Opinions on my leghorn? Just curious/for fun

[black_cat]

This doesn't apply just to Leghorns, but in general, where would one go to find a description of the breed standard for any breed? What's that called, the Standard of Perfection, I believe?

I believe that there's a big book that's very expensive.

 

[black_cat]

Show judges don't go by how many eggs a year they lay. They alwere asking if theory think their hen was show quality and why or why not

That is what I was asking, but it's also super interesting to learn about what @Ruthster55 was saying as well.

 

[black_cat]

I feel bad tagging you again, but @The Moonshiner what do you think?

 

[HaikuHeritageFarm]

This bird is very far from show quality. White leghorns are very competitive because white is an easier variety to "get right" and a breeder can focus on type almost exclusively, therefore type-wise they're very highly fine-tuned. A standardbred leghorn is not a slight, small, flighty thing. They feel substantial, well-muscled with well-filled breasts and good width throughout. Femails should be long and deep with a gently sloping back line and a well-fanned tail. They're stunning creatures to behold, IMO. I have standardbred browns and a hatchery production brown and they don't even look like the same breed. For all intents and purposes—they aren't. They have no similarities at all aside from, loosely, the same coloring and pattern. I'd say the production hen is probably AT LEAST a full pound lighter than her standardbred sisters.

Here is a decent representation of good type in a white leghorn hen:

Here is an interesting book from 1911 that talks about leghorn type and other qualities of standard-bred leghorns. I don't believe the standard has changed since then, so while judging and breeding fads might have adjusted a few things a bit, most of it is still right on:

http://www.survivorlibrary.com/library/standard-bred_leghorns-1911.pdf

 

[black_cat]

This bird is very far from show quality. White leghorns are very competitive because white is an easier variety to "get right" and a breeder can focus on type almost exclusively, therefore type-wise they're very highly fine-tuned. A standardbred leghorn is not a slight, small, flighty thing. They feel substantial, well-muscled with well-filled breasts and good width throughout. Femails should be long and deep with a gently sloping back line and a well-fanned tail. They're stunning creatures to behold, IMO. I have standardbred browns and a hatchery production brown and they don't even look like the same breed. For all intents and purposes—they aren't. They have no similarities at all aside from, loosely, the same coloring and pattern. I'd say the production hen is probably AT LEAST a full pound lighter than her standardbred sisters.

Here is a decent representation of good type in a white leghorn hen:

View attachment 2467916

Here is an interesting book from 1911 that talks about leghorn type and other qualities of standard-bred leghorns. I don't believe the standard has changed since then, so while judging and breeding fads might have adjusted a few things a bit, most of it is still right on:

http://www.survivorlibrary.com/library/standard-bred_leghorns-1911.pdf

I"m a bit busy right now so can't give a proper response, but I'd love if you could post a pic of your hatchery brown and your standardbred brown for comparison's sake!

 

[HaikuHeritageFarm]

I"m a bit busy right now so can't give a proper response, but I'd love if you could post a pic of your hatchery brown and your standardbred brown for comparison's sake!

I don't have photos that depict a fair comparison at the moment. If I can get a second set of hands to do pictures i might try to get some later this week.