We have raised white leghorns, single-comb brown leghorns, California Whites (3/4 leghorn, 1/4 barred rock), and various crossbred offspring from leghorns.
Leghorns have the best egg production of all, coming into lay at 18-22 weeks (free range), and quickly moving away from pullet-sized eggs to producing large and x-lge white eggs. It was unusual for a hen to skip laying more than a few days a month. Shells have weaker membranes than those of brown egg layers, and hens can deplete calcium stores and start with the occassional thin-shelled egg. They don't go broody. They might fly up into trees to roost in summer if given a chance. Their ability to get up high can allow them to get into everything and make a mess. Molts are usually fast with a quick return to production.
Carcass quality is poor. This is a thinly muscled bird who pours all of its energy into eggs, but the spent hen is still ok as a stew bird. Young roosters make for rather scrawny pieces of fried chicken. Cockerels are not the best choice for meat production, as their feed efficiency is much poorer than traditional meat breeds.
Legs are thin with dainty toes. California Whites, with their additional Plymouth Rock genetics, can be sturdier and did better foraging than purebred leghorns.
Brown leghorns and California Whites were not as crazy as the whites, were quieter, and had better longevity.
First generation crossbreds produced by my leghorn hens are always nutty. They tend to be wild, off-the-chart hysterical. This seems to get diluted after a couple generations.
All of the purebreds have been flighty and very easily frightened. This can cause eggs to get cracked when a panicked hen explodes from a nest. Their hyper response to everything can upset the other birds that would otherwise be calm.
Not my first choice for a homestead bird, but if you want white eggs, they are hard to beat.
Leghorns have the best egg production of all, coming into lay at 18-22 weeks (free range), and quickly moving away from pullet-sized eggs to producing large and x-lge white eggs. It was unusual for a hen to skip laying more than a few days a month. Shells have weaker membranes than those of brown egg layers, and hens can deplete calcium stores and start with the occassional thin-shelled egg. They don't go broody. They might fly up into trees to roost in summer if given a chance. Their ability to get up high can allow them to get into everything and make a mess. Molts are usually fast with a quick return to production.
Carcass quality is poor. This is a thinly muscled bird who pours all of its energy into eggs, but the spent hen is still ok as a stew bird. Young roosters make for rather scrawny pieces of fried chicken. Cockerels are not the best choice for meat production, as their feed efficiency is much poorer than traditional meat breeds.
Legs are thin with dainty toes. California Whites, with their additional Plymouth Rock genetics, can be sturdier and did better foraging than purebred leghorns.
Brown leghorns and California Whites were not as crazy as the whites, were quieter, and had better longevity.
First generation crossbreds produced by my leghorn hens are always nutty. They tend to be wild, off-the-chart hysterical. This seems to get diluted after a couple generations.
All of the purebreds have been flighty and very easily frightened. This can cause eggs to get cracked when a panicked hen explodes from a nest. Their hyper response to everything can upset the other birds that would otherwise be calm.
Not my first choice for a homestead bird, but if you want white eggs, they are hard to beat.
