Your Ultimate Guide to the Leghorn Chicken

The world-famous status of these Leghorn chickens may have you rushing to the nearest hatchery, but you may want to consider your fence height, climate, and neighbor’s noise tolerance before getting a flock.

Read our ultimate guide to Leghorns and decide if these Italians belong in your backyard.

Leghorn Chicken Breed In A Nutshell

Country of Origin	Italy
Purpose for Breeding	Eggs
Size / market weight	4.5 – 6 pounds
Notable Features	Large red wattles, Single/rose comb, white earlobes, yellow legs
Egg production	Excellent (280-320 eggs per year)
Egg color & size	White, large size
Broodiness	Not broody
Ease of care	Low maintenance
Ideal meat production time	Not ideal for meat
Pullet Maturity time	24 – 28 weeks
Space Requirements	Adaptable
Activity level	Very active
Temperament	Aloof, flighty
Sociability with other chickens	Good (except with other roosters)
Sociability with people	Can be tamed
Conservation status	recovering

A Brief History Of the Leghorn Chicken

The Leghorn chicken is named after its place of origin. Livorno (Italian for Leghorn) is a port city in the Tuscany region of Northern Italy.

Captain Gates brought the Leghorn breed to the United States in the mid-1800s. Their egg-cellent laying ability and small appetite made them the best-kept egg chicken of Americans.

Despite the attempts to develop the Leghorn into a true dual-purpose chicken, their true nature prevailed.

What Does a Leghorn Chicken Look Like?

This Mediterranean chicken breed has a small body, with striking large red wattles, white earlobes, and yellow legs. The Leghorn breed can have either a single or rose comb and come in standard and bantam sizes. 

Leghorns are not big birds. These chickens only weigh between 4.5 – 6 pounds when fully grown. 

The American Poultry Association (APA) recognized many varieties of this heritage chicken breed, depending on size and comb type. Here’s a simplified version to help you out.

Bantam and Large Fowl (single and rose comb):

• Black
• Buff
• Dark Brown
• Light Brown
• Silver
• White

Bantam (single comb only):

• Barred
• Black-Tailed
• Columbian
• Golden
• Red

Although Brown Leghorns were the first variety introduced to the United States, the White Leghorn chicken is the most popular. 

They are pretty much the poster chook for the eggs you see in the supermarket.

The 2 Most Popular Leghorn Chicken Colors

Among the many Leghorn varieties, there are two that stand out in production and exhibition quality. They are the Brown Leghorns and the Whites.

1. Brown for Meat & Exhibits

Brown Leghorns are slightly bigger than the white variety, meaning more potential to be a meat source.

Exhibition breeders love the plumage on the brown variety.

They also like the challenge of breeding this variety to standard. It is difficult to get right, but when you do, well, you get bragging rights to go with your winnings. 

On a more practical note, the brown plumage is a defense mechanism.

The brown variety’s downside is that they don’t lay as many eggs as the White Leghorns.

Don’t worry.

The difference is not big enough to break your bank, and this small difference is still highly debated among experts.

2. White for Eggs & Exhibits

The White Leghorns are another popular variety.

Unlike the browns, it’s easy to spot flaws because their uniform white plumage is the standard. Any tinge of discoloration is an automatic disqualification (1).

On the flip side, their striking white plumage means they get easily targeted in a green field.

There are upsides and downsides to each variety, but in the end, they are all still Leghorns, and the deciding factor is your preference.

What’s It Like To Own Leghorn Chickens?

From their character and production to breeding, here’s everything you need to know about keeping Leghorns in your farm or backyard.

Leghorn’s Personality And Temperament

The Leghorn is not like the Silkie in terms of friendliness.

The roosters are aloof birds that like to be left alone with their hens. 

These macho birds like to be on top of the pecking order, so keeping them with other roosters (regardless of the breed) isn’t a good idea.

They are competitive and sometimes aggressive towards other roosters.

If you want to keep a flock of Leghorn with roosters for breeding, you will need to place them in their breeding pen.

Leghorns are not the cuddly type too.

They are not a fan nor crave physical interaction and affection from humans.

If you have young kids who like interacting with chickens, try the more docile Orpington for your flock.

Unlike broody breeds like the Polish, Leghorn hens focus on laying eggs and not sitting on them. Prepare to get an excellent incubator to hatch your white eggs.

Leghorn chickens are not broody because they are very active birds.

They spend most of their time scratching about, looking for food. Keep an eye on your flower beds.

Leghorns are not careful foragers.

