My Sweet Missy and Sheldon

A little heartwarming post about my leghorns. 🩷🩷 I have two leghorns Missy and Sheldon, noticed they don’t act like what I expected leghorns to act like. everybody who I know owns leghorns say they are flighty. And when I got these girls, that’s what I expected as well. I didn’t really mind because I already had some Easter eggers with great personalities and I like having some good egg layers into the flock. And even people I know who have handled white leghorns ask chicks say they’re not the most friendly. So I had 3 girls Georgie, Missy and Sheldon they were a little under a year-old and was starting to lay. My biggest concern was that what should I do about them flying at first since their wings weren’t cut. but I noticed how particularly well-behaved they were because one time I accidentally left the coop door open and they just stayed in my yard. They don’t ever leave the yard. When I let them out and do their business in my backyard I started supervising them at first to see if they would fly away, which they never did. I have friends that tell me that they have issues with their leg horns liking to fly onto the roofs of their house. Or unfortunate cases where they’ve flown into the neighbors yards.

But my girls never did that so I’ll count my lucky stars. I’m able to let them free range outside unsupervised because I live in what I call “ the Goldilocks area” aka I got really extremely lucky where I live. I have a huge backyard and no hawks or any predator come near my area because it’s not really in the country. don’t worry the coop is predator proofed just to be safe when they go indoors my dad made sure of it. But back to my leghorns at first, they acted like regular leg horns wanted nothing to do with me, which I didn’t mind. I just collected my eggs and fed them. Then Georgie started following me around and she would eat for my hands then miss you and Sheldon start doing the same thing. They followed me around and ate for my hands.

Unfortunately Georgie passed away from Coccidiosis. Me being a newbie chicken owner I didn’t catch it in time. She was the sweetest out of the 3 leghorns. Then Missy got Coccidiosis I was able to treat her with my learned knowledge and save her life. But that’s when I started noticing more of a change in my leghorns behavior. They started to follow me more. I’ll sometimes just sit in my backyard enjoying the day and they’ll just waddle up to me and just sit next to me or just peck me for food. Funnily enough despite being an egg production breed I’ve caught them becoming more broody than some of my other hens. They even go more broody then my buff orpington.

Fast forward today I had them for a couple of years now. They also gotten more demanding, my leghorns are always the first to greet me. Sheldon and Missy will purposely get and front of me or step on me feet if they want attention. They love to be hand feed will get too excited and peck my hands. Sheldon in particular likes to try to groom and clean me with her beak. Which is funny to watch. My mom was Missy does the cutest little run with her wings flapping out for treats. They are such affectionate sweet girls. When my favorite hen Cinnamon died and I sat next to her body to say my goodbyes. Sheldon jump on my lap and just sat there while Missy sat next to me. Idk if it’s just a coincidence or I’m just trying to humanize my leghorns too much, but it was a good comfort. It was strange since both girls don’t mind to be picked up and will just chill in my arms. They were never lap chickens I like to think it was their way of comforting me.

I hope they stay with me for a very long time. After they are gone, I don’t know if I will get any more white leg horns. I do like that they’re very hearty and are good egg layers. It just that Missy and Sheldon had such wonderful personalities that kind of raised my standards. I know every chicken is different. But anyways thank for listening about me ramble about how adorable my leghorns are.