Anti White Leghorn Bias?

[ClareScifi]

I was wondering whether any of you think there is a bias against White Leghorn chickens, and if so, why it exists?

Are they seen as too plain, too commercial, too boring, or anything like that? It seems like when I view pictures of peoples' flocks, I rarely see White Leghorns, and I'm wondering why that might be?

Thanks for your help,

Clare

 

[cukooformarans]

I have no idea about egg color from that mix. But don't feel bad! We had a little girl here tell us that she did not eat chicken eggs. She said she only ate eggs from Wal-Mart. Hahahaha! The thing is, she was serious. I think sometimes people just don't get it. My husband wanted some white leghorns, but we never got any. The people around here (mostly at church) that we give eggs to seem to prefer the brown ones so that is why I thought that may be the reason.

 

[juststruttin]

I buy 50 Leghorns every other year, and red sexlink on the off years. I personally love everything about leghorns. I have have no idea why people think they are flighty - mine are sweet and curious and always under foot. It's true they don't like being pick up but that okay because I don't need to cuddle with my chickens. Leg horns are incredibly economical eaters, lay huge white eggs, are non broody, incredible layers and extremely healthy. I never have any problems with them. I've also noticed they don't seem to get lice. I think they are small enough that self preening is easy for them and they tend to keep themselves lice and mite free. I just love leghorns and am glad you started this thread because I think they have an un-jus reputation.

 

[farmerChef]

Quote:
Here is a pullet from a white leghorn hen and EE rooster, I have more in the brooder
She has a few black feathers, and is covered in little black flecks, like a flea-bitten horse

Do the Mottled Ancona roos get terrible frostbite in cold climes? I love their looks and combs!

I would guess just like the leghorns do, I'm hoping to get some rosecombed this year. I wouldn't know about frostbite, I live in south Ga, it rarely gets below 30 here.​

 

[nurse_turtle]

Just set 15 WL eggs in the bator!

 

[gootziecat]

I have one Calif. wh that was a left over from a hatchery order. There were a total of 5 Calif whs with the order of other breeds. Without a doubt, these shine. They grew the fastest, feathered up the quickest, were the smartest, didn't get poopy butts, and were friendly. My "leftover" Calif wh is also a great layer of large eggs, laying the first of her age group, and size increased rapidly. The others were buff Orps and EEs. Even comparing them to other breeds of chicks I've raised, these were still some of the best, if not the best. I've never had a pure Leghorn as the skittishness and aggression with age, so often reported, has kept me from doing so. But I am impressed with my Calif wh. She is now 6 mo old.

 

[Newmamabear]

I have two leghorn ladies, Tina Fey and Amy Pohler...

I got them as already laying hens while we were waiting for our hens to lay, I think they are reliable layers and sweet to boot

 

[cukooformarans]

Is it possible that one reason is that brown eggs seem to be popular right now??

 

[ClareScifi]

That is what I am thinking, too, but do you know, I gave some of my lovely brown eggs to a member of the church, and I asked whether his wife liked them. I was thinking almost everyone prefers brown eggs.

He said she turned up her nose at them because they were brown! I couldn't believe it and felt a bit insulted...

Would a rooster who is half White Leghorn/half Easter Egger, when mated with a Rhode Island Red or Silver-Spangled Hamburg or other brown-egg laying hen, produce chicks who would lay white eggs as hens, or would chances be good those eggs would be brown due to the Leghorn/Easter Egger mix?

 

[RAREROO]

I would think it would probably that since a lot of people want the idea of Dual Purpose flock chickens and with white leghorm bred to be slim and only for eggs, then they aren't worth keeping as a Dual Purpose breed, and then they are probably too plain and too commercial to be considered Ornamental breeds. So that would leave their only appeal to people to used them as prolific layers and pets.