Unfortunately for you or your neighbors, they are noisy birds too. They cluck and forage all day, every day.

There’s just no reason to sugarcoat it – Leghorns don’t have likable personalities.

It is what it is.

Leghorns Set The Bar For The Egg Industry

The Leghorn hen is a natural egg-laying machine. These Italian ladies can pop out 280-300 large white eggs per year!

There are other prolific egg layers like the Speckled Sussex or Golden Comet.

But the Leghorn is still one of the best chickens for eggs, especially on the commercial level (2).

Why? Because Leghorns are small eaters, consuming less feed without compromising their egg-laying abilities.

They are also cold hardy, able to maintain production even through the winter.

Another good thing about White Leghorns is that they mature quickly. Pullets will start laying eggs as early as 18-20 weeks (3).

Leghorn Chicken As A Meat Source

The leghorn would have been the ultimate chicken if there were more muscle to them.

But as they say, you can’t have it all. 

However, the modern Leghorn is proving to show some potential in the poultry industry. A study shows that they make a tasty and economically viable fried chicken (4).

If you want a true dual-purpose breed, try the Wyandotte or Plymouth Rock.

How to Take Care of Leghorns

Okay, so Leghorns are not people-chickens.

Luckily, they’re low maintenance, so you don’t have to interact with them much.

1. Make sure to have a high fence or a roof

Leghorn chickens are adaptable to both confinement and free-range systems. 

Whether they stay in a breeding pen or spend the day roaming free, Leghorns need a coop with a nesting box and roosts at the end of the day.

When choosing a coop, keep the Leghorn’s flighty nature in mind.

Being on the small side, these chooks can fly (5). Be sure to have high fencing for your yard or a roof for their pens.

Needless to say, don’t let your chickens roost on trees.

Nocturnal predators are real! Owls and snakes can quickly snatch them up in their sleep. 

A predator-proof coop is always best.

2. Opt for a bantam size if space is limited

If you’re limited on space but still want a Leghorn, opt for the bantam chicken size.

Being extra small means a typically small backyard becomes a big space.

You don’t have to compromise much when you go small with this breed. 

While other bantam chickens decrease in productivity along with their size, Leghorn bantams will still lay between 5-6 medium eggs per week. 

Another advantage to Leghorn bantams is their personality.

Some keepers say they are still active but calmer. 

Maybe it’s because bantams are usually bred more for exhibition and are used to being handled.

Whatever the reason, that is a plus on your tally sheet.

If exhibiting bantams is more your thing, you’ll be happy to know that there are more color varieties for bantam Leghorns than the standard size. 

If this section about mini chickens piqued your interest, check out our article on other bantam chickens.

3. Let them forage freely

It’s a no-brainer to give your penned Leghorns fresh chicken feed and water every day.

However, If you have a big safe space, by all means, let these active chickens forage freely in your yard.

They consume little feed and can thrive on foraging alone. 

This allows for big savings, and the eggs yield a hefty profit. WIN. WIN.

If you just want a chicken that lays lots of eggs but doesn’t consume much feed, then the Leghorn is right for you.

4. Don’t trim their combs

The Leghorn is a hardy bird that is not prone to contracting a disease.

From Australia’s hot climate to North America and Europe’s cold winters, they can thrive in almost any environment.

One feature that makes them vulnerable in the winter is their combs.

Frostbite is the enemy of single comb Leghorns. To protect the comb through harsh winters, rub some petroleum jelly on each one. 

If you’re thinking, “Oh, well, can’t I just trim the combs off?” 

DON’T. 

Combs are not like your appendix that has no function. The single comb of Leghorns is essential in thermoregulation during hot summers (6).

Alternatively, getting rose comb Leghorn varieties would eliminate the frostbitten comb problem if you live in a cold climate.

The compact rose comb helps chickens retain heat.

That being said, think of combs as nature’s way of indicating where a chicken truly belongs.

Protruding single comb is for warmer climates, while the compact rose comb is for colder climates.

Leghorns, depending on comb type, adapt anywhere.

If you are raising Leghorn from chicks, they are also easy to care for and grow quickly.

The chicks will start feathering within a week, with combs appearing when they turn four weeks old.

where Can You Buy Leghorn Chickens?

Given the worldwide popularity of the Leghorn chicken breed, they are very easy to source.

You can most probably buy hatching eggs or adult Leghorns from your local poultry shop or tractor supply.

You can also order these chickens online from hatcheries and registered breeders.

Check out these hatcheries and web sources:

• Cackle Hatchery
• Moyer’s chicks
• Hoover’s Hatchery
• Ideal