We have been working with exhibition patterned Wyandottes for over 10 years. Our goal is to revive and reestablish the patterned varieties of both large and bantam wyandotte fowl.
We strive to produce the best birds we can so that we can give you healthy, beautiful birds for exhibition or backyard enjoyment.
Operating as usual
05/09/2022
The past couple years I have let the type slide with my partridge. Bred hard and culled hard to get these awesome boys! Finally getting some tail angles up on them without loosing my penciling. Can’t wait to see what these boys produce this year.
05/05/2022
One of my boys I really like. I don’t like his wing pattern but sure love his type! He is also not to big either.
04/30/2022
Finally got around to posting the shirts I have available! Don't see the size, color, or design you want? Shoot me a message for custom work!
I also create custom vinyl designs and have over 300 unique exhibition poultry and waterfowl designs!
Come take a look!
Wojtecki Wyandottes at Dark Star Farm added a button to help you learn more about them.
04/30/2022
Am doing a great outcross for color thanks to Brian Knox’s help. This partridge rock male has the deep mahogany I have been trying to get for years! Put 2 awesome hens with him. Can’t wait to see!
04/23/2022
Here are some more photos of the pens I posted blue prints for. I have some big birds and these guys have plenty of room! Having enough head space for the boys was very important to me. They also get a lot of privacy or can look out and see what’s going on in the barn. Just like us sometimes you need some privacy!
04/22/2022
Been away a while but have some awesome info to share! I have been upgrading my pens and watering systems so I created blue prints to share with all you awesome people. I even included links to the exact items I used! Hopefully this makes creating your own much easier. No point in all of us having to trouble shoot a watering system or pen design!
The conditioning pen blue prints don't have some of the more fine details but I could get them if desired. I had someone build this for me with these blue prints! They are sized to house my large fowl and be able to be adjusted to what I need. A single "cubby" fits even my largest males!
Hope you enjoy and please share!
02/20/2022
Just a quick snap of the chunks eating some rolled oats with hot water. Basically oatmeal which they love and takes the chill off a bit. Still got to sit and go through all the girls. They are always the biggest challenge for me.
02/16/2022
Wanted to share the pain in the a$$ part of raising pattern. For every gorgeous bird I get (like the gal on the right) in my silver penciled project I get 20+ of the one on the left.
Out of everything I hatched in 2021 I *might* have one pullet I like the pattern on. I have to primarily pick out the best for type and take 2 steps back on pattern. From there I have to figure out if pairing with my cleanest SP or best partridge would be the better mix.
I know many clutched their pearl necklaces when I said I was crossing the partridge into the silver penciled. So far it has actually been benefiting both varieties.
I have had a completely closed flock for my partridge since starting with them. This has helped me solidify the penciling and other good attributes but has cornered me in spots that my birds have always lacked. I have also worried about having them to closely related at some point and not having a good out cross in mind.
The SP has brought in the vigor I want and the tail structure I desperately needed.
In turn it has messed with the base color of the mahogany but with a patterned variety it’s one challenge at a time. I’d rather have to mess with base color then the penciling any day.
My partridge have such a strong disposition to good penciling that putting it on the SP was actually a shorter journey than I thought. By no means easy but I thought it would take many more years.
I have also gotten split males that nearly look pure SP. BUT as in before I had to hatch over 30 muddy colored males to get ONE male with a white shoulder and decent silver.
So remeber all the pretty photos I posted of my patterned birds I have had to raise hundreds to get there! It is a huge challenge but I’m a sucker for a hard task. I have thought about throwing the towel in more times than I want to admit… but some loony needs to take on the task of preserving our patterned fowl.
02/13/2022
Was nearly 60 degrees yesterday so was at the barn hanging out with the birds! The boys are actually in pretty good feather so wanted to get some good photos of them. Culled down some of the silver penciled and partridge males I held back. Still have to go through some of the females.
02/11/2022
Was talking to my husband when I saw something moving. Why you do this to me ladies. Thankfully we didn’t drive away with her in the back!
02/05/2022
Went down to the barn to just do a “quick check” which turned into cleaning two stalls in my PJs! I swear I do 90% of my barn chores in PJs. The ladies were happy and constantly underfoot making sure I was doing everything to their liking. Another cold day but not as bad as it has been. Spring can come now!
02/05/2022
Em Ily You did it! You won the contest! Send me a message and we can make something awesome for you!
01/31/2022
Okay everyone… I have been wanting to do this for a while but needed to catch up on some stuff. I want to do a give away! For what you ask?
Your own CUSTOM T-SHIRT!!!
That is my newest offer on top of custom decals and logos! I wanted to be sure I was ready to offer these up and I’m all set! I used Angela Ulanch as a guinea pig and so far she hasn’t grown extra limbs so I think we are in the clear!
This give away is for one t-shirt with any decal I currently have designed. Any saying or text you want plus the breed you love.
Have you commissioned me for a logo? I’ll put that on a t-shirt for FREE!
If you win and have a logo you would like to put on a shirt that I didn’t design we can discuss details. Depending on your logos complexity I can convert it FOR A FEE. The shirt and printing will be free.
