White Leghorns Disposition

[catterbug]

I am getting ready to order my chicks for spring. I have 2 small children. In the catalog it says that the white leghorns are active and skittish. Will they be friendly with my kids? I am thinking since we are getting them as chicks that they may be more friendly. Otherwise I was thinking of getting a Silver Spangled Hamburg since it says that they are active. I just want a nice white egg layer since I only have brown and green layers now.

 

[ChickieBooBoo]

Leghorns are not friendly birds, mine were aggressive at all, they just didnt like people. Silver Spangled Hamburgs are pretty flighty too, mine calm down a bit after their first year though.

 

[usschicago1]

It will be a challenge for the kids to even catch them. They are the BEST egg layers, but if you want your kids to cuddle with them, or even pet them it will be difficult. They are not mean though.
Cochins are great for kids, as well as silkies, but they are an expense because they return very little in the form of eggs.

-Mark

 

[silkiechicken]

Leghorns are flighty, but, having known a few that were raised by a 4 year old girl, they can get fat and friendly enough to be picked up. That is highly unusual for most leghorns. So they can be tamed, just will take all the time of a 4 yo girl. Apparently they were in her arms 4-6 hours a day, every day, for all of summer. If it weren't for the big comb and long body, one would have thought they were white rocks. I knew they were leghorns though, because I gave them to the girls parents.

 

[catterbug]

Could you please explain what you mean by being flighty and skittish?

 

[mylittlechickpea]

I have a leghorn and I think she is the sweetest little thing ever. She lets me hold her, pet her, she'll hop up in my lap. She even got a bath today. I did raise her from a day old though.

 

[usschicago1]

Quote:
Imagine it like a robin, you can admire them for hours, but catching it....ehh...not so much.

Leghorns are like that, pretty to watch, but not cuddly like a lap cat.

 

[silkiechicken]

The key is raising starting young with lots of focus.

Skitty and flighty means you look at them wrong or bring out a different feed can and they run away or jump up and down the coop walls like you're going to kill them. "Active" is a nicer way of saying flighty. Many Mediterranean breeds are flighty.

 

[Chick Charm]

Mine were just like the descriptions above. They are GREAT layers and overall very good birds. They do however not let us pet them or get to close to them for that matter. All our other chickens ( RIR's, Barred Rocks, Sex Links) not only let us get close they like to be petted and some even like to have us hold them.

Leghorns are not usually cuddly birds. Just great layers.

 

[flgardengirl]

My girl is a little sweetie, wants her neck scratched every morning. If you want sweet leghorns only get a couple and raise them with friendlier breeds. They will be mellower that way.