Discussion on BLACK leghorns for UTILITY purposes!

[Thomas Lamprogiorgos]

Thank you... I cannot find Minorca eggs here. Neither I can find Black Leghorns. I found a supplier who sells Isabella eggs for 2.50EUR per egg. Now, I was not able to find a thread for Minorcas, but when you say they lay largest eggs - is this your experience or you read it somewhere?

I had minorcas in the past. They lay extremely large eggs. Their back is elongated and their body is too flexible that allows them to lay so big eggs. But, leghorns have better conversion and white plymouth rocks are the world's most balanced breed, so you do not need minorcas.

Isabella leghorns can be bred with the classical brown (gold partridge) leghorns and produce 50% isabella chicks and 50% brown chicks.

What exactly do you look for? Do you sell table eggs? Do you sell table meat? What do you feed your chickens?

 

[Maiahr]

Thank you Thomas! We only have white Leghorns here widely available, I have too. I wanted to experiment with other Leghorn colors, just for beauty. I have several flocks but for this discussion - I have a layers flock with white Leghorns and red sex-links (Tetra and ISA Browns). I feed them layers pellets and wheat, plus they are FREE RANGE. I sell their eggs and I am aiming large size eggs, the larger the better, as this flocks provides income (when I sell the eggs) for the food of the other flocks.
I do not sell chicken for meat and I am not aiming large body size chicken.

"most balanced breed" - could you please clarify that, I am not sure what you mean..
Thank you

 

[Crazyabouthens]

We have lots of black leghorns here; I have three myself

 

[Thomas Lamprogiorgos]

Thank you Thomas! We only have white Leghorns here widely available, I have too. I wanted to experiment with other Leghorn colors, just for beauty. I have several flocks but for this discussion - I have a layers flock with white Leghorns and red sex-links (Tetra and ISA Browns). I feed them layers pellets and wheat, plus they are FREE RANGE. I sell their eggs and I am aiming large size eggs, the larger the better, as this flocks provides income (when I sell the eggs) for the food of the other flocks.
I do not sell chicken for meat and I am not aiming large body size chicken.

"most balanced breed" - could you please clarify that, I am not sure what you mean..
Thank you

Use leghorns over sex links. Leghorns eat less and lay more than the sex links. Sex links are also so bossy and like to fight.

Also, there is no need to give them wheat, because it deludes all the calcium and the protein contained in the layer pellets.

You can give 95% layer pellets, 2,5% calcium (baked eggshells you can create alone or oyster shells), and 2,5% grit.

I was mainly feeding them after three o clock because it was easier for them to go to sleep. Use artificial light only in the morning so to make them wake up earlier.

 

[Thomas Lamprogiorgos]

We have lots of black leghorns here; I have three myself

Here? Where is your "here"?

 

[Thomas Lamprogiorgos]

Thank you Thomas! We only have white Leghorns here widely available, I have too. I wanted to experiment with other Leghorn colors, just for beauty. I have several flocks but for this discussion - I have a layers flock with white Leghorns and red sex-links (Tetra and ISA Browns). I feed them layers pellets and wheat, plus they are FREE RANGE. I sell their eggs and I am aiming large size eggs, the larger the better, as this flocks provides income (when I sell the eggs) for the food of the other flocks.
I do not sell chicken for meat and I am not aiming large body size chicken.

"most balanced breed" - could you please clarify that, I am not sure what you mean..
Thank you

Balanced breeds are the breeds that have a balance between these criteria:

a) lay good
b) produce a good quantity of meat
c) go broody if allowed
d) can thrive in any climate
e) are heritage and reproduce normally
f) utilize pasture better than the commercial layers

 

[RoostersAreAwesome]

Isabella leghorns can be bred with the classical brown (gold partridge) leghorns and produce 50% isabella chicks and 50% brown chicks.

Isabella x brown produces 100% browns. They will carry a copy of the lavender gene, though.
Isabella/brown (outwardly brown but carrying lavender) x isabella produces 50/50.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

We have lots of black leghorns here; I have three myself

Where is "here," please (in general; what country or state)?

 

[Crazyabouthens]

Where is "here," please (in general; what country or state)?

The UK…. FYI

 

[BigBlueHen53]

The UK…. FYI

Thank you.