Anti White Leghorn Bias?

[ClareScifi]

That is interesting that your church folks prefer brown eggs. I see you are in Alabama. I am in Utah. I notice the grocery stores here sell white eggs. I wonder why brown eggs haven't caught on in the mainstream grocery stores. Do others find brown eggs in your mainstream grocery stores (in other states)? I'm sure the health food type grocery stores here sell mostly brown eggs.

 

[Duramaxgirl]

I don't have a problem with white leghorns. I purchased 3 for my flock last spring. Unfortunately they kept flying out of my 6 foot fence. So I gave them to my sister. I still want to try them again. I love big white eggs! Maybe I'll try clipping their wings earlier before they can learn to fly over my fence. I'm going to get some again this spring. My hubby gave me permission to order mcmurrays rainbow egg layer special! Which usually comes with a few white leghorns. Yay!

 

[real_redhead]

Funny this topic just came up on the forum, I was talking about this the other day with a few people that I didn't want any white chickens! I have 1 red sex link, 1 EE, 1 barred something and 2 I have no idea what they are but I love having the variation, I wanted eggs other than white (have no idea why) and wanted something different than what most people think of as chickens. If I can build a bigger coop and run I would love to have a cuckoo maran and a dominque or barred rock.

 

[ClareScifi]

Sourland and Clint,

Well, that's good news, because I don't want anyone eating my leghorn roos! LOL. I didn't know that about them not being very meaty, so thanks for the info. I'll bet you are right! I'm glad you love them, too, Sourland. I hear that in these parts (Utah), they are the best egg-layers during the winter of all the breeds, a plus, I would think.

It will help adopt my boy out, I think, if I can tell them that his offspring may well lay brown eggs. The new owners probably wouldn't mind a few white eggs, either. They may not even know that white leghorns lay white eggs. What other breeds lay white eggs, if I may ask?

 

[RAREROO]

Quote:
Like the others said, dual purpose breeds are ones that lay well and get big enough to produce a decent amount of meat. these would be the American, English, and Asiatic class breeds.

 

[keesmom]

Quote:
Great minds think alike.

 

[tigercreek]

Thought I would throw in my 2$ . I have always been of the impression that White leghorns were designed and bred to be egg laying machines, not much good for anything else. I looked for a meat/egg layer ( dual purpose) bird and eleminated leghorns right off the bat. I have also been told that they were flighty, and burn out after 2 years of laying. Plus, I am a brown egg fan. I kow there isn't any differance, but prefer brown anyway. Seems to be less commercial, more farm/backyard friendly. Disclaimer - I have never owned a White Leghorn, and don't KNOW what I am talking about, but you asked for impressions, not facts. .........stan

 

[cukooformarans]

Quote:
Yes, our grocery stores sell brown eggs, (at least a lot of them do) and they are often more expensive than the white ... lol ... of course, we know that shell color doesn't make a difference. However, there seems to be a mindset that brown eggs are somehow more natural ... I dunno, can't explain it.

 

[ClareScifi]

Duramaxgirl,

Glad to hear you love white leghorns and white eggs.

I think I bought into the anti-white leghorn feeling until I was given these unknown free eggs to hatch and found out the rooster who fathered them was a white leghorn, and they have been so fun to raise and bond with.

White leghorn parentage would not have been my choice, because I, like Stan, thought of them as egg machines, subconsciously, I believe.

I appreciate the info as to flightiness. I haven't had a problem with it, but mine are only half white leghorn. That makes for interesting color mixes. One has red feathers on his head and auburn feathers on his white body. Another has a white body and head, and the white head is sprinkled with "spots of butter." Another one is white with pale brown wing feathers. Lots of fun. And one has a buff body, silver hackles and a silver tail (weird!). And the other has a white body, cream-colored hackles and wing feathers, and a blue-gray tail!

 

[keesmom]

Quote:
I can explain some of it, a 70s campaign here in New England. "Brown eggs are local eggs, and local eggs are fresh."

Now I have that tune stuck in my head.