Chicken Breed Focus - Leghorn

[sumi]

The Leghorn appears to derive from light breeds originating in rural Tuscany, though the origins are not clear. The name Leghorn was derived from Livorno, the Tuscan port from which the first birds were exported to North America. The date of the first exports is variously reported as 1828, "about 1830" and 1852. They were initially known as "Italians" and they were first referred to as "Leghorns" in 1865.
The Leghorn was included in the APA's Standard of Perfection in 1874, with three colours: black, white and brown (light and dark). Rose comb light and dark brown were added in 1883, and rose comb white in 1886. Single comb buff and silver followed in 1894, and red, black-tailed red, and Columbian in 1929. In 1981 rose comb black, buff, silver, and golden duckwing were also added.
The breed was first introduced to Britain from the United States in 1870, and from there re-exported to Italy. White Leghorns that had won first prize at the 1868 New York show were imported to Britain in 1870, and brown Leghorns from 1872. Pyle Leghorns were first bred in Britain in the 1880s; gold and silver duckwings originated there a few years later, from crosses with Phoenix or Japanese Yokohama birds. Buff Leghorns were first seen in Denmark in 1885, and in England in 1888.
A flighty breed, the Leghorn are popular today for their great egg production and also for exhibition.

Details:

Detail Value
Breed Purpose Egg Layer
Comb Single
Broodiness Seldom
Climate Tolerance All Climates
Egg Productivity High
Egg Size Large
Egg Color White
Breed Temperament Friendly, Flighty, Bears confinement well, Noisy, Shy
Breed Colors/Varieties White, light brown, dark brown, black, blue, buff, Columbian, buff Columbian, barred, exchequer, mottled and silver
Breed Size Large Fowl
APA/ABA Class Mediterranean


Pic by @Birch Run Farm


Pic by @cree57i


Pic by @maryk117


Pic by @txbluejeanbabe


Pic by @Varner flock

Breed Discussions:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/758913/leghorn-thread/0_30
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/258532/post-pics-of-your-leghorns/0_30
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/295163/breeding-buff-leghorns/0_30
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/746572/isabelle-leghorns-in-usa/0_30
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/625966/brown-leghorns-pics-info-and-resources/0_30
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/344871/exchequer-leghorns/0_30

Do you own Leghorns? Are you a Leghorn breeder? If so, please reply to this thread with the your thoughts and experiences, including:

· What made you decide to get this breed?
· Do you own them for fun? Breeding? Some other purpose?
· What are your favorite characteristics about this breed?
· Post some pics of your birds; male/female, chicks, eggs, etc!

We have a bunch of other awesome breed-focus threads for you to enjoy. You can see all of them here: https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/chicken-breed-focus-project.975504/

 

[N F C]

Curious...what color would this one be called?

 

[I Love Layers]

I would just like to say that for climate tolerance it should not be all climates. My whites are miserable if it gets under 10F, not counting windchill, outside which it is basically 5 months of the year. A

 

[Treerooted]

This is the first question thread I've been able to participate in, but being a new chicken owner this should be taken with a large grain of salt

· What made you decide to get this breed?
I didn't, I'm chicken-sitting

· Do you own them for fun? Breeding? Some other purpose?
See above, but eggs eggs eggs

· What are your favorite characteristics about this breed?
Eggs, eggs, eggs! lol. They've barely missed one day of production despite the cold weather and lack of sunlight (I don't supplement heat or light). My four hens are actually very nice birds. A little flighty, and pushy about their food, but no problem being held and are great with the toddler.

· Post some pics of your birds; male/female, chicks, eggs, etc!
hen

 

[Cluckcluck1215]

Well I have a white leg- um let me refrase that.I have a bird that's supposed to be a white leghorn.I know Leghorns well.But this girl, is just different.Hher comb is bigger then her head, her body is three times or more smaller then a real white leghorn and she lays TINY eggs and has pink skin, not yellow!I honestly don't even care though?She is my fav. Girl.I only have one, Harriet.Naughtiest, Noseyiest, cutest, dirtiest little thing on earth.She is tiny and her huge comb is badly frost bitten dew to cold climates.She loves to come inside but shencauses chaos.One time I found her dust bathing in my tree!
What made you decide to get this breed?
Well, I have never raised Leghorns before and I heard they were great layers and I said,"Lets give it a whirl!"Well, great layers, huh?

