The Moonshiner's Leghorns

[LikeTurkeys]

Hello!
I really enjoyed reading through (some) of this thread. I just got two White Leghorns, (which, the color is pretty plain compared to yours! but I didn't have any white birds). I don't know if I could ever breed them the way you do, seems like all the separate pens are rather difficult to maintain and make.

Do you eat the extra males or sell them? I think Leghorns would be kind of scrawny for eating, no?

Beautiful birds!

 

[Severne]

@moonshiner you ever thought of trying to create a gold laced leghorn?

 

[The Moonshiner]

Hello!
I really enjoyed reading through (some) of this thread. I just got two White Leghorns, (which, the color is pretty plain compared to yours! but I didn't have any white birds). I don't know if I could ever breed them the way you do, seems like all the separate pens are rather difficult to maintain and make.

Do you eat the extra males or sell them? I think Leghorns would be kind of scrawny for eating, no?

Beautiful birds!

I actually keep a lot of roosters but do end up with some I don't need. I don't eat any of our birds so they go to auction and are most always bought as fryers.

 

[The Moonshiner]

@moonshiner you ever thought of trying to create a gold laced leghorn?

I'm not a fan of gold laced in the least so no.
I do like silver laced but haven't worried about it because leghorns don't carry the genes needed for it and I really don't want to cross to another breed.
Plus laced takes three genes just for the pattern part. When you cross patterns you then have to breed offspring together or offspring back to one of the patterns to produce next generation offspring with the right combination to get your pattern and at the same time losing all the unwanted genes.
When it's a complicated multi gene pattern that means way more time and amount you have to hatch.
In other words the more complexes patterns means a way lower percentage of getting the right combination. So with laced its more work and time then I want to mess with right now.
I have about 50 other ideas that would be easier.

 

[Brahma Chicken5000]

It would be interesting to see,IMO you should post picts.

 

[Brahma Chicken5000]

I ate my White Leghorn cockerel. He was big enough to make a nice meal for 2 people and came out delicious.

 

[The Moonshiner]

Made a little progress.
Got the side deal done for my aunt so I can get back to my project now.
During clean up I did score an old broken down shelf. 1X12s so used them to put across the front to keep chips in and for nest boxes.
The pallet floors have some gaps so stapling cut flat feed bags down to also keep chips in.
Also scored a couple old slightly rusted bent up wire dog crates. Gonna cut them apart and use the pieces for my doors. Also have some 12'x12" wire things thats supposed to go together as a shelf. Gonna use those for small door to access nest boxes.
Anyways...

 

[The Moonshiner]

@ChicKat
I talked to Privett today about those blue leghorns. She said they were unavailable for the rest of the season and "IF" they continued them next year they wouldn't be available until March.
Funny because she said a lot of breeds were sold out till late in the season but you could still order them and see but they weren't even taking orders on those leghorns. IDK
Anyways I ordered some welsummer for the end of July. And some Cream Legbars and Welbars for the end of August. Said they might end up canceling the CL and Welbars if their laying cuts off before then.
Wonder if I can find a project for them?
And some Welbars

 

[The Moonshiner]

Oh and I tried to find a pic or two of what I like in a leghorn.
Didn't have a lot of luck finding something that was the total package for me.
Man there's a lot of variations in leghorns if you really look at pics.
Even with show bird pics.
Anyways this rooster is pretty close to ideal for me.

 

[ChicKat]

Hope you get CLs -- since I've had them and think they are great. (Although at 3-years old seems some formerly nice roos turned mean...they do make good meals. 'Mean rooster stew'.

You have got me trying to sleuth the logistics of how blue Legbars could be sold out and no longer offered, which could make me think they lost their breeders, but have grow-out chicks that maybe could be next year's breeders. (Always trying to Sherlock Holmes stuff So if they have chicks, and grew them out -- they would start to lay Maybe October...or depending on their temps and location -- maybe not begin until spring. So allowing the time for pullet eggs to get to be full-sized for hatching that would be a possible time-line.