Do you have a leghorn?

[amazondoc]

I'll know where to go when I need replacements!

 

[popcornpuppy]

I have Ideal 236's (Ideal Hatchery's hybrid for max egg laying).
I hate them. I just re-homed 2 of them because they make me crazy. They are flighty and always in trouble. They get on the roof of the coop, they hop the fence and get out, they make alot of noise and are very skittish. We clipped their wings to keep them from going over the fence and they still find a way out. They will pitch a fit and squawk like they are being killed if they can't get in to the nesting box that they want to use. My 236's are only 25 weeks old and my Barred Rocks (same age) and RIR's (28 weeks old) are out laying the Leghorns.

I am not sure if being hatchery stock is the reason why their personalities are the way they are, but they are not what I want in my flock.

I also have Danish Brown Leghorns from Ideal hatchery and they are more friendly and calm. The browns are a little skittish at times but they are fine for the most part. The browns seem smarter than the 236's as well.


edited for spelling

 

[Attack Chicken]

Leghorns flighty? Bleh never seen such a thing here!

My leghorns are as sweet as sugar. About the only time they aren't laying is when there molting. Got to a point were I started feeding egs back to them because we were so over crowded with eggs and that was just from 2 girls! My roo is the best rooster I've ever and WILL ever have. My hen is a little fiesty (we get into little fights often to keep things interesting) but she calms down in no time. My other hen lives out in the coop with the bantys and is a cuddle bug to. She will just walk right into the house if you aren't looking. They do fine when out in the cold for me.
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[GardeNerd]

My white Leghorn is kind of noisy. She is really sweet, but she wants out of the coop all the time and tells us so very loudly. She is not flighty or skittish, but I doubt she is a pure bred and that might make a difference. She hatched out of an egg from trader joes last year. She was part of a small mixed flock that started with 8. We downsized over the summer, and then lost one to a hawk so now we only have 3. She is the smallest of our chickens, but she is top hen currently. She lays pretty much daily, large to extra large eggs.

If you live close to neighbors, I would recommend considering a different breed.

 

[seedcorn]

bantam leghorns were easy going.

Production leghorns are borderline crazy, especially if you rescue one. They do lay more eggs on less feed but they are not worth it as far as I'm concerned.

 

[CARS]

My leghorns don't like to be disrupted while in the nest (reaching under for eggs) and don't like capture. I don't like the frostbite issues with the long, floppy comb, but that isn't their fault. They didn't ask to be brought to MN

I have 5 in my mixed flock of 25, and while they are slowing down (they are going to be 4 yrs old this spring) I still get 2 white eggs a day from the 5 hens. The first couple years getting 4 to even 5 a day was the norm.

I'll get a dozen more this spring for my colored egg racist customers and keep them with my my dozen black sex-links who are great brown egg layers. My EE's are going to be "phased out" this spring. It was a constant struggle to get people to eat green or blue eggs unless the customer was a kid. Then they would pick through the cartons to grab the brightest colors I had.

ETA: I had a 6th leghorn, a roo named Brutis. He was the biggest guy in the flock even at a week old. But he grew up to be a mean, nasty guy. He was kicked out of the coop and was a free ranger for the next couple years. He use to attack our golden retriever on a regular basis. Then one early morning I heard a scuffle in the yard. Brutis was making all sorts of racket and then it got quiet. The dog finally won the battle. I have a picture of that roo on my coffee cup, sitting right beside me as a constant reminder to never keep a mean bird again.

 

[chickenbottom]

Quote:
i have leghorns in a mixed flock they are flighty but sweet girls i dont know about the roosters but i would recommend them to anyone who has a covered run lol. my white leghorns came from ideal poultry and just little angels they are loud on occasion but give nice big eggs.