Isabella Leghorn

[BawkenQuackers]

I finally found some Isabella Leghorns, they are straight run.
They've been on my wish list since I started chicken keeping. I'm in love.
They're absolutely adorable and I know as adults they will be gorgeous!
Questions I have for anyone that has experience with this breed:
What's their general personality like?
Are the roosters known to be aggressive?
Are they very flighty like other leghorns?
Will they lay as early and as much as the other varieties of this breed?
How soon can I tell rooster from hen?
Any fertility issues?
Thanks for reading and for any info on them!

 

[BigBlueHen53]

The best authority I know of when it comes to Leghorns is @The Moonshiner, but @KF0002 might know something about these as well, or... hmmm. I'm sure there are others but these are all that are coming to my midnight brain at the moment.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

They sure are pretty, do you have pics of what they look like as adults? And may one ask where you got them? Are these SR or pullets?

 

[BawkenQuackers]

They sure are pretty, do you have pics of what they look like as adults? And may one ask where you got them? Are these SR or pullets?

Just what I've seen on Google. I can post them as they age, I'm hoping someone can help me tell sex as early as possible and I bought them locally, shipped from Hoovers hatchery. They're supposed to be SR.

 

[KF0002]

The best authority I know of when it comes to Leghorns is @The Moonshiner, but @KF0002 might know something about these as well, or... hmmm. I'm sure there are others but these are all that are coming to my midnight brain at the moment.

I have no personal experience with Isabella Leghorns, but I know @The Moonshiner does so he can chime in with his experience. Leghorns in general are known to be pretty flighty, some varieties and lines are worse than others. For example, my Silver Leghorns are crazy flighty and skittish like wild animals, while my Buffs are much calmer and more docile. I attribute that to hatchery vs exhibition stock, with exhibition birds being selectively bred to be calmer for show.

None of my Leghorn roosters have ever been overly aggressive. I have one White Leghorn rooster who can be a tad bit of a snot to me at times, but not to anyone else. As far as fertility, egg production, etc that is going to boil down and be pretty specific to the line they came from, the quality of the stock, and how well or poorly they were bred. Intense inbreeding and a smaller gene pool can certainly decrease hatchability and such.

Isabella Leghorns are known to have feather quality issues that cause a bare patch on the wing bow/shoulder area that comes with the lavender gene I believe, if I am telling it correctly. Here is a dedicated forum that was on the topic of Isabella Leghorns and improving their genetics, however it is an old forum, but some good information in there nonetheless.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...horn-breeding-improvement-discussion.1339994/

 

[KF0002]

I will add that as long as you handle your Leghorns regularly and socialize them, they will be calmer as they grow out. Even a flighty breed like a Leghorn can be socialized and tamed.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Thank you, @KF0002! Very informative. I still want to see an adult. I'll check out that link, maybe there's one there .....

 

[KF0002]

Thank you, @KF0002! Very informative. I still want to see an adult. I'll check out that link, maybe there's one there .....

Yes there are some lovely pics on that thread. I had entertained the notion of getting some Isabellas but wanted to perfect what projects I have going on first before I take on another. lol

And you're welcome!

 

[BawkenQuackers]

I have no personal experience with Isabella Leghorns, but I know @The Moonshiner does so he can chime in with his experience. Leghorns in general are known to be pretty flighty, some varieties and lines are worse than others. For example, my Silver Leghorns are crazy flighty and skittish like wild animals, while my Buffs are much calmer and more docile. I attribute that to hatchery vs exhibition stock, with exhibition birds being selectively bred to be calmer for show.

None of my Leghorn roosters have ever been overly aggressive. I have one White Leghorn rooster who can be a tad bit of a snot to me at times, but not to anyone else. As far as fertility, egg production, etc that is going to boil down and be pretty specific to the line they came from, the quality of the stock, and how well or poorly they were bred. Intense inbreeding and a smaller gene pool can certainly decrease hatchability and such.

Isabella Leghorns are known to have feather quality issues that cause a bare patch on the wing bow/shoulder area that comes with the lavender gene I believe, if I am telling it correctly. Here is a dedicated forum that was on the topic of Isabella Leghorns and improving their genetics, however it is an old forum, but some good information in there nonetheless.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...horn-breeding-improvement-discussion.1339994/

Thank you for the info and link!

 

[KF0002]

Thank you for the info and link!

You're welcome!