Table of Contents
- Origin of the Leghorn
- Leghorn Chicken Colors and Varieties
- What Are Leghorn Chickens Good For?
- How Many Eggs Do Leghorn Chickens Lay?
- Superior Qualities
- Leghorn Chicken Temperament
- For the Backyard Flock
- Caring for Leghorn Chickens in a Backyard Flock
- Conclusion
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Sources
Leghorns have a funny reputation. Everyone knows them as the white egg machines of the chicken world, but people often forget they are still real chickens with real personalities. They move fast, notice everything, and usually have very little interest in being treated like fluffy lap pets. For backyard keepers, that can either be a dealbreaker or exactly what makes them fun. If you want a light, active hen that fills the egg basket with white eggs and keeps herself busy around the coop, the Leghorn chicken is worth a serious look.
In this guide, we’ll look at where Leghorns came from, how many eggs they lay, what they are like to keep, their color varieties, their drawbacks, and whether they make sense for your backyard flock.
Origin of the Leghorn
The Leghorn chicken breed originated in Tuscany, Italy, exported from the port of Livorno to the United States between 1828 and 1830. The name “Leghorn” comes from the English version of Livorno. The breed was standardized in 1874. The American Poultry Association (APA) Standard of Perfection (SOP) currently recognizes 16 different color varieties. Besides White and Brown, Leghorns come in Buff, Black, Exchequer, Silver, Red, Black-Tailed-Red, and Columbian. Besides these standard colors, other colors exist as well. According to the Livestock Conservancy, the following people can be credited with the first importations of Leghorn chickens to the United States.
N.P. Ward is credited as the first person to receive Leghorns from Italy. In 1835, he had some Brown Leghorns imported to New York. These birds seemed to have disappeared before the next import.
In 1852, Captain Gates arrived in Mystic, Connecticut, with the first importation of Leghorn chickens, which are direct ancestors of today’s non-industrial flocks. The birds were what we now call Brown Leghorns. In 1853, F.J. Kinney received an importation of Brown Leghorns at Boston Harbor, while a Mr. Simpson received a shipment of White Leghorns (Livestock Conservancy).
Leghorn Chicken Colors and Varieties
White Leghorns are the best-known variety because of their role in commercial white egg production, but the breed is much broader than that. The American Poultry Association recognizes several Leghorn color varieties, including White, Brown, Buff, Black, Exchequer, Silver, Red, Black-Tailed Red, and Columbian.
Brown Leghorns and Red Leghorns are especially interesting for backyard flocks because they give keepers the same active Leghorn personality in a less “commercial-looking” bird. The main thing to remember is that color does not change the breed’s core identity: Leghorns are still light, alert, productive white egg layers.
What Are Leghorn Chickens Good For?
Leghorns are egg birds first. That is the simplest way to understand them. They are light, quick, efficient, and built for laying white eggs without needing the body size of a heavy dual-purpose chicken.
That is why the White Leghorn became such a big name in commercial egg production, but the same traits can be useful in a backyard flock, too. If your goal is a full egg basket, Leghorns earn their keep. They do not eat like big meat birds; they stay busy around the yard, and they are usually the first ones to notice anything new happening near the coop.
The tradeoff is personality. A Leghorn is usually not the bird that slowly waddles over and waits to be picked up. They are more likely to zip past you, inspect what you are doing, steal a bug from the freshly turned soil, and run off like they have important business elsewhere. Some people find that flighty. I find it part of their charm, as long as you know what you are getting before you bring them home.
How Many Eggs Do Leghorn Chickens Lay?
After World War I, American Agriculture started to change and modernize. The way of keeping chickens changed, too. As discussed in All About the Cornish Cross Chicken, the modern broiler industry only started in the 1930s. Shortly thereafter, egg farms started to be formed as eggs became a regular part of the American diet. Commercial White Leghorns usually lay 300-320 eggs a year in their first laying cycle. If kept for a second laying cycle, they usually lay 280-300 eggs.
All commercial or hatchery Leghorn stock is usually very productive, laying 280-300 eggs in their first laying cycle. Exhibition-quality Leghorns tend to lay 150-250 eggs per year. Exhibition poultry are bred to be the best representation of their breed. While egg production is very important, a bird without disqualifications is even more important.
Many exhibition breeders sell birds that didn’t make the cut for showing or breeding as pet quality. Just like with other high-production breeds, when birds are allowed to molt naturally and aren’t overproducing, they can lay for many years.
