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Why is a Leghorn not, "heritage" with the ALBC?
The single comb Brown, White and Leghorns were admitted into the APA in 1874, Naturally mating, Long, productive outdoor lifespan, and they have a some what slow rate (less than 16 weeks).
Chris
The leghorns are good fryers and the white show type are probably well over the 6lbs they are supposed to be. At the moment Heritage/heirloom are what one organization and we as individuals think it is. So far the government has not come up with designations.
I expect that there will always be a debate over what is called "heritage". I would think of Leghorns as heritage birds. In the 40's I lived on a poultry farm that raised leghorns for fryers. That is the only breed they raised.
Walt
I remember growing up even as a very small child visiting my great grandmother in Salinas California, and she had a big flock of (to me) Giant white chickens.
Leghorns.
I was terrified of them. They would chase after me and the rooster was meaner than hell !
And he was, it seems, as tall as me when he stood up proud...
That being in the late 50s, my other great Grandmother raised RIR in West Plains Mo. area, from the 30s (or maybe even before that)to until she died sometime in the 60s.
But somewhere there is an article I read recently that says they are fast growers, which I do not understand, unless they are referring to the commercial type engineered to lay and or for meat.
I dunno. If it were up to me I would say yes, to the non-industrial commercialized type, and the old timey type leghorns are indeed a heirloom heritage breed.
And what's more, the Leghorn was necessary to the creation of so many other breeds, like the RIW for example. So how on this earth can the RIW be a heirloom heritage breed and the Leghorn not ?
The RIW was created by breedings with white rose comb leghorns, and several other breeds.
Leghorn blood is in alot of USofA foundation heritage chicken breeds.
I think it will be debated for all time, but I consider it a heirloom heritage, but not the bastardized commercially abused variety.
Those of you who think it is not a heirloom heritage breed simply think of how it would be today if not for the Leghorn Chickens brought here to this country.
My mind is made up.
Thank you, oh wise one! 
