The Moonshiner's Leghorns

[NagemTX]

With the hawk issues I'm having right now I'm wishing for one. No birds missing but the racket is unnerving. I put trellis that's folded in half for extra hiding spots and it's gotten much better.

 

[Amer]

That is awesome! I have no experience with Spitzhauben and limited experience with Ameraucanas but intelligence in a breed like that is very important in my opinion. Just as importance as any quality such as egg color or phenotype. Intelligent birds produce progeny that will adapt to free-ranging, which minimizes losses to predators because the birds don't act dumb and sleep in a pile in the middle of the yard like some of my heavier birds have done in the past when juveniles. Instead, they instinctively roost where they are safe, elevated, and off the ground.

My little Leghorn rooster runs to me every time he sees me, making the pullets follow suit. I think that is sweet. He knows "hey there is that human that feeds us!" lol

I also love intelligent birds, but more because it gives them a lot of personality.
I would never risk my precious bantams to free range, it's not like they take much to house anyway.

 

[Amer]

But when I get my turkeys those are going to be free ranged.

 

[KF0002]

@Amer what do you think of this comb? Just for curiosity sake. I am thinking about attempting a SDW line of Leghorns out of our Games, but I’m not 100% on it yet. It is simply in the brainstorming phase. This bird has visible autosomal red so that may be a bugger to contend with? Thoughts?

 

[Amer]

@Amer what do you think of this comb? Just for curiosity sake. I am thinking about attempting a SDW line of Leghorns out of our Games, but I’m not 100% on it yet. It is simply in the brainstorming phase. This bird has visible autosomal red so that may be a bugger to contend with? Thoughts?

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The last spike intruding on the blade is a little annoying but since the comb is straight with no splits or sprigs going one way or the other, I see no issue with it. Overall it's well balanced.
I wouldn't call the comb large so much as the head and wattles are small being a game so Leghorn blood would balance it out.
I don't know how difficult it is to get rid of autosomal red.