Washingtonians Come Together! Washington Peeps

[hallerlake]

Quote: My sister lives next to a commercial chicken farm (more like a factory). She says the eagles love picking off those bright white birds.

 

[Dwkuska]

My sister lives next to a commercial chicken farm (more like a factory). She says the eagles love picking off those bright white birds.

Eagles grab mice in vast fields and whole salmon out of the sound when they come up for a moment to the surface. No offense to your sister but I doubt their color has anything to do with predation. I suspect said factory has been operational for some time and the birds are subject to avian predation because the hawks and eagles know it to be a reliable hunting ground. I personally have 20 or so fir trees in my back yard that keeps line of sight for birds to below the tree line. If you have an open back yard and raptors in your area you will face predation regardless of color or breed.

 

[BGMatt]

Ya know... my wife and I were talking last night and we were perplexed by something. Why are White leghorns not more proflific in the BYC community? For their purpose they are the best egg layers, and whats more pretty then a few pure white birds romping around in the lawn? I know everyone has their own tastes. I am just amazed that so many people have all these type of chickens and yet leghorns dont seem very common.

I've often wondered why Leghorns in general aren't more popular amongst the backyard crowd. I raise the Buffs and have raised Light Browns and Whites in the past. Hatchery stock can be crazy flighty but usually real stock, breeder stock is a little less insane, although I'd still call then alert, but for those that range their birds that's a very good thing as they're more likely to spot the predator and have a chance to get away! (I've heard the white makes them more susceptible to predators but I am of the opinion that's pretty much bunk. Predators, especially arial predators such as a hawk have such good eyesight that color isn't going to matter.)

All colors of Leghorn are very good economical layers. They should when, properly breed, have very pleasing to the eye, flowing elegant lines. For people that worry about single combs and frostbite (which is more of a housing issue in this state really) a lot of the varieties come in Rose Comb which have the same great production qualities.

I frequently recommend Leghorns and their Mediterranean class associates (Minorca, Andalusian, Ancona, Spanish, Buttercup, Catalana) to small flock owners, they're all fantastic breeds, but all of them need more champions. Heck the cockerels even make a decent meal for a couple people, not for a large family, but still a decent carcass.

I do as always recommend getting the birds from an established, quality breeder over a hatchery but still, Leghorns are almost criminally under appreciated.

 

[Totalcolour]

I personally am not a fan just because I have a hard time eating eggs that arent white(stupid I know, but they make me gag).

If you take the shell off first and throw it away, you won't know they aren't white and you won't gag.

 

[Totalcolour]

Welcome new Peeps!​

 

[Dwkuska]

If you take the shell off first and throw it away, you won't know they aren't white and you won't gag.

Youd think that works but if I take it out of the shell or see that the eggs are brown my brain associats the two. In fact I had a dozen brown eggs going to a neighbor while my wife was cooking some leghorn eggs. But the fact that I saw the brown eggs... I couldnt eat the eggs and gave em back to the chickens to eat.

On the same level I cant drink plain water as I have had many near drowning incidents as well as Waterbowl IT from USMC. I can swim, take showers, baths, even make kool-aid... but normal water makes me gag and vomit. My brain has been conditioned in a certain way just as yours has. Its difficult to trick the brain your using to trick with lol

 

[Hinotori]

 

Howdy!

I live in Maple Valley and there's no limits here (unless you are in a close to Covington (10 minutes) and Issaquah (15 minutes), 35 minutes to Bellevue, and far enough off the beaten track that nobody complains about my woodstove or chickens.

I suspect that is due to Maple Valley being considered "rural." I know if you go deeper into Graham all property cant be subdivided to less then 5acre lots in which case there is no limits to chickens(or wood stoves since its considered a primary source of heat). Last time I went out to Maple Valley it seemed very undevloped and rural with a few housing developments here and there.

The area I am in Graham it's 10 acres minimum. It used to be less judging by some of the properties around. We're zoned rural sensitive resource in this area. It's all the water.

 

[Dwkuska]

The area I am in Graham it's 10 acres minimum. It used to be less judging by some of the properties around. We're zoned rural sensitive resource in this area. It's all the water.

So in your case if I am reading the zoning correct you have no limit on the amount of fowl your allowed correct?

 

[Hinotori]

Correct for the most part. I think there is a large limit per acre. We have 18 acres so no issue here

 

[Hinotori]

"There shall be no restrictions on the number of livestock or small animals for lots larger than five acres."

Went looking. More than five acres here and you can have whatever it seems. Most I've had was 64 with chicks.