Brown Leghorns: Pics, Info, and Resources

[gamelife]

Why aren't they called "black-breasted red leghorns"?

I will take a stab at this question.

Well, the hens are not black-breasted or red. It seems that most chicken breeds are named for the hens, and that it is probably because more hens are kept to lay eggs.

There is also a Red Leghorn, but both hens and roosters are red in that breed.

If they named brown leghorns after the rooster, it would have to have a long name because of all the colors in their feathers.

Thanks Bullitt I think you nailed it. I never thought about it in that respect. Leghorns are known for their egg production not their pretty roosters so
all credit and identification go to the hens.
Makes since.

 

[Gresh]

Danish Brown Leghorns are a strain of Light Brown Leghorns

I like both the dark and light versions and I think the light brown females are one of the most colorful breeds of females there are.

I too just have a hatchery version of Brown leghorns and yes they are a little different in temperament than some of the other breeds I have but they are great layers of big white eggs very active and make for good free range birds.

Thanks, CDF! I will keep that in mind. Do you have pics of your Browns you can post?

 

[Gresh]

Brown Leghorns are my favorite, because they have beautiful coloring and they are great egg layers. The Brown Leghorn's colors help it hide better from predators than the whites. All the leghorns are quick and can fly short distances to get away from predators. This makes them a good choice for free ranging.

The name Leghorn is an anglicisation of Livorno, the port city in Italy where they were shipped from to the United States. Many people in the United States say "Legern."

I prefer the look of the single comb varieties, but if you live in a cold region the rose comb varieties are probably a better choice because the comb is less likely to get frostbite.

Here is a website for the American Brown Leghorn Club: http://www.the-coop.org/leghorn/ablc1.html

I especially like the Single Comb Light Brown Leghorn. Here are some pictures I found.

Gorgeous photos! Love the color and comb of the second cock, but I like the type of the first a little better. The pullet is beautiful. Do you know of some breeders and/or hatcheries that have good quality Browns they can ship to NC for a good price?

Thanks for your contribution to this thread!

 

[flyingmonkeypoop]

I too always wondered the difference between a brown leghorn and BBR. From what I know about the brown leghorns is that they were one color (brown) but some people liked the look of the lighter birds and others liked darker so they decided to have a color split into the sub types. When you compare a brown leghorn to a BBR colored bird, there are big differences to the trained eye. Plus, someone correct me if I'm wrong, but don't BBR cocks have solid hackles while brown leghorns have striping in the hackle?

 

[flyingmonkeypoop]

Forgot to post what I have. I have a rose combed light brown leghorn hen from McMurray. She is a good layer and, except for her tail she is good looking. Her tail is like a closed fan. I am ordering a couple more RC hens and a couple SC hens from McMurray this spring too, good birds.

 

[nurse_turtle]

Excellent egg layers almost daily of extra large white eggs. Flighty and skittish. Very pretty to look at. I hatched mine from eggs I got from Dad who got them from a friend here in the foothills of NC.

I'm hatching some now!

 

[Bullitt]

Gorgeous photos! Love the color and comb of the second cock, but I like the type of the first a little better. The pullet is beautiful. Do you know of some breeders and/or hatcheries that have good quality Browns they can ship to NC for a good price?

Thanks for your contribution to this thread!

Those are pictures I pulled off the Internet. I just want to be clear that those are not my chickens.

I think the picture of the second rooster is distorted making the rooster look bigger. The other pictures show a good rooster and a good hen of the single comb light brown leghorn variety.

To find a breeder, you should contact the American Brown Leghorn Club: http://www.the-coop.org/leghorn/ablc1.html

What is a BBR?

The white leghorns have been bred to be the best egg layers. There is always discussion about how well brown leghorns compare with their egg-laying ability. Do most brown leghorns lay more than 300 eggs a year?

 

[mschlumb]

I too always wondered the difference between a brown leghorn and BBR. From what I know about the brown leghorns is that they were one color (brown) but some people liked the look of the lighter birds and others liked darker so they decided to have a color split into the sub types. When you compare a brown leghorn to a BBR colored bird, there are big differences to the trained eye. Plus, someone correct me if I'm wrong, but don't BBR cocks have solid hackles while brown leghorns have striping in the hackle?

Yes, you're right, BB Red males do not have hackle or saddle striping like the brown Leghorn males.

 

[mschlumb]

The link to the Brown Leghorn website that has been posted is not the current website. The link that has been previously posted is from a long time ago, before the club got a new website. the current website ishttp://www.showbirdbid.com/ablc/default.htm.

I would also like to add, please do not try to contact the secratary (Dennis Pearse) on the old website, since he has passed away. The current ABLC secratary is Bud Blankenship. His contact info is on the website link that i have posted.

 

[PoultryPlot]

I love brown leghorns. We just recently got a trio of them put together, two (rooster and a hen) where hatched from eggs we bought and the other hen we got in a surprise pack from Ideal. I think they are beautiful birds and love the big white eggs. I will have to post pictures of them tonight. The only thing I don't like about them is how flighty they are but that is expected being leghorns and all. I am so glad a thread has been started about them and I can't wait to see everyone else's birds!