Do you own them for fun? Breeding? Some other purpose?
Fun, pets and little tiny white eggs!

What are your favorite characteristics about this breed?
I love Harriet's huge comb.It gives her such character!Even with frostbitten ends!And, she had lost her tounge when she was a bit younger so instead of,"Cluck, cluck bock"it's,"Raaaaaccccc errrrrkk raaccccc"so cute.
Post some pics of your birds; male/female, chicks, eggs, etc!

(Sorry photo overload)

 

[saguaroskeleton]

What made you decide to get this breed?
My family has always had Leghorns! My grandfather had a flock of 400+ Leghorns for more than 10 years. I decided to get them again after hearing about them for so many years
· Do you own them for fun? Breeding? Some other purpose?
Egg laying and hopefully breeding eventually. Also for the fun of having such comical birds
· What are your favorite characteristics about this breed?
Personally I like their flightiness, it gives them character. Their egg laying skills are defiantly my favorite aspect of the breed.
· Post some pics of your birds; male/female, chicks, eggs, etc!

I'll have to find pictures of my old flock to show off my past Leghorns

 

[wingedshade]

I wanted to get some of the brown rosecomb variety. I live in a cold climate so I was thinking that would help prevent frostbite, however I'm not sure if their small body size would keep them warm.
I got a game roo as my hatchery freebie, he seems kinda chilled most of the time on cold days. He seems to hunker down into the straw or settle back onto the roost sooner than the other birds.

 

[fluffbutt]

This is my first post ever on this forum although I have been a stalker for a year and have learned so, so much. So thank you and Hi guys!

What made you decide to get this breed? I got her from a tractor supply store and she just looked cute. I chose my first 6 baby chicks based on cuteness last year and I got really lucky. I actually had to figure out the breeds I had later on when I started to really get into chickens since I didn't pay attention when I bought them. Now I have 13 hens and 1 rooster and I try to learn all I can about each one (I have a very mixed flock).

Do you own them for fun? Breeding? Some other purpose? I own them for fun and for the eggs. If one of mine ever goes broody I would like to try having a hen hatch some eggs.

What are your favorite characteristics about this breed? Scarlett (brown leghorn in my profile pic) always comes up onto the roosts while I am cleaning the poop boards. She just wants to be near me but she is skittish if I try to pet her (tho she does let me sometimes, just reluctantly). She is very, um, athletic? She free ranges and free ranges. Plus she lays LOTS of eggs.

Post some pics of your birds; male/female, chicks, eggs, etc!
This is a pic of my coop and Scarlett is standing right in the doorway.

 

[RodNTN]

What made you decide to get this breed?
I had always wanted Leghorns, so I finally decided to get a few! I got 2 from Co-op last spring, and 6 from Tractor Supply Co. last spring. I mainly wanted them for their eggs, but when I found out how docile they are, I now want more!

Do you own them for fun? Breeding? Some other purpose?
I own Leghorns for their personality, their eggs, and for fun! They lay eggs very consistently, and rarely miss a day without laying an eggs. But I hope to breed them if I get a Leghorn rooster!

What are your favorite characteristics about this breed?
My favorite characteristics about this breed is their personality. They are friendly, calm, lovable, docile, I can keep going on! I also love their big, floppy combs. Even though they all have names, we call them flopsy.

Post some pics of your birds; male/female, chicks, eggs, etc!

 

[maralpz2006]

I love leghorn , i have 3 , one white and 2 silver, and i had a exquecher , and another white , just died few days ago, but she was egg machine, she layed for 2 years and 6 months (non stop) until the last 3 days that she was getting sick