Leghorn chicken
Encyclopedia
The Leghorn is a breed of chicken
with origins in Tuscany
, central Italy
. The first birds imported to North America in 1853 were called Italians. By 1865 the breed was named after the Italian city of Livorno
, on the western edge of Tuscany
, which in English is also known as Leghorn.
White Leghorns are among the most popular commercial strains of layer chickens worldwide. Aside from the white Leghorn which is the most common source of white eggs, other Leghorn varieties are less common. Both the American Poultry Association
(APA) and the American Bantam Association
(ABA) recognize a number of Leghorn varieties including white, red, black tailed red, light brown, dark brown, black, blue, buff, Columbian, buff Columbian, barred, exchequer and silver. Most have single combs but there are several color varieties that have rose combs.
Leghorns are excellent layers of white eggs (around 280 per year) with a superior feed-to-egg conversion ratio (a Leghorn only needs around 125 grams of nourishing feed everyday). Leghorns rarely exhibit broodiness and are thus well suited for uninterrupted egg laying. The Leghorn is a light breed that matures quickly to only 3 or 4 lbs and is not considered a viable meat producer. Leghorns are active and efficient foragers. They typically avoid human contact and tend to be nervous and flighty.
Due to their prolific egg-laying, they are preferred by laboratories for embryo
nic and avian biological research as well as being the number one breed used for large-scale commercial egg production in the United States.
The Looney Tunes character Foghorn Leghorn is a Leghorn rooster.
Leghorns are noisy birds, and somewhat smaller than other breeds. However, they are larger in size than the bantam.
Chicken
The chicken is a domesticated fowl, a subspecies of the Red Junglefowl. As one of the most common and widespread domestic animals, and with a population of more than 24 billion in 2003, there are more chickens in the world than any other species of bird...
with origins in Tuscany
Tuscany
Tuscany is a region in Italy. It has an area of about 23,000 square kilometres and a population of about 3.75 million inhabitants. The regional capital is Florence ....
, central Italy
Central Italy
Central Italy is one of the five official statistical regions of Italy used by the National Institute of Statistics , a first level NUTS region and a European Parliament constituency...
. The first birds imported to North America in 1853 were called Italians. By 1865 the breed was named after the Italian city of Livorno
Livorno
Livorno , traditionally Leghorn , is a port city on the Tyrrhenian Sea on the western edge of Tuscany, Italy. It is the capital of the Province of Livorno, having a population of approximately 160,000 residents in 2009.- History :...
, on the western edge of Tuscany
Tuscany
Tuscany is a region in Italy. It has an area of about 23,000 square kilometres and a population of about 3.75 million inhabitants. The regional capital is Florence ....
, which in English is also known as Leghorn.
White Leghorns are among the most popular commercial strains of layer chickens worldwide. Aside from the white Leghorn which is the most common source of white eggs, other Leghorn varieties are less common. Both the American Poultry Association
American Poultry Association
The American Poultry Association is the oldest poultry organization in the North America. Founded in 1873, and incorporated in Indiana in 1932 The first American poultry show was held in 1849, and the APA was later formed in response to the burgeoning need for an overseeing body to set standards...
(APA) and the American Bantam Association
American Bantam Association
American Bantam Association is a Poultry Fancy association founded in 1914 that promotes the breeding and exhibiting of all kinds of bantam poultry ....
(ABA) recognize a number of Leghorn varieties including white, red, black tailed red, light brown, dark brown, black, blue, buff, Columbian, buff Columbian, barred, exchequer and silver. Most have single combs but there are several color varieties that have rose combs.
Leghorns are excellent layers of white eggs (around 280 per year) with a superior feed-to-egg conversion ratio (a Leghorn only needs around 125 grams of nourishing feed everyday). Leghorns rarely exhibit broodiness and are thus well suited for uninterrupted egg laying. The Leghorn is a light breed that matures quickly to only 3 or 4 lbs and is not considered a viable meat producer. Leghorns are active and efficient foragers. They typically avoid human contact and tend to be nervous and flighty.
Due to their prolific egg-laying, they are preferred by laboratories for embryo
Embryo
An embryo is a multicellular diploid eukaryote in its earliest stage of development, from the time of first cell division until birth, hatching, or germination...
nic and avian biological research as well as being the number one breed used for large-scale commercial egg production in the United States.
The Looney Tunes character Foghorn Leghorn is a Leghorn rooster.
Leghorns are noisy birds, and somewhat smaller than other breeds. However, they are larger in size than the bantam.
Weight (metric)
| Cock | 4.8 - 5.4 kg |
| Hen | 5.0 - 5.5 kg |
| Cockerel | 5.2 kg |
| Pullet | 5.8 kg |
| Rooster | 4 kg |
| Hen | 3.9 kg |