Washingtonians Come Together! Washington Peeps

[Dwkuska]

Most I've had was 64 with chicks.

Yeah see.. and to me 64 wouldnt be enough.. I have the chicken craze... I think 800 would be a good number to have. Enough chickens to keep me busy!


(and maybe take over the world)

 

[DeltaBluezTess]

I have Leghorns. My old white hen, "LILY" (who is a pet) was feral when I got her...she came from an abused place (chased and not well fed) so for the first six months, she would fly into the fence, etc to get away from me. I ignored her and hand fed my other chickens. Then one day she came up to me and got bread from my hands and now will stick her head in my pocket to get the bread...she knows I stash it there.....she is about 4 and an awesome layer still and bossy!

I hand raised some white leghorns and they are about 8 month old. still cautious but won't fly off. They are a lot more alert than the other breeds but coop well and stay with the flock. Very nice and easy to keep. I also have Brown leghorns and they are very alert but tame. Food seems to tame them, especially bread and treats. Hens can't stand it when another hen is getting hand fed bread and they get none. I hold my arm out far and turn my head, then the leghorns will dash in and get the bread.

In fact, I just ordered Buff, Red and Exchequer Leghorns. I will have 5 Excequer chicks (pullets) for sale since I had to fill a quota for the order.
The Leghorns are excellent layers

 

[1TurkenLover]

I have Leghorns. My old white hen, "LILY" (who is a pet) was feral when I got her...she came from an abused place (chased and not well fed) so for the first six months, she would fly into the fence, etc to get away from me. I ignored her and hand fed my other chickens. Then one day she came up to me and got bread from my hands and now will stick her head in my pocket to get the bread...she knows I stash it there.....she is about 4 and an awesome layer still and bossy!

I hand raised some white leghorns and they are about 8 month old. still cautious but won't fly off. They are a lot more alert than the other breeds but coop well and stay with the flock. Very nice and easy to keep. I also have Brown leghorns and they are very alert but tame. Food seems to tame them, especially bread and treats. Hens can't stand it when another hen is getting hand fed bread and they get none. I hold my arm out far and turn my head, then the leghorns will dash in and get the bread.

In fact, I just ordered Buff, Red and Exchequer Leghorns. I will have 5 Excequer chicks (pullets) for sale since I had to fill a quota for the order.
The Leghorns are excellent layers

what does the " Exchequer Leghorns " look like ?

 

[CarolynF]

My sister lives next to a commercial chicken farm (more like a factory). She says the eagles love picking off those bright white birds.

Hi HallerLake! Wish we'd had more time to talk at Lynn's! Nice to meet DH, too.

I have a question you may be able to answer for me. In the re-landscape project I showed you, I'm thinking I'd like to have a "grassy" area for the girls to nibble when I let them out there. Not actual grass since it needs mowing, but a ground cover that could withstand their assault for an hour just 2-3 times a week. The area is shaded most of the time with some morning sun. I already have wooly thyme in the yard, and red thyme (which loves other areas of my yard). I know that neither will withstand a daily raking by those efficient claws.

The reason I'm think about this is that they love to be on my lawn but are never allowed to, so I'd like to incorporate something they'd like into that re-designed area beside rhodies, mint, and bushes they can't kill!

Ideas?

Thanks!
Carolyn

 

[Hinotori]

We'll probably have more. Currently at 41. May soon be 40 if a cockerel doesn't get his act together. I plan on getting more birds and hatching some this year. We'll see how many we end up with this year. I'll be moving everyone to a new pen set up this year so that may help me limit myself better.

 

[DeltaBluezTess]

not mine but from feathersite....
~~A flock of Exchequer hens~~Photo courtesy of Rupert Stephenson

 

[1TurkenLover]

what does the " Exchequer Leghorns " look like ?

Nice, Luv the Pattern .

I wonder .............

 

[Sweetlilbaby]

Ya know... my wife and I were talking last night and we were perplexed by something. Why are White leghorns not more proflific in the BYC community? For their purpose they are the best egg layers, and whats more pretty then a few pure white birds romping around in the lawn? I know everyone has their own tastes. I am just amazed that so many people have all these type of chickens and yet leghorns dont seem very common.

At my moms i have several white leghorns. I also have a leghorn that isn't purewhite here at my house. she's white with red speckles. I have a feeling she's mixed.

and for those that claim birds of prey take off with the white ones. I lost a black hen to a hawk. So it has Nothing to do with color rather then they fly over see an easy meal and swoop down grabbing whichever one they can get easiest.

 

[Sweetlilbaby]

Yeah see.. and to me 64 wouldnt be enough.. I have the chicken craze... I think 800 would be a good number to have. Enough chickens to keep me busy!


(and maybe take over the world)

800 is all?
When i manage to move back out to the country my husband said he wont limit the amount of chickens or roosters I have so I'm thinking somewhere around 2,000 if i get the property to handle it. Now what will i do with that many eggs? I figure stock the local food bank with eggs.

 

[Dwkuska]

At my moms i have several white leghorns. I also have a leghorn that isn't purewhite here at my house. she's white with red speckles. I have a feeling she's mixed.

and for those that claim birds of prey take off with the white ones. I lost a black hen to a hawk. So it has Nothing to do with color rather then they fly over see an easy meal and swoop down grabbing whichever one they can get easiest.

Might be a california grey. If you cross a white leghorn and a red leghorn it becomes a california grey which are known for speckles/stripes

https://www.backyardchickens.com/products/california-grey