and healthy flock providing you plenty of eggs and entertainment!