Leghorn Chicken

Leghorn chicken is a Mediterranean chicken breed originating in rural Tuscany, in central Italy. 

In 1828 form the port city of Livorno, Leghorn chickens were first exported to North America. By 1865 this chicken breed was known as “Leghorn” (the traditional anglicisation of “Livorno”). But before that time they were initially called “Italians”. And in 1870 this chicken breed was first introduced to Britain from the United States of America and from there re-exported to Italy. Nowadays, white Leghorn chickens are very popular and commercially used layer birds in many countries of the world. And other Leghorn chicken varieties are less common. American Standard of Perfection included this breed in 1874 with three color varieties (black, brown and white). They added rose comb light and dark brown variety in 1883, the rose comb white variety in 1886, the single comb buff and silver variety in 1894 and red, black-tailed red Colombian variety in 1989. And the buff, silver, golden duckwing and rose comb black were added in 1981. Characteristics, behavior and full breed profile of Leghorn chicken is listed below.

CHARACTERISTICS 

• Ten color varieties are recognized in Italy, where the Livorno breed standard is recent. 
• The Italiana is a separate Italian standard for the German Leghorn variety. 
• The French poultry federation divides the breed into four types:   

1. the American white
2. the English white, 
3. the old type (golden-salmon) and 
4. the modern type. 

• And they listed 17 color variants for full-size birds and 14 for bantams. 
• The French poultry federation also recognizes an autosexing variety, the Cream Legbar. Both the American Bantam Association (ABA) and the American Poultry Association recognize numerous number of Leghorn varieties. 
• Most of the Leghorn chickens have single combs.
• In some countries rose combs are permitted, but not in Italy.
• Leghorn chickens have white ear-lobes and their legs are bright yellow. 
• Fully grown Leghorn cocks weigh 3.4 kg, hens 2.5 kg, cockerels weigh 2.7–2.95 kg and pullets 2–2.25 kg and for the bantams variety the maximum weight is 1.02 kg  for cocks and 0.91 kg for hens (according to the British standard). 
• But the Italian standard gives a weight range of 2.4–2.7 kg for cocks, 2.0–2.3 kg for hens. 
• Leghorn chicken lay big white eggs and they are among the good layers. 
• Leghorn hens lay an average of 280 eggs per year and sometimes reaching 300-320. 
• This chicken breed become mature quickly and they have a very good feed to egg conversion ratio. 
• On an average, each bird need around 125 grams of feed daily. But Leghorn chicken is not good for meat production.