Leghorn Advice?

[Acre4Me]

We had dark brown Leghorns. Handled A LOT by us (mainly our tween). Flighty, stand offish. Took FOREVER to lay. Hatched Feb 28, brought home with 5 other breeds. ONE Leghorn started to lay around 38 weeks. The next one around 44weeks. Third, hadn’t layed yet when we sold them a couple weeks ago. The other 5 breeds began to lay between 18-24 weeks old. The leghorn males matured first and would not shut up...so loud! They were sent to freezer camp. The females were a little noisy, mostly with the egg song. Obviously we didn’t care for them. But, I did like their coloring/appearance and the males were turning into very attractive cockerels.

Great layers, friendly, not loud would be our Easter Eggers and our Black Australorps. Green eggs and brown eggs. The Australorps are friendliest. The EE are a bit more quirky in personality and fun to watch.

 

[SueT]

Our leghorns are good layers but not better than our other breeds, I've kept charts. Our Speckled Sussex, our Spitzhaubens, and Australorp laid just as well. All are very friendly if that's what you are seeking.

 

[Alexandra33]

I love my Leghorns. They're friendly, sociable, engaging, busy, delightful birds. Not terribly noisy, either. Although this could be due to the fact that a group of VERY mouthy Welsummers drown out their chatter.... I'm able to scoop them up for cuddles.

Leghorns come attached with a stigma, which even I was taken by, and vowed never to raise any. Thank goodness my family went ahead and ordered some last winter. Truly a newfound fan of the breed!

~Alex

 

[Alaskan]

Generally speaking, leghorns are classified as "flighty" and reserved. That said, I have had several through the years and while definitely NOT lap chickens, they were intelligent, inquisitive and at least approachable. As my primary reason for having that breed in the flock was excellent production/efficiency, I wasn't bothered by the personality.

I think that is a perfect description.

The leghorns are fantastic egg layers, but will probably not be real long lived. I think you will like them and they will do well in your area.

I found production white leghorns to lay the best and start laying the soonest but yes, had a high rate of reproductive issues at around their first molt. (So about a year and a half). Most of my production whites died around 2 years of age from laying issues. A couple managed to live to maybe 5 years of age, but are my only chickens to ever get vent gleet. . They were sweet chickens.

I love my bought from a breeder leghorns. The breeder I bought them from focused on SOP and production. I have had zero reproductive issues, or vent gleet issues with the bought from a breeder Leghorns. Also, they are much longer lived.

The Rose Comb Dark Browns are crazy flighty. Like look at them sideways and off they dash.

The Rose Comb Whites are sweet, very calm for a Leghorn, produce almost as well as the hatchery Production White, but are hardy and long lived.

I had a few, from a breeder, single comb white bantams. Super sweet little birds, productive too.

Of course each breeder will produce different chickens (production, hardiness, etc.) Depending on their focus.