What's up with these "red leghorn" birds?

[garfieldGeorgia]

Anyone who's been involved with raising birds has probably become familiar with the brown leghorns or white leghorns at some point, but Murray McMurray hatchery also offers the "red leghorn" as a very rare breed. As far as I know, there are really no other hatcheries that sell it. Why, is it a bad breed that causes issues? Do they get diseases easily? Or why are they kept so rarely?

 

[nuthatched]

It's not a bad or disease ridden breed, it's just what they say it is: a rare color.

 

[Miami Leghorn]

There used to be two hatcheries that sold them. I don't remember the other one now.
I knew a couple people that had gotten them from each. Neither were pleased with them and when I had some I wasn't either. All of us went through the same issue. They were weak and seemed to always have a sort of failure to thrive issue.
That was a while back. @JacinLarkwell has had some recently and think had same experience. @Miami Leghorn has also had them and I believe his did well.
Just my opinion but I think the line does have issues. If you like them give them a try though.

Yes. I've got some Red Leghorns that look pretty nice to my roockie eyes and darn it I keep saying I'm going to post some pics and I will I just keep forgetting... they're doing very well. It's got me wishing I could have gotten couple of roosters as well. But I did lose I believe one or two the first few days they arrived I called the Hatchery and they did candidly admit that they have had some issues with the Reds but not much. It was Murray McMurray. They stepped up gave me credit no harm no foul.

 

[The Moonshiner]

There used to be two hatcheries that sold them. I don't remember the other one now.
I knew a couple people that had gotten them from each. Neither were pleased with them and when I had some I wasn't either. All of us went through the same issue. They were weak and seemed to always have a sort of failure to thrive issue.
That was a while back. @JacinLarkwell has had some recently and think had same experience. @Miami Leghorn has also had them and I believe his did well.
Just my opinion but I think the line does have issues. If you like them give them a try though.

 

[Tonyroo]

Rare doesn't mean there becoming extinct due to disease.

 

[MysteryChicken]

It's a rare color variety, that's hard to get a hold of. Pretty much the simplest explanation I can give.

Someone with better Leghorn knowledge would know better.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Just not a popular color

 

[Miami Leghorn]

Yeah, I got credit for my two I lost too. It was a bit of a bummer, but meant I had one less project jn the long run which is probably for the best

Yeah I got to witness what failure to thrive was all about.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Yeah I got to witness what failure to thrive was all about.

Sucks, doesn't it?

 

[Miami Leghorn]

Sucks, doesn't it?

Yup