Breeding Buff Leghorns

[oldorchardfarms]

we started with a lav arucauna my dad got somewhere.I have also used lav orp in the crossing

 

[oldorchardfarms]

What color of Leghorn did you start with??? and what breed did you get the Lav gene from??? i am working on 2 lav projects myself so i find any and all info very informative...

arucauna and orp.yours is a beauty.

 

[danhonour]

I started with a self blue (lavender) O.E.Game bantam ,crossed in Phoenix,Minorca,and Leghorn to bring up size..

 

[math ace]

Other than Size.... How do I tell whether I am looking at bantam or standard sized buff leghorn juveniles?
Specifically, I am referring to chicks between 2 and 3 months of age...

 

[Piet1]

shank thickness/ feet size

 

[DragonRider]

Wow, you guys are seriously informed on this thread! I just got three Buff Leghorns and came to see what you all had to say about them? Definitely going to be some reading to do to get caught up to you all! (Mine are still babies, about four weeks old now, I presume..? The photo was taken two weeks ago)




Of course my "Mommy Dog" Toby had to clean them up! he is a great dog, very loving and very caring, he takes care of cleaning all of the babies we rescue and raise here! LOL!

 

[math ace]

Wow, you guys are seriously informed on this thread! I just got three Buff Leghorns and came to see what you all had to say about them? Definitely going to be some reading to do to get caught up to you all! (Mine are still babies, about four weeks old now, I presume..? The photo was taken two weeks ago)




Of course my "Mommy Dog" Toby had to clean them up! he is a great dog, very loving and very caring, he takes care of cleaning all of the babies we rescue and raise here! LOL!

Those are not looking very buff in color. Here are some pictures of my buffs to compare to.
This pullet is 4 weeks old on the dot...






These guys are 1 week older, so they are a little more feathered in.
The white birds in the back are delawares.

 

[danhonour]

Math ace,Those buff chicks look good,you are right the medium buff chicks are best,but a limited use of some richer buffs can be beneficial.Helps hold buff color and is a reserve of color.Very pale buff is the hardest to use as it breeds even lighter until white starts showing up.

 

[DragonRider]

Math ace,Those buff chicks look good,you are right the medium buff chicks are best,but a limited use of some richer buffs can be beneficial.Helps hold buff color and is a reserve of color.Very pale buff is the hardest to use as it breeds even lighter until white starts showing up.

That is more than likely the case with mine. They are very light, almost a yellowish-white in color. I am fairly sure they are Buff Leghorns, they came from a good place that breeds pretty good quality chickens. The same place I bought my Bantams from a year ago, as a matter of fact. I was really interested in getting Leghorns because of the production level egg laying, they are known for. Now I have a Rhode Island Red and two Buff Orpingtons too, so that should set us pretty well in a little while with our egg producers!

 

[math ace]

Math ace,Those buff chicks look good,you are right the medium buff chicks are best,but a limited use of some richer buffs can be beneficial.Helps hold buff color and is a reserve of color.Very pale buff is the hardest to use as it breeds even lighter until white starts showing up.

Dan...

I think the pullet is on the light side


BUT I think this slightly older pair is a "medium" buff color




Do you agree or do you think the pair of buff leghorn chicks is still a "light" hue?

Also, do you have any pictures of a "richer" buff hue bird?

Have you found that what the chicks diet effects their color? For example, I have found that chick starter with marigold extract in it helps bring out the yellow tones in the leg pigments. I know scratch can cause yellowing in white feathered birds. Have you found any diet related issues with the buffs?