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5dd69c9e_leghorn-14174-445.jpeg

Leghorn

Leghorn, Italy (hence the name of the bird) had its own native common chicken for hundreds of...
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General Information

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 and silver
Breed Size
Large Fowl
APA/ABA Class
Mediterranean
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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.

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Leghorn eggs

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Leghorn chick

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Leghorn juveniles

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Leghorn hen

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Leghorn rooster

For more info on Leghorns and their owners' and breeders' experiences, see our breed discussion here:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/chicken-breed-focus-leghorn.1152504/
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Latest reviews

Fluffy_Moth_With_Silkies
Great meat and egg birds
Pros: Lots of large, white eggs
Cute little hens
Loud(er) crows
Great climate tolerance
We love the colors
Cons: Loud(er) crows
LOTS of clucking
Flighty
Good breed, great for meat and eggs. The hens are what you think of when you think of hens. The combs are a nice touch as well. They do pretty well with other breeds.

Very good review, good job on that!
Wacky Workshop
Pros: Amazing layers, 'standard chicken' look
Cons: Highly aggressive, unable to be handled, skittish, loud
Oh, boy, are these guys a lot to handle! I have three (used to be four) leghorns, and they are absolute jerks! They pick on the other birds, scream to no end (yes, they're all pullets), and I cannot get near them for anything! I wouldn't recommend these birds if you like having an intimate relationship with every single bird you own (like me). Only get them if you're looking solely for egg laying, and not looks, personality or style.
Purchase Price
$5.00
Purchase Date
2-28-22
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ChickyMudder
ChickyMudder
Mine were skittish at first but i kept them in a walk in brooder where i could he with them. Now the run to greet me. They are calm and so kind. Maybe I got a good batch from Hoovers Hatchery.
Wacky Workshop
Wacky Workshop
Yeah, perhaps. I've gotten more leghorns since then, and these ones are actually pretty nice! They're still a little skittish, but not aggressive at all. ^.^
PioneerChicks
Pros: Good layers.
Cons: Not at all friendly, flighty, extremely aggressive to other chickens.
They are good layers but not good pets. Very flighty and shy. Mine wouldn't stop picking on each other. They had a very strict pecking order and sometimes killed each other because of it.
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Comments

T
ShellyBlanco said:
We have two Brown Leghorn pullets. We just love them. Sadly, we had to clip their wings, they were going up into our pecan trees to roost at night and we want them in the coop at night. So the nighttime "get Beavis and Butthead out of the trees" was something that had to stop. Butthead is a very beautiful girl!
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Never do wing clipping again.
It may be very dangerous for parasites and mites.
 
proudmommie31
I have had both the white and the light brown. First the white which, while more shy, they didn't seem to easily startle or act crazy. They laid excellent. This time we have light browns and while they are too young yet to lay they drive me nuts! So flighty and they get all the others riled up. I'll skip them next time.
 
Fostersman
Received one as a bonus gift with some Brahms I ordered. She’s a little girl but I tell you what, she never fails to lay an egg. She’s my only white egg layer so it’s easy to see her egg. Great forager, she always looks to be busy, good little bird, we call her Sargent Whitey.
 
ShellyBlanco
babychicks7 said:
i have leghorns they dont mind confindment great layers eggs very large many double yokes and do go in at night whth out any problems
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Our Brown Leghorns have been laying for a few months now, I only have two of them. You can tell which egg belongs to who, but they are not quite to the large stage yet. The girls are 6 months old.
 
M
I need some advice. I have 6 leghorns and 1 silky. They eat about 50 lbs of food every 2 weeks and they are as fat as can be. The don't really perch and when I let them out of their run to play in the yard, they sit and forage with their beaks. Not sure if I should put them on a diet or what. They eat fresh fruits, vege's, grains, etc. I have not fed them table scraps at all but due to all the rain in the Northeast these past few months, they stay inside and just eat all day. It's my first time having chickens and I want to make sure that I'm doing it right. Any suggestions would help greatly! Thanks everyone.
 
Timothy Menezes
Moezass said:
I need some advice. I have 6 leghorns and 1 silky. They eat about 50 lbs of food every 2 weeks and they are as fat as can be. The don't really perch and when I let them out of their run to play in the yard, they sit and forage with their beaks. Not sure if I should put them on a diet or what. They eat fresh fruits, vege's, grains, etc. I have not fed them table scraps at all but due to all the rain in the Northeast these past few months, they stay inside and just eat all day. It's my first time having chickens and I want to make sure that I'm doing it right. Any suggestions would help greatly! Thanks everyone.
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Those can't be Leghorns, thinking you got white Cornish meat birds by mistake. That behavior is exactly how a white Cornish acts.
 
whiterocker
I agree. I no longer have my 2 white leghorns, but I miss them! Smart, interest, sweet, funny and friendly!
 
whiterocker
DownwardDog said:
For those with friendlier Leghorns, are they White or Brown? I'm trying to figure out which to order from Cackle hatchery.
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Mine were white. Beautiful, delicate looking, but hardy birds. I don't think they are good meat chickens, as they are smaller than many, but fantastic layers
 
whiterocker
Pacific Beach Ed said:
Would a leghorn rooster be good with a mixed flock of hens? ED
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My white leghorn rooster is wonderful with all my chickens. He's a fierce protector and event killed a small critter to protect his hens. He has huge spurs, but is docile around all humans. We love him.
 
Pastors Chicks
Two years ago we bought a batch of White Leghorns and Brown Leghorns. The white ones are pretty skiddish, most of them run away when we go in the chicken run. The brown ones are absolute freaks! They run, fly, dart, jet, as soon as we open the door and start walking across the yard. The only way I even get to hold them to clip their wings is at night in the coop, but when I walk in they all hit the floor and run around like they are on fire, lol. They all have been a pain. Most of them refuse to lay in the nesting boxes, and they have been eating their eggs as of late, so they have replacements growing in the other coop and as soon as we start getting eggs, they are gone!

The good thing about Leghorns is they are good layers AND they are so skinny they hardly need much food.
 
couponsaver47
I can see my work is cut out for me, as I just bought 71.. All skittish as hell! GL to all who raise these. I'm not sure myself but if they are good egg layers, I'll find a way,
 
EdenHallow
I had 3 leghorns, 8 brown egg layers, and a rooster. We had a predator attack, and were left with all three leghorns, our ISA brown and the rooster. Those leghorns are my crazy girls. The are extremely flighty, super curious, insanely smart, and super reliable egg layers. BUT the are super mischievous.
 

Item information

Category
Chicken Breeds
Added by
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Views
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Watchers
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Comments
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Reviews
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Last update
Rating
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