leghorn chickens

NEWPOULTRY · **Joined:** Mon Jul 09, 2012 9:17 am **Posts:** 2

All new to poultry so here to ask your advice. My son want a few leghorn chickens that he viewed at the canberra show recently and at the time we could not find anyone to ask about them so we left with no information. I have looked them up on the internet to find out all I can before I say yes or no but I still have no idea if the leghorn is aggressive by nature in particular the rooster if he was to have one likewise and they a little big for a young boy to handle and care for? Thank you for reading

Karen_H · **Posted:** Mon Jul 09, 2012 1:50 pm

Hi NEWPOULTRY

I am pretty much a novice and don't know much about Leghorns but I think it's fair to say you can get aggressive and quiet roosters in all breeds :-D

At the moment I have 3 roosters - a Silkie cross who is as quiet as anything, a Dorking (who is a very big bird) and is very sweet - he even loves cuddles, baths and being blow dried! My third rooster is an Araucana and he can be quite aggressive although not one of the larger breeds. I have also had a Silkie in the past that was very aggressive (killed the hens) that was out of character for the breed.

You don't say how old your son is........also, depending on where you live, you may not be allowed to keep a rooster (check with your local Council). I probably wouldn't recommend having a rooster unless you wanted to breed.

Hope this helps a little

Chook kid · **Posted:** Mon Jul 09, 2012 5:41 pm

ive found with my leghorns (bantams by the way) that they are not aggresive but they can be quite flighty and scared of you

Phoebe · **Posted:** Mon Jul 09, 2012 9:14 pm

Dear NEWPOULTRY,

We breed and raise White Leghorn bantams. If they are not trained from young to be handled regularly, they can be flighty and make a fuss, which makes them harder to manage than some other breeds.

However, they are not aggressive. We have found that even Australorp hens, which are considered docile, can be more aggressive that White Leghorn roosters. We have also found that placid Light Sussex roosters can be far more aggressive than White Leghorn roosters.

In other words, flightiness does not mean aggressiveness. It just means that more time and effort is needed to manage White Leghorns for home and hobby. This is worth while and satisfying, for they are a breed with heaps of character. But it is important to begin with young birds and learn to handle and train hens before having a rooster. I agree with Karen_H that it is best not to have a rooster until you wish to breed.

Phoebe

Blak1 · **Posted:** Mon Jul 09, 2012 9:27 pm

I fell in love with brown leghorns at a poultry show too! The roosters on display were all very docile and while one of the two girls I bought is flighty, the other loves cuddles and is very tame.

I was lucky enough to meet two leghorn breeders (one black, the other brown) at the Canberra show and they were both genuinely nice people who passed on their details to me (as a novice) without any hesitation.

The leghorns lay lovely eggs too!

Good luck with them

NEWPOULTRY · **Joined:** Mon Jul 09, 2012 9:17 am **Posts:** 2

I am so glad they are not aggressive that is good news and handling them allot is good as he would want to do that anyway. So by reading I am assuming them bantams are the way to go for him?

Phoebe · **Posted:** Thu Jul 12, 2012 9:50 pm

Hi NEWPOULTRY,

By all means say "Yes" to the bantams. They will be challenging, but they will soon become special companions for your young son and provide him with hours of wholesome enjoyment. He may even like to consider showing them as a junior exhibitor.

They also will be cheaper to feed than larger chooks. On feeding, click on this APF link: viewtopic.php?f=32&t=11233&start=0

Phoebe

Joye · **Joined:** Thu Jul 12, 2012 10:19 pm **Posts:** 1

I have the bantam leghorn well only 3 but they are darlings all I hand raised from the eggs and they follow mum every where I go around the yard

Phoebe · **Posted:** Fri Jul 13, 2012 6:51 pm

Hi Joye,
I am so pleased for you. They are indeed delightful birds with heaps of character.
Phoebe

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