Leghorns vs. Your Favorite White Egg Laying Breed?

[mcstewartchick]

Just starting out my flock, and I am interested in a white egg layer for a little variety. My local feed store is getting some white leghorn chicks this week, but I am on the fence about them. I've read time and time again that they are so flighty, perhaps even making the rest of the flock flighty and shy of humans when they otherwise may not be.

I'd love to hear your leghorn insights if you have any, and/or what are your other (more commonly found, since I'm getting my chicks locally rather than shipped direct, for now) breed of white egg layer?

My current chick flock consists of 2 buff orps, 2 EE, 2 welsummers, 1 cuckoo maran (my flightest chick so far), and a SLW and a GLW. 9 in total.

Go!

 

[ChickenCanoe]

White leghorns, or any of the other varieties of leghorns are among, if not the best, layers in the world (hybrids notwithstanding)
I grew up with a flock of white leghorns.
I've also had blacks. The majority of white egg layers are Mediterranean breeds and others that tend to be flighty.
However, I consider flighty to be a misnomer. First of all, any breed can be tamed with enough handling and hand feeding.
I call them aloof or wary. That is a good thing. It makes them much more predator proof if they are skittish and wary.
I've watched a fox, on 2 different occasions, grab an orpington in the yard before the orpington knew anything was afoot.
A skittish Mediterranean breed would never let that happen.

Other white layers I like are Minorca, Ancona, Jaerhon, Andalusians and Hollands. But that's just me. They may not fit your personality.

http://www.sagehenfarmlodi.com/chooks/chooks.html

 

[Aw-Ee Chicken]

Hi! I am a Leghorn owner. For the most part, everything about "flighty" is true. You can help with that if you wanted, though.
When I first got mine, they would fly across the room and cackle. But the more time I spent with them, they got used to me and my family. Now they'll hang around my legs when I'm in the coop/yard, but they won't let you touch them. If you're willing to hang around with them, the leghorns will be fine!
Since you have chickens that would be older than the leghorns, they may respect your other chickens. My tame birds weren't influenced by the leghorns and remained as they were. However, the leghorns may be aggressive towards other breeds. They are bossy!
As for other common white-egged layers, I don' know of any.
Good luck on your spring batch!! Hope it all goes well.

 

[mcstewartchick]

White leghorns, or any of the other varieties of leghorns are among, if not the best, layers in the world (hybrids notwithstanding)
I grew up with a flock of white leghorns.
I've also had blacks. The majority of white egg layers are Mediterranean breeds and others that tend to be flighty.
However, I consider flighty to be a misnomer. First of all, any breed can be tamed with enough handling and hand feeding.
I call them aloof or wary. That is a good thing. It makes them much more predator proof if they are skittish and wary.
I've watched a fox, on 2 different occasions, grab an orpington in the yard before the orpington knew anything was afoot.
A skittish Mediterranean breed would never let that happen.

Other white layers I like are Minorca, Ancona, Jaerhon, Andalusians and Hollands. But that's just me. They may not fit your personality.

http://www.sagehenfarmlodi.com/chooks/chooks.html

Thank you for the info, and for that link! That's helpful! Looks like my feed store will be getting some Hollands as well, which I didn't know much about. I'll take a look!

 

[mcstewartchick]

Hi! I am a Leghorn owner. For the most part, everything about "flighty" is true. You can help with that if you wanted, though.
When I first got mine, they would fly across the room and cackle. But the more time I spent with them, they got used to me and my family. Now they'll hang around my legs when I'm in the coop/yard, but they won't let you touch them. If you're willing to hang around with them, the leghorns will be fine!
Since you have chickens that would be older than the leghorns, they may respect your other chickens. My tame birds weren't influenced by the leghorns and remained as they were. However, the leghorns may be aggressive towards other breeds. They are bossy!
As for other common white-egged layers, I don' know of any.
Good luck on your spring batch!! Hope it all goes well.

Thank you for sharing your experience! Do you have only leghorns, or leghorns mixed with other breeds?
I'm back and forth and back and forth...I like the idea of a white chicken that lays white eggs. Just looking for some fun variety of colors in both my flock and my egg basket. Then I read something that makes me go welllllll....maybe not. But then I'm like, why not!!? And then, wellllll...... LOL.

 

[keesmom]

Now they'll hang around my legs when I'm in the coop/yard, but they won't let you touch them. If you're willing to hang around with them, the leghorns will be fine!

Yeah, that's our experience too. Willing to hang around but keep your hands to yourself!

Do you have only leghorns, or leghorns mixed with other breeds?

We have a brown Leghorn, Ancona, buff Minorca, black Minorca and a couple of Buttercups mixed in with a free range flock. None are wary of people and most can be found begging at the back door throughout the day. All are willing to follow people but only the buff Minorca and one Buttercup tolerate the kids holding them. I know none lay as well as a white Leghorn but I like a variety of feather colors to look at. I know I wouldn't hesitate to get any of these breeds again.

 

[mcstewartchick]

Yeah, that's our experience too. Willing to hang around but keep your hands to yourself!


We have a brown Leghorn, Ancona, buff Minorca, black Minorca and a couple of Buttercups mixed in with a free range flock. None are wary of people and most can be found begging at the back door throughout the day. All are willing to follow people but only the buff Minorca and one Buttercup tolerate the kids holding them. I know none lay as well as a white Leghorn but I like a variety of feather colors to look at. I know I wouldn't hesitate to get any of these breeds again.

With my chicken math skills, I'll probably end up with a Holland AND a leghorn, LOL! Thanks for the recommendations!

 

[drumstick diva]

If you try a different breed and don't like it - pass it on (sell or rehome) you don't have to be locked in.

 

[mcstewartchick]

If you try a different breed and don't like it  - pass it on (sell or rehome) you don't have to be locked in. 

Very true!

 

[ejcrist]

Very true!

I love Leghorns and have white, light brown single comb (my all-time favorite chicken breed), and I have some silvers coming. I'm breeding the light browns now and have more coming from a breeder. Good quality SOP light browns are tough to locate. Anyway, like Chicken Canoe said, the Mediterranean breeds are all white egg layers and I believe there are a couple others, like I think Silkies lay white eggs. Anyway, yes Leghorns are certainly wary but they're very fit and predator resistant as a result. They're outstanding birds and all lay well. You can't go wrong with Leghorns IMO. Just wanted to throw my two cents in there.