Leghorn Baby Chicks: Everything You need to Know

Leghorn Baby chicks are perhaps among the most common types of chickens to rear, particularly famed for their outstanding laying capacity. But there are some tricks that need to be observed when addressing the rearing Leghorn baby chicks. Competent information about Leghorn baby chicks’ care, feeding, housing, and all other things you want to learn about them will be provided in this article.

What Are Leghorn Chickens?

Leghorn chickens are a breed that was developed in Italy; they are superior at laying large quantities of white eggs. They are small, and most of them are lively birds, and thus, they are great at foraging. Thus, ranked high as egg producers, they are among the most preferred birds for commercial and small-scale poultry producers.

Leghorn Baby Chicks: Characteristics

Appearance

Chicks of Leghorn are less size, round and plump built and look fluffy in appearance. They mainly possess yellow down feathers which they change to white, brown or black feathers as they develop. So. here’s what you can expect in terms of appearance:

Weight at Hatch: readily soluble in water at 30-35 grams.

Color: Yellow downwards which produces white or other tone.

Legs: Yellowness’s The legs are yellow in color and each has four toes.

Comb: single comb apparent even in chicks

Temperament

Chicks of the Leghorn breed are bonny and chirpy. They are usually skittish, which makes them even more difficult to manage compared to other birds. But they’re extremely energetic and can prove to be rather good at foraging when they grow up.

How to Care for Leghorn Baby Chicks

Special attention in feeding and caring about a chick depends on the period when the bird is still a chick. Here’s how to take good care of your Leghorn chicks.

Setting Up the Brooder

A brooder is a type of cage where one can rear his or her chicks for the initial one to two weeks.

Temperature and Light

Another breed is the Leghorn which is not so strong and needs warm weather during the initial stages of growth. Here’s a temperature guideline:

• Week-1: 95°F (35°C)
• Week-2: 90°F (32°C)
• Week-3: 85°F (29°C)
• Week-4: 80°F (26°C)

It is only after four weeks that you can take them out of the refrigerator if the weather is favorable.

Ensure that the light is on for the first one week and later switching off in the following weeks but at different intervals. It helps to control its movements and at the same time, helps in finding the place where there is food and water.

Feeding Leghorn Baby Chicks

It’s therefore very vital that you feed your Leghorn chicks a proper diet so that they grow healthy chicks. Here’s what they need at different stages: Here’s what they need at different stages:

Starter Feed

Chicks should start with a high-quality starter feed that contains:

Protein Content: 18-20% of the revenue of their turnover to meet the speedy expansion.

Medicated or Non-Medicated: These diseases include: coccidiosis which can be prevented by use of medicated feeds.

It is recommended to give it to the chicks until they are 6-8 weeks old and it can be given in the type of starter feed.

Grower Feed

Weaning can be done gradually: at 6-8 weeks transition to a grower feed with a protein level of about 16-18%. This feed will also assist them to fore provide for their adult life and continue growing at a steady rate.

Health and Vaccination

Leghorn chicks need to be healthy and there are some measures that need to be put in place. Here are some key health considerations: Here are some key health considerations:

Common Diseases

1. Marek’s Disease: a disease often affecting the animal causing tumors and paralysis.

        a.   Prevention: Vaccination at hatch.

2. Respiratory Infections: Chicks are prone to respiratory diseases from drafts or diseases and poor ventilation.

        a.  Prevention: Make sure that their browser is clean and there is no draft.

Vaccination Schedule

You may want to immunize your chicks against some well-known ailments of poultry. Here’s a typical schedule:

Always visit a local vet who will advise on the right vaccination schedule depending on your region to protect your chicks.

Housing Your Leghorn Chicks

After your chicks are well feathered, perhaps when they are between 6-8 weeks, they can be transferred to the coop or outside.

Coop Setup

Like most others, Leghorns require safe housing for shelter from natural enemies as well as for protection from harsh weathers. The coop should have:

Ventilation: Conduct proper ventilation to avoid arising of respiratory problems.

Roosting Bars: Leghorns are active birds hence they should be provided with high roosts.

Nest Boxes: For these to reproduce, provide nest boxes for egg-laying as the birds mature.

Inside space requirements for housing or coop are; the coop should have at least a minimum of 2-3 square feet bird space and there should be at least 8-10 square feet for the bird’s outdoor run.

Behavior and Training

The leghorn chicks in particular are nervous and active birds. They are not as easily tamed as some of the other breeds of chicken. However, you can still train them to come to you by:

• Making these treats available such as mealworm
• Spending time with your butt in a chair near them just to establish rapport.
• Using consistent gentle handling

In this way, they will link you to food and safety, although the birds will never nest on your head again, even if they remain subjugated.

Pros and Cons of Raising Leghorn Chicks

Here’s a quick look at the pros and cons of raising Leghorn chicks:

Conclusion

You, therefore, can rear Leghorn baby chicks and derive some comfort if you are interested in rearing fowl mainly for eggs. However, since they are active and flighty, they should be handled and housed a little carefully as compared to the others. 

Thus, taking good care from the overall level, feeding your Leghorns with high quality feed and keeping them in a clean environment you will be able to gain healthy and productive birds that will supply you with eggs for quite a long time.