My Skitish Leghorns

[Tom NJ]

So, I had gotten five brown leghorn hens back in March. Today, while they are fine looking, healthy girls, they run from me once I get within 10' of them. At this point they are completely free range. I open the coop in the morning and they are out in the woods and down by the stream until an hour before dusk. I didn't spend much time handling them when they were young because I had gotten ducklings at the same time, which I raised to be pets and so spent all my time handling them.

Is there any way to make the leghorns friendly now?

Thanks.

 

[emys]

Treats.

 

[sourland]

Leghorns tend by nature to be somewhat more skittish than other breeds. Actually this is probably helping your birds survive a free range existance. It's just the nature of the beast. Feed is a great equalizer.

 

[Tom NJ]

Thanks for the input.

 

[Jeffross1968]

We've had 3 brown leghorns for 2 months now, and frankly, from what I can gather, about the best you can expect from them, even with treats, is that at some point they won't run at the mere sight of you. Mine will not let me pick them up, or pet them, or get closer than a couple of feet when I'm walking. One will come somewhat close if I'm sitting in the chair hanging out with them...but no touching!

 

[Tom NJ]

Well, at least it ain't me. I don't really mind if they are standoffish, because I have the ducks. It would be nice, though, if I can get them a little more friendly.

 

[mnwickens]

We hatched some white leghorns in an incubator, handled them quite often and now they are the friendliest ones in our flock. That could change as they get older I guess, but so far they're great.

 

[The Yakima Kid]

I had Leghorns as a kid; never again. I found them to be cannibalistic and aggressive, flighty, and easily upset. I prefer animals that are easy to work with and harder to upset, especially since upset hens may stop laying.

 

[Jeffross1968]

Quote:
What I'd really like to have is about 15 more of my barred rock. She's an egg machine. She's a little older, not sure how old. But literally nothing stops her. We got her at a chicken exchange 2 months ago. She laid the first day, and never took a break from any of the following: Bringing her home...tornado destruction of her coop while she was in it!....moving to new coop days later, and introduction of new hens to the flock. Seriously, we'd be swimming in eggs if we had more like her.

As with you, I'll never get Leghorns again, at least the brown ones. Maybe I'd try a white one some day, I dunno. But everyone of my other birds have a much better attitude than any of those three...

 

[NewToFarming]

I have some brown leghorn girls and had always run at the mere sight of me! LOL But in the beginning of April one of my brown leghorns went broody and hatched chicks!!! She has gotten much better and gained my trust during this broody ordeal. She is still a bit cautious but nothing like she was prior! She would even let me handle the chicks! I am glad she went broody because now I can get within 1 foot at her without her running for her life!