White Leghorns - need some attention

[Chic-n-farmer]

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Try getting some rose combed.

Ooh! I didn't even know leghorns could be found with rose combs. Really? Neat.

I've only seen them in brown, but there may be more.

 

[danhonour]

Leghorns are among the best layers,even the worst show lines.There is variation as to temperment,if you are breeding them,just do not use the worst ones.They are light weight and so are good flyers,but also are better at escaping predators.If eaten before they start getting tough (3/4 grown) they are good eating.Not a lot of meat,but rather than gut and butcher the whole bird I just remove the breast meat and thighs/drumsticks and forget gutting them.It is quick to do and that is where the most meat is.Make lots of soup and stew.Old birds require lots of hours to cook,but the soups are good. I know from being on the farm with cattle the dual purpose cattle were neither great for meat or milk.The meat breeds prove better for that end and the dairy breeds better for milk.It is somewhat true for poultry ,if we are honest with ourselves.I have often been reminded by friends that buy all their feed,how much the dual purpose and heavy breeds can eat(a good percentage get over weight fat),compared to light breeds.There is a huge difference.Some people just do not like the slow,lazy birds,that can not roost,fly,or move out from under your feet.

 

[Medicine Man]

That's an excellent summary, Dan. I think the Leghorns are far too often maligned and often it just comes from "internet quarterbacks" espousing what they've read and doing so with all the authority in the world.

 

[danhonour]

I know there are tame Leghorns .Many are not,but the real bad crazy wild ones can be their own worst enemy (lack the minimum brain function) and should not be bred from .Those that scream and will not calm down when handled or coop trained,need to go as well. You need to move slow while you work and not scare Leghorns,most will calm down in time,but if young and not handed they can be like pheasants.I think it helps to have pens they cannot get away from you too easily .They can be very smart and will respond to treats and hand feeding.Any bird that does not calm down in an individual coop after a month or two of regular handling should not be bred from.Believe it or not the absolute worst birds I ever saw or handled were Cochin bantams,could not get over it,and I am sure that is not very common,but it goes to show exceptions exist.If I could change Leghorns,it would be the temperments,I am sure they would be more popular and enjoyable to work with if they were calm,for many people admire their form,feather,style and gracefulness,not to mention the egg laying ability.I cull for Leghorn temperament,but find sometimes I have to keep borderline ones that have other outstanding traits.Other times a really nice bird has to go because it is just insane and when I do not cull those,I get more as bad and wish I had culled the one I handle my Leghorns every few weeks to check for defects,check wing bands,treat for lice,etc. Some people keep Leghorn like wild pheasants and never touch them,they can do well with all that exercise,free range, and be healthy,just as long as they have some predator protection.With frost bite,it is usually the males points.Some winters I get none of it,much depends on the coop and the dampness.All the Leghorns come in both Rose Comb and Single Comb.I have never liked the Rose Combs due to fertility and hatchability issues that the single combs do not have.I have seen it too many times and cannot stand to waste all the eggs I have to throw out with rose combs not hatching.I have had others disagree on this stating some forms of rose comb genes are not bad,it is possible but I will stick with the frost bite and single combs.It also helps to breed a bit smaller sized single comb.closer to the body with better blood flow.

 

[Junior]

i too think Leghorns get a bad rap.i do not currently have any but that may change this spring.
there is somewhat of a sentimental value i have for them.my Great-Grandfather used to keep 150-200 White Leghorns in the 1940's.he sold eggs in Chattanooga Tn.

while researching Leghorns i came across Mr. Dan Honour's book : Thoughts On Breeding White Leghorns.i am glad i did.i have read it through once and have went back and re-read many sections.
it is full of information and history on White Leghorns & i have learned alot about a great breed.

Junior

 

[Gallusfarm]

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This is so true. I've learned a new phrase

 

[aussieheelr]

I've got 1 white leghorn 1 black leghorn and 1 leghornxEE. Now I will say I love them! My leghornXee lays beautiful blue eggs about 6 days a week. They're so stinkin productive I can't se why anyone wouldn't want one. Now that being said my chickens aren't pets, every animal on our "ranch" has a purpose and if it isn't fulfilling it... it's gone. I don't snuggle them... but I do talk to my turkeys

 

[MTopPA_18707]

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[stevin]

i love my leghorns...!!!!!
i have 6 pearl whites from M&M Hatchery. they are such great layers that in a weeks time i typically have around 40 eggs from them.
i will always have leghorns in my flock....

 

[Medicine Man]

This is JoJo, a commercial-strain* White Leghorn who is about 22 months old. She has never been coddled, handled or anything of that nature, other than as necessary for occasional inspection/examination. This is about as close as she'll get, she's not going to jump into my lap or anything silly like that.

*hatched from Trader Joe's eggs; ergo, there has obviously been no selective breeding for docility or hugs/kisses/cuddles.

Additionally, you can kind of see that she's looking pretty tattered here - she is only just now starting to moult, having been laying eggs all Winter thus far while the rest of them (EEs and Marans) have been on holiday, except for one EE which has Producion Red in her and stopped laying at the same time as JoJo...just as one Marans resumed laying! Thanks for the teamwork from the flock to stagger their moulting like that!