New Babies Coming... Leghorn Good Layers?

[stormhasit]

As of last night I ordered 12 hens (pullets?) and from Ideal Poultry. I hope this was not a mistake. Might anyone here know of this company? They are going to arrive the end of April. I thougt by that time the weather would be much more cooperative!! Not to mention this gives me 3 months to get the coop & pen ready!!

Also - I am getting the chickens specifically as egg layers. The breed I am suppose to be getting is Leghorn - California White. Here is a pic:

They didn't give any description of temprament (friendly/ aggressive, or??) or size unfortunately - or how good the size of the eggs (sm. med. or lg?? hoping for "extra-large"

)
I'm just hoping here that I guessed right for the breed.

I do plan in the future to get another 12 and for good layers is this a good choice? or might there be another that is better? I would appreciate any input here. Just wish I had found this prior to the purchase so I could have started better informed!!

Thanx!!

 

[beekybuzzard]

Yes, the leghorns are great layers. They are used by many large egg producers. As for the size they will get to the large and jumbo sized eggs as they get older. As you handle them a little more as chicks they will , for the most part, be friendly. So in my opinion if you are wanting white egg layers, you made a very good choice. Welcome to BYC and feel free to ask anything you need, there will usually be someone along to help pretty quickly. Have a blessed day.

 

[johnnyjack]

http://www.cacklehatchery.com/califwhitepage.html
i havent ever tried this cross.
good luck.

 

[stormhasit]

Thanx for the input!! Seems like I might have got lucky when I picked this one. I couldn't see me having something here that I couldn't make at least "semi-pets".

I'm also making plans for the coop and pen to keep them safe. I can't wait till they get here!

I haven't had any chickens around since I was a kid - and I am looking so forward to their antics!!

They will all be loved on as much as they'll let me

at least enough to be handled. I've been talking around my work place and I already have 3 people telling me as soon as I have eggs they want some!! I'm just excited...

Thanx for letting me rant here!!

 

[NewGuineaChooks]

Just to add, Ideal Poultry is one of the sponsor of this website, AND has a reputation as a good commercial hatchery, giving you healthy chicks, and good customer service. So, you picked well there too.

 

[justusnak]

I was wondering...are you getting them as day old chicks!? If not, they will probably have thier beaks dubbed....cut off at the tips. This helps keep them from pecking each other. Doesnt hurt them...but...it wont grow back..and personally I dont like to see it. Either way....you ordered some great layers there. Congrats!!

 

[stormhasit]

I don't know how old they'll be... they were listed as pullets and when I ordered - in the comments section I requested if possible older chicks or young adults. Have no idea what age they'll be. This is another reason I am waiting till the end of April for their arrival. Just in case they are young the weather will be more cooperative and not freezing at night.

Really hope their beaks are intact when they arrive!! Wouldn't that interfere with their eating???? Not to mention it would be disfiguring!! I did see that listed as one of the "extras" that could be purchased along with "dewinging" (sounds awful!! as well as painful) and other "stuff"... I did not get any of them. Should I contact the hatchery and let them know I want the beaks intact?? and request them not to dubb them?

 

[gritsar]

Welcome!
Since you mentioned that you also need to build a coop, I thought I'd share plans for two that I am deciding between.

http://www.piteraq.dk/gok/smallhouse.html

http://www.buildeazy.com/chicken_coop_1.html

Of course there's also a section here on BYC all about coops.


My SO wanted me to get leghorns because that's what his mama had and they are considered really good egg-layers. I wanted more pet than egg producing ability so I'm going with a different breed. But I do hear that the leghorns are great layers.

 

[NewGuineaChooks]

I believe Ideal Poultry only sells the young'uns. So you'll be getting a box of little peeping baby pullets, less than a week old. These are never debeaked unless you specifically order it. It is the older point-of-laying pullets that hatcheries tend to debeak, while they are raising them.

For Leghorns type, they start laying pretty early compared to other breeds. So you'll probably find your first egg around 20 weeks later.

 

[buckbeak]

I have a couple of Leghorns. They started laying early- at 18 weeks & are steady layers of jumbo eggs. They are curious, but slightly less friendly than some of my other chickens.