Share to your hearts content! The more you share the more entries you have! It’s a shameless attempt to spread the word of my new business and I hope your want for free stuff won’t cloud your morels 😂.
This is for anyone, any place! Doesn’t matter if you are down the road or on the other side of the globe. International friends are welcome to enter!
Drawing will be Friday night (2/4) at 7:00pm Eastern Standard time. I’ll probably use one of those fancy number drawing things so it is all fair.
I’ll need the winner to reach out within 24 hours with their address, shirt size, and other details along with confirming their winnings. If there is no reply we will spin the wheel again!
You guys are AMAZING and the reason I have been able to make a pipe dream of selling my art a reality. If I could I’d give you all free shirts! But alas I am poor and unable so virtual high fives are what I can offer to you all.
Snowy, cold day on the farm today. I stayed inside most of the day along with the birds! The bantam cockerel near the end is freaking out over the snow 😂. I’m with you buddy. I’m as upset as you are!
Was cleaning almost all the pens at the barn and with the snow everyone is inside! It’s always a big event when it’s cleaning time. All the birds are excited for fresh bedding, treats, and one on one time. I leave most of the pens open while cleaning so they can perch on the sides and watch me. Most of them stay in their pens but some prefer to jump out to clean up any spilled food or just to kick shavings around. Barely managed chaos around here!
When ever people ask me how I get my birds so tame I say, “Kind words and gentle hands make trusting well mannered birds”.
01/27/2022
Something my neighbor got me hip to is an electric kettle at the barn. When I was over helping out I saw one in her barn and asked “What are you making tea while you work out here?” No! She uses it to thaw water. Honestly blew my mind how I never thought of having one at the barn. You can boil water without an open flame with minimal electric draw. Has made winter life so much easier! I got one for $20 and so thankful to have an easier way to thaw out the ice.
Do you have any tricks you use at the barn for the winter months?
01/23/2022
Decent type on this pullet. She’s just about to mature to a hen and finally seeing improvements I have been working with this them. Color is still crappy but really trying to push for type and tail structure.
01/23/2022
Some more vinyls I’m working on. See something you like? Shoot me a message and I can put an order together for you! I can also do customized work if you don’t see something you like.
You can check out my shop with all the designs I currently have available.
Etsy.com/shop/wojteckiwyandottes
01/20/2022
Finally grew in his tail after a very long wait! He is still a bit of a nervous nelly so isn’t standing perfectly. Very excited to bring that tail structure over to the next generation!
01/18/2022
We faired the second snow storm a-okay. All our “cold hardy” chickens said no way and didn’t even walk out of the barn! At least they were civil and didn’t trash the barn to bad. Some of them tend to get rowdy and like to knock over everything in the barn!
Also a great tool to have down at your barn… an electric tea kettle! My neighbor blew my mind with that one and I bought one the next day. Super helpful because you get the hot water without the danger of an open flame or something drawing to much electricity. Highly recommend!
Hope you all are fairing alright in the cold.
01/10/2022
Been waiting a while working hard behind the scenes but I finally have my Etsy page up! I also have 69 different breeds of poultry and various varieties now with more to be added.
You can order vinyls through me or through my etsy page. I'm really excited to finally have a "official" shop open to everyone.
I still have more surprises to add to the shop but still need some more time!
Here is a full list of the breeds I have designed ---
01/09/2022
Been a busy past few months with the holidays and short staffing at work. The cold weather decided to come in full force and it was time to seal the barn up until spring. My little helper made sure I was doing it right! I lack my back barn doors shut (side where the weather comes in) and stuff straw/hay into any gaps. This helps keeps the drafts away, makes use of old hay, and easy to clean up once it gets opened up again. This helps keep the barn at about 40 degrees. Warm enough to keep the water thawed and the worst of the chill off.
Do you have any special tricks for keeping your coops and barns warm?
12/11/2021
Haven’t been on here for a while but that was because I was working hard making my own line of chicken vinyls! I am releasing new ones almost daily as well! A great gift to show off your chicken obsessions. Contact me for pricing and other breeds I have available!
Been very busy with holidays coming up and the Ohio National show! I’ll be heading up there with a handful of extra birds.
I’ll be bring up a pair of LF partridge Wyandottes straight from my breeding pens! I have used the cock and hen for many years but need to start letting go of some to make room for this years batch. I use mature hens in my breeding pens and that’s really the only way to get good patterned birds. I have a hen at 7-8 years old STILL in my breeding pens. They produce the biggest, healthiest chicks. Always. I will let you know what I like/ don’t like about the birds. Their offspring are all around the farm.
I will also have some LF silver penciled Wyandottes. One of them being a quad (1 male/3 females). They are definitely a labor of love and need a LOT of work. Lots of brown in the hens and some leakage that pops up in cockerels. We need some more dedicated people for these birds! I am more than happy to help with advice in working on this project.
I will also have some SL bantam cockerels. Unfortunately no pullets! I need to grow the few I have to pick for next year.
Reach out soon because I don’t bring much that isn’t already called for! #exhibitionpoultry #ohionational #poultryshow #wyandottes #partridge #silverpenciled #chickens #hens #poultry #backyardchickens #ohio #breeding #flocks
10/20/2021
When I sold out of LF silver laced back in 2019 I thought I had loaded everyone in the car. When I got home from the National this gal was strutting the yard. I’m glad she snuck through and decided she wasn’t leaving. She’s not a show winner by any means but I love seeing her around. She puts a smile on my face and she’s a great mom with lots of different babies from eggs I stuck under her.
10/14/2021
Nice LF silver penciled cockerel growing out. Nice and wide with good saddle markings.
09/30/2021
Some of the gals getting some tomatoes from the garden. They are all in a massive molt so I’m making sure to give them a little extra love and treats to help grow their feathers. They are enjoying being away from all the males!
09/26/2021
I’m down at the Virginia state fair if any of you want to say hi! Just walk on up and talk chicken with me!
09/26/2021
The Old dominion poultry show was a big success for us! My favorite partridge wyandotte hen took reserve large fowl, champion American, best of breed, and best variety. I’m tickled pink! We will be back out tomorrow so come say hi if you haven’t already!
Address
Taylor Road Catlett, VA 20119
General information
Dark Star Farm is a small family farm that raises exhibition poultry bred to the American Standard of Perfection.
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Contact The Business
Send a message to Wojtecki Wyandottes at Dark Star Farm:
It all started with some backyard birds and a little show at the local fair.
We started out, like lots of people, wanting some eggs and cool little chickens. After getting some birds we went to a fair and started to discover the wonderful world of exhibition poultry.
We didn’t immediately start out with show winners. We had a lot of trial and error! We had to learn the ins and outs of keeping up a coop, nutrition, predators, illness and parasites, on top of learning about all the breeds, varieties, and standards. These are all things we didn’t learn overnight. Lots of hard works and research went into keeping chickens, learning about them, and picking a particular breed. It’s isn’t a task for the feint of heart but very rewarding when you come out the other side.
Once we got the basics down we started learning about the intricacies of breeding and genetics. I find it a wonderful challenge of learning to use certain attributes to better your future birds. I have a particular fascination with complex patterns like silver laced and penciling (double laced) varieties.
I even took my fascination a step further with writing a book called “The Visual Guide to the Silver Laced Wyandotte”. While learning about silver laced wyandottes a primary road block I ran into is finding and, most importantly, understanding the knowledge I found. If I am having this kind of difficulty surely others are as well? I decided to take all the knowledge I found and put it in a easy to understand book with lots of pictures and descriptions! My goal is to share my love of wyandotte, and other poultry, with everyone. By making the information easy to undertstand I hope more and more people find it easier to pursue the wonderful journey of exhibition poultry.
Why did I make this page, write a book, and write about myself? To better help those with questions about poultry. I want to be able to share my experiences, the good and bad, to help others not make the same mistakes or struggle with the same problems. The journey is always a little easier with a helpful guide book to show you the way!
Some quick quotes that have helped me greatly on my journey -
“Don’t paint the barn before you build it” - Don’t focus all your attention to color or you will lose the foundation (type/ form) of your bird. Remember that color is much easier to change than bird itself!
“Don’t count your eggs before they hatch” - Literally! So many things can go wrong and many will often over sell themselves or assume everyone of their birds will make it to adulthood. Another good quote “Prepare for the worst but, hope for the best”.
Question. My chicks are three weeks old and I want to move them from brooder box to the coop floor. Are they too young? Its a solid wood floor well bedded in fresh hay and there are no adults in the coop. Its wood walked and the vent windows are well wired against predators. I would still turn on the heat lamp at night. Our daytime temp in the coop right now is 80-100 degrees in the sunshine but coop floor has spaces of shade as the sun moves over the opaque roof. I just love these chicks and dont want to make a mistake. Thanks for your help.
Do you ship birds/chicks?
I am interested in purchasing show quality cartridge Wyandotte, do you happen to have any quads available?
Do you have partridge wyandottes or gigs for sale
Are there any Llama/Alpaca lovers out there? Please share:
These beauties (that need to be sheared) suddenly lost their owner a couple of days ago and the family is desperately trying to place them. They need a home today! They are perfectly healthy and the only other option the family will have is euthanasia if they cannot find a home for them.
We aren't set up for them here at MOP so we cannot take them. Please share far and wide to see if we can help them find a home.
Please contact 760 662 8407. They are located in Phelan. See pics on FB page for Mea Ola's Place
Hiya! Tricia, customer from Tractor Supply, I was wondering if my chicks can be sexed yet? (More in comments)
ENTER ME my family has lost everything including the home my husband and i built. ..horrible luck since his cancer diagnosis 9/19/14. Our chickens and everything chicken related LITERALLY is what got myself and our now 5 yr old son throughout ...and I've never ever won anything. ..and our son is to young to enter contest lol.
So
ENTER ME PLEASE
Enter me
Hi Dark Star Farm, when will you have some female Silver Laced Wyandotte availabl? Thank you.
Here's another sign for you
He do you ship eggs for hatching. TIA
I'm interested in some wyandotte chicks. do you ship to florida?