This long-laying life is not limited to Leghorns. In my own flock, I have an Ameraucana hen in her 9th laying cycle who still lays 2 to 4 eggs a week during her laying period. The point is not that every hen will do this, but that birds allowed to molt naturally and avoid constant production pressure can sometimes remain productive for many years.
If you plan to hatch your own Leghorn chicks, a reliable chicken egg incubator matters more than people think.
Willow Roske, Leghorn Breeder & Exhibitor
Superior Qualities
The world record for most eggs produced in a year by a chicken was set in 1979 by a White Leghorn hen at the University of Missouri, USA. This hen laid 371 eggs in one year. That means on at least six occasions she laid two eggs in one day. An Australorp hen is the runner-up with 364 eggs laid in one year.
Heat Tolerance: While lighter, Mediterranean breeds tolerate heat better than heavier breeds. The White Leghorn has shown tolerance to extreme heat. It is very likely that the thermoregulation of the Leghorn is what is responsible for its tolerance to extreme heat (Hutt, Genetics of the Fowl 432). Besides being heat-tolerant, lighter breeds can also thrive in colder environments without supplemental heat. They will naturally grow in down feathers after molting to keep them warm during the winter.
Disease Resistance: Multiple papers have been published on the disease resistance of the Leghorn in the mid-20th century. Older poultry genetics literature has discussed Leghorn resistance patterns in relation to diseases such as avian diphtheria, salmonella pullorum, and lymphomatosis. This should not be read as immunity, but it does support the breed’s reputation for vigor and hardiness. (Hutt, Genetics of the Fowl 412, 413, 421).
Leghorn Chicken Temperament
Leghorns are active, alert, and curious. They like to move, scratch, explore, and investigate whatever is happening around the coop. That makes them entertaining birds to watch, but it also means they are not usually the calmest breed in the flock.
Many Leghorns do not enjoy being held for long. They may avoid handling, move quickly, or act nervously around sudden changes. This is where the breed sometimes gets called “flighty.” In practical backyard terms, that means they do best with secure fencing, calm handling, and enough room to stay busy.
If you want a sweet, slow, heavy bird that follows you around for cuddles, a Leghorn may disappoint you. If you want a sharp, productive hen with a lot of personality, the breed makes much more sense.
For the Backyard Flock
Leghorns have the reputation of being flighty. While they may not like being snuggled or handled, Leghorns are very inquisitive birds. If you’re planting or digging a hole, they’ll be right there to get the bugs. If you’re doing some maintenance on the coop, they’ll be there as foreman. Many chicken owners turn their noses up at them for being white egg layers and too common. In my opinion, your egg basket isn’t complete unless you have all the egg colors, including white.
Caring for Leghorn Chickens in a Backyard Flock
Leghorns are not hard birds to keep, but they do better when their setup matches the way they move. They are light, quick, and always looking around. If there is a loose corner in the run or a roost that they can reach that you did not expect them to reach, they will probably find it before you do.
For a backyard flock, I would pay attention to:
- A secure coop with good ventilation. Leghorns are active birds, and a flimsy setup can turn into a problem fast.
- Enough roosting space. Many of them like to sleep up high instead of crowding low with heavier birds.
- Clean nesting boxes. A good layer needs a clean, easy place to leave all those white eggs.
- Feeders and waterers that are easy to access. They are busy birds, so I would not make them compete too much for food or water.
- Shade in summer. They handle heat well, but that does not mean they should be left baking in a still, stuffy run.
- Some cold-weather caution if you live somewhere harsh. Their larger combs can be more exposed in freezing weather.
Leghorn chicks need the same careful start as any other chick. Keep the brooder clean and dry, give them steady warmth, and make sure they are eating and drinking well before they move outside. They may grow into tough little egg machines, but in the beginning, they are still just chicks.
Chad Boyles, Leghorn Breeder & Exhibitor
Conclusion
Leghorns are a highly productive, feed-efficient, disease-resistant breed. They can be a strong fit for both commercial production and backyard flocks. With their resistance to disease, vigor, and resistance to extreme heat, Leghorns make a great addition to any flock. They come in many different colors besides white, so you can easily find one to fit your flock. Leghorns also have great personalities and do well in mixed flocks.
Sources
- guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/70781-most-prolific-chicken
- livestockconservancy.org/leghorn-chicken
Written by:
Aryeh Wiesel
Poultry Enthusiast & ExpertAryeh is from New Jersey and currently works on a poultry research farm. He holds a degree in Agriculture & Food Systems Science from Rutgers University. Aryeh has over a decade of experience working with poultry. Besides his passion for poultry, he is also an avid orchid grower. Aryeh met HatchingTime at the end of 2020 when doing poultry research with a Rutgers professor.
