Brown Leghorns: Pics, Info, and Resources

[Alaskan]

the leghorn page is:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1374566826110640/

the brown leghorn page:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/423166781118151/

 

[Alaskan]

I have ordered from two different people:

from the leghorn page:

Rick Sumner, he has homozygous for rose comb dark browns and white... some of his other rose comb colors are heterozygous for rose comb.

His egg packaging is WONDERFUL, he doesn't double box, but he did use the pipe foam insulation, very nice, none were cracked


from the brown leghorn page I ordered from Fred Zillich (much less expensive than Sumner), I got his dark browns and his whites. (both RC)

I only got 3 of his whites to hatch, all three were rose comb... but I never asked him if they are hetero or homo for rose comb. One of the whites hatched with 3 black feathers, but they are very pretty birds (form, etc. also production and maturity rate)

I had a better hatch rate with his dark brown rose combs, which ARE hetero for rose comb, but their color and body/form etc. etc. are very nice. They definitely mature more slowly than his RC whites. Actually, of the maybe 9 I got to reach adulthood, only one had a single comb.

I didn't like the packing job that Zillich did.... it was OK, and I got a good number to hatch... but, there we are.

I REALLY like the body shape/color/ etc on the Zillich RC dark browns... I am not happy with the rose comb on the rooster I decided to keep, and it turns out he is also heterozygous for rose comb, which upset me with the chicks.. (I wanted to breed only RC chicks)

Oh, the Zillich dark browns are WAY more wild than his whites.


Sumner's eggs are still 'cooking', I bought Zillich's eggs last year.

 

[cutipatooti]

I have ordered from two different people:

from the leghorn page:

Rick Sumner, he has homozygous for rose comb dark browns and white... some of his other rose comb colors are heterozygous for rose comb.

His egg packaging is WONDERFUL, he doesn't double box, but he did use the pipe foam insulation, very nice, none were cracked


from the brown leghorn page I ordered from Fred Zillich (much less expensive than Sumner), I got his dark browns and his whites. (both RC)

I only got 3 of his whites to hatch, all three were rose comb... but I never asked him if they are hetero or homo for rose comb.  One of the whites hatched with 3 black feathers, but they are very pretty birds (form, etc. also production and maturity rate)

I had a better hatch rate with his dark brown rose combs, which ARE hetero for rose comb, but their color and body/form etc. etc. are very nice.  They definitely mature more slowly than his RC whites.  Actually, of the maybe 9 I got to reach adulthood, only one had a single comb.

I didn't like the packing job that Zillich did.... it was OK, and I got a good number to hatch... but, there we are.

I REALLY like the body shape/color/ etc on the Zillich RC dark browns...  I am not happy with the rose comb on the rooster I decided to keep, and it turns out he is also heterozygous for rose comb, which upset me with the chicks..  (I wanted to breed only RC chicks)

Oh, the Zillich dark browns are WAY more wild than his whites.


Sumner's eggs are still 'cooking', I bought Zillich's eggs last year.

Thank you so much for the detailed information. Do they also have the light Browns or just the darks? I love the SC but in the winter they just get frostbite and I don't really expect to be able to baby a leghorns comb. I'm hoping for a fairly low maintenance free range flock that will be alert to the Hawks that patrol the area. Might also like to show them if I get some good ones, but I don't support hatcheries. I'm going to look into the names you gave me and hopefully I will have some eggs in the bator soon.

 

[Alaskan]

the dark brown leghorns would be a VERY good choice if you want to try to free range them. They are very wary.

I think when I first started looking for RC Leghorns (same reason as you, I wanted something that wouldn't have a giant frost-bite magnet comb), I think that I did want the Light browns.... but I couldn't find any.


I did find some light brown RC bantams... but I couldn't get a hold of that breeder....

 

[cutipatooti]

...

the dark brown leghorns would be a VERY good choice if you want to try to free range them.  They are very wary. 

I think when I first started looking for RC Leghorns (same reason as you, I wanted something that wouldn't have a giant frost-bite magnet comb), I think that I did want the Light browns.... but I couldn't find any.


I did find some light brown RC bantams... but I couldn't get a hold of that breeder....
[/quot

Im getting some Isabelle leghorns, but need a few Browns to improve color. I never wanted leghorns but now I realize they are just what I need. I think I'm more excited about getting brown then the Isabelle's. I was thinking it's the light Browns I need to pair with the isabelle. The Hawks love my bantams, I don't have many...anymore. I'm sure they will love the leghorns if they can catch them. I really don't want to go with hatchery stock.

 

[Alaskan]

I wasn't into Leghorns at first either....


however, they are just so VERY practical! that I fell in love

 

[GuessWhat]

So I hope this is ok to post but can anyone tell me if my 4 month old brown leghorn pullet would be a good show prospect. As in does she have any major defects/disqualifications preventing her from showing well?
If you could give me info on what her defects would be if applicable would be awesome. If not just a simple yes or no for her to be shown would be great. I think she looks like she has potential but I'm no expert.
I've done 4h as a child but that was years and years ago and I did bantam breeds.. xP I can try to provide more pictures if needed.
Edited to add - Her tail isn't as full as it should be as she lost some tail feathers due to other hens, etc. Normally it looks like a normal
leghorn tail.

















(Yes I painted her nails in this picture. But it was a none toxic paint and was washed off after photos )

 

[Alaskan]

OK...my thoughts (to be taken with a giant grain of salt, i have never shown...but I have looked at lots of leghorns)

It looks like her ear isn't quite fully white... Might just be the photo... But the ear is supposed to be fully white, no red leaking in

The legs are LOVELY, super bright yellow

Not sure about the tail, mostly because I can't see it, and you said that she is missing some feathers...but it is supposed to be a good fan, from the back you need to see a proper tent shape (not a flat line, but a triangle), that is super important.

Also, the angle of the tail, but in those photos you can't see how she normally carries it.

Another thing to look at is the width of the individual tail feathers... They should be nice and wide.

Are you in an area with lots of poultry shows? Maybe you could go to one, look over the competition, and then show her at the next one.

However, I know that some states are closing all poultry shows this year, because of the avian flu. ... So maybe there will be no shows at all this year!

 

[Alaskan]

By the way, she has the sweetest face!

 

[GuessWhat]

Thanks! She's a sweetie with a gentle kind eye but has been a bit skiddish/stand offish lately and myself and others think its hormones because she looks like she may start to lay eggs soon.
I will try to get better pictures of her face, and rear/tail area.
Plus I'll try to get a video of how she moves and carries herself. She normally holds her tail erect and fanned out like (Like leghorns should). But will droop and hunch herself over when shes grumpy.
She was grumpy in those pictures as she wanted inside, it was rainy out. She gave me some very annoyed looks it seemed haha!
Also due to the missing feathers her tail isn't as full or fanned out when she does carry her tail nicely. But when she had more tail feathering it was very nice.
I love her little tail. I still love her even if shes not going to be a show bird ever. It would just be a bonus and something fun to take her too in the future! ^_^