# Leghorn crosses for eggs



## katydidagain (Jun 11, 2004)

I have a hen who was mothered by a Leghorn and fathered by my big brown roo; she lays brown eggs as do 5 others so I can't track her; had the EEer roo been involved, I might have a chance since BBQ (old lady) is still resting from her August moult. But I have this tiny "BO" (hahaha!) who is very talkative and commenced laying a light buff egg 11 days ago; she laid #11 today; I'm nearly convinced there's a Leghorn in her recent genetics because I don't know of any other "machine laying breed". (If there's one, tell me, please!)

I'm waiting to see what the 3 juvenile pullets from Lucky's eggs do. I'll probably end up with another cream or light brown and 2 blue/green. But how often? Of course I'll report on my findings; I keep a very detailed spreadsheet.

But while I'm waiting for the 3 to get "busy", I'm wondering if anyone has crossed Leghorns with other breeds and what kind of production was achieved.


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## Cyngbaeld (May 20, 2004)

Production would depend on the genetics of both breeds and how well they mesh. Many of the commercial brown egg layers will perform about as well as the Leghorn.


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## Guest (Nov 26, 2010)

katydidagain said:


> I'm wondering if anyone has crossed Leghorns with other breeds and what kind of production was achieved.


I don't see them much any more, but for many decades, leghorn crosses were very popular.

There were austra-whites (australorpe X leghorn), California whites (California Grey X leghorn), and a number of others.

I've had them and they lay very well.


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## katydidagain (Jun 11, 2004)

Well, I found out today what the light buff Leghorn cross lays. Actually, yesterday I found a "pullet" egg that was almost the same color as what the itty bitty "BO" lays so I assumed she was regressing. But today I gathered 2 light cream eggs--another very small (almost gray) and 1 large. I'm thrilled! I haven't seen a pullet egg in over 40 years; my 1st time layers this time around started large and kept going. The new gal's aren't as tiny as I remember 1st eggs being but they sure don't fill their cells in the carton.

The 2 EEer crosses will probably be much later layers...not a red comb on any of the 5.


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## katydidagain (Jun 11, 2004)

It appears my EEer roo didn't carry the blue egg gene or Leghorn overruled because I'm now getting a white pullet egg along with the large creams and pullet grays from before. I know beyond a doubt the latest is from 1 of the white Leghorn/EEer crosses. These birds are small like their mother but have almost non-existent combs (good for cold weather). I'm still hoping for a blue from the other white bird but don't feel very confidant. Hey, KSAL, what happened? 

Apparently the Leghorn crosses lay earlier; they beat my other hens by 3+ weeks. However, the others started out laying medium to large orbs and these produce tiny eggs with proportional yolks and whites.


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## Cyngbaeld (May 20, 2004)

Your roo didn't pass the gene. You might try another roo. Blue is dom over white.


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## katydidagain (Jun 11, 2004)

Apparently he didn't on this one. I have 2 roos from him segregated right now; I'm waiting to see what the other Leghorn cross with him and the black hen (lays brown egg) one produce before I donate them for someone's dinner. They're beginning to look like drumsticks...


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## Cyngbaeld (May 20, 2004)

You'd be better off getting a hen with a good blue egg and putting a Leghorn rooster on her. It is really hard to tell if a rooster has the right genes.


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## katydidagain (Jun 11, 2004)

You're probably right. I was trying to recreate an old experiment using Leghorn hens and EEers. I'd admit my attempt was not scientific--too many unknowns--so, while I'm disappointed about shell color, I did end up with some very pretty and decent layers it seems. I'm satisfied with my girls and the boys will make someone else happy, too. All's well...


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## Sanza (Sep 8, 2008)

I've successfully crossed a leghorn hen with a ameraucana roo and the offspring laid pale blue eggs, and the crosses are also laying blue eggs. 
I'm sure the blue egg gene is closely tied in with the peacomb, so if your EE roo has a peacomb his daughters should lay the blue eggs. I've also crossed an ameraucana roo with a marans hen and hatched a pullet that did lay olive green eggs (until she was taken by coyotes)
In their first year quite a few breeds (pullets/hens) will lay an egg a day if given the proper food and right light. The leghorns are a smaller size thus needing less food to produce that egg a day.


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## katydidagain (Jun 11, 2004)

This was the father. 








I think most peeps who raise EEers would assume he had "blue genes" or at least I did. (The little pullet eggs I'm gathering are not the same white as my Leghorn's but I wouldn't call them tinted either.)

That very disagreeable roo produced 5 very pretty daughters from 3 hens (1 EEer mothered 2) that have have owl heads, tiny combs and blue, green or black/gray legs; his sons have the same characteristics. I'll keep the girls but really can't winter unknown roos so they'll go away. I'll look for a proven roo in spring if I have a chance to try again.


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## Freeholder (Jun 19, 2004)

I've got six cross-bred hens -- EE X Silkie. All of them lay green eggs (like their mothers -- they are from two different hens). I agree with Cyngbaeld -- if you are after blue eggs, you should start with hens who lay blue eggs. 

Interestingly, my six EE X Silkie hens are better layers than either the EE's or the Silkies. Their eggs are a medium to large medium size, not much smaller than the eggs from their EE mothers. The hens are about midway in size between the two parent breeds. And I kept one of their brothers both because he's a beauty and because he's never shown any sign of aggression towards people.

Kathleen


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## Guest (Dec 3, 2010)

I'm given to understand you'll get better color if you cross your EEs with a Brown Leghorn rather than a White. Less fading.


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## katydidagain (Jun 11, 2004)

I can't find all of my links and can't recall the name of the member here who participated in a Leghorn experiment (I found their results once but can't seem to now) but this is one source of information. (Scroll down, down, down!)


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## KSALguy (Feb 14, 2006)

well i just now saw the rest if this post, IF that rooster was the father then yes i would have assumed he would throw at least a GREEN egg, but with out knowing exactly what egg he came from, and what HIS daddy was, AND him being the ONLY rooster available, AND any number of other crazy variables its a mad mad world out there, 

the EE type/look/catagory is one that is a strainge kettle of fish anyway, thats what makes it sooo much fun, but again its possible he came from a line more mixed than most even though he LOOKS the part, and he could be shooting the wrong shells in the right package.


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