Leghorns

[Rock Home Isle]

Leghorn Images

The Hen is on the Left and the Roo is on the Right...Do your's look like any of these?

 

[Rock Home Isle]

If I had farmland and no near neighbors I'd definitely have Leghorns (for laying) and other mediterranean types. And roosters, by golly.

I really like the smaller-bodied shapes but my suburban location means I have calmer, heavier-bodied birds. Sure would like to have a bunch of those velociraptor-looking MG birds running around.

At times I watch my flock and that is the same mental image that I get as well.

 

[cjwaldon]

I bought Pearl (white) Leghorn chicks from {*******} hatchery, both genders. I've always been very happy with my orders from this hatchery in the past. I emailed the hatchery last week and they assured me that male Leghorns do indeed grow very fast. I'm going to call on Monday to question them again about these birds. Can someone tell me if these are indeed Leghorns? I have never raised Leghorn cockerels, but these look like Cornish cross or some kind of meat bird to me.



In both pictures, the birds in question in on the left. They arrived two weeks ago today, yes, on a Saturday, so they are presumably 15 days old. One is 14 ounces and the other is one pound and one ounce. That is a one-quart jar in the picture.

 

[ChickenExtreme]

Here's a couple of mine around 9 to 10 weeks old

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[A.T. Hagan]

I bought Pearl (white) Leghorn chicks from {*******} hatchery, both genders.  I've always been very happy with my orders from this hatchery in the past.  I emailed the hatchery last week and they assured me that male Leghorns do indeed grow very fast.  I'm going to call on Monday to question them again about these birds.  Can someone tell me if these are indeed Leghorns?  I have never raised Leghorn cockerels, but these look like Cornish cross or some kind of meat bird to me.

    

In both pictures, the birds in question in on the left.  They arrived two weeks ago today, yes, on a Saturday, so they are presumably 15 days old.  One is 14 ounces and the other is one pound and one ounce.  That is a one-quart jar in the picture.

Yes, they are all Leghorns. EXCEPT for the really big one which looks to me like a Cornish Cross meat bird slipped in by mistake.

 

[cjwaldon]

Thanks A.T. for confirming my suspicions. I've inquired with the hatchery twice and provided these same photos, and both times they said male Leghorns grow faster than female Leghorns. I weighed the two suspect birds again yesterday. One gained 5 ounces and the other 4 ounces is just two days. I'm now convinced they are not Leghorns, which means I have no male Leghorns. Oh well, I guess we'll get a some yummy meals in a few weeks. I understand mistakes happen. I just don't appreciate the hatchery being evasive about it.

 

[LOLchick]

Chicken extreme, are those Roos or pullets? Thanks for the pretty pictures.
Renee

 

[jaylyne8]

I bought 32 Cornish from tsc but in 2 weeks you can tell half were fast eaters, doubled in weight then the other half... few weeks later half was wayyyyy fatter then the others... we concluded (hopefully correct) that half were leghorns so tsc gave us 23 Cornish chicks and again half were fast eater, less fleeting then the other half... has this happened to other??? the tsc here just opened up...

 

[LTygress]

TSC chicks are your "fast-selling hatchery" chicks. They aren't always what they seem. Ameraucana chicks at TSC are typically easter eggers. My phoenix rock pullets were actually leghorns. Out of 6 barred rock pullets, I ended up with two roos. A friend purchased a welsummer that ended up being a white-egg game hen. And the list goes on.

Most times, TSC's suppliers don't really know or pay attention (or care) what they are selling. And as a result, TSC tends to sell things that THEY aren't familiar with. It's like walmart selling fish - the employee is an underpaid kid that has no idea what he's selling to you. Every time you buy from them, it's a gamble. The goal of the hatcheries that supply them, is to sell chicks, and sell them quickly, to support their endeavors the remainder of the year. Keep in mind that TSC doesn't sell chicks year-round, so those hatcheries only get a rush of orders from February to April. And whatever they are stuck with after TSC's "chick days" are over, they are most likely stuck with permanently. So it's their goal to try and sell everything they possibly can, and get rid of all chicks that they have.

That's one reason why private breeders are your best bet. While I would take the risk in saying MOST breeders can't sex their own chicks, at least you know for certain that it really is straight run that you're paying for, and you won't pay a premium for pullets that crow...

 

[redrstr29]

I love my white leghorns, They are intellegent, inquisitive, good at foraging, know how to take care of them selves, mine aren't flighty and come to me when i go outside, I do keep them In a nice clean enviroment, plentyof hanging things for them to eat and keep occupied, scratch feed from time to time, the love their layers mash, And my 12 just hit day 45 in a row of laying lol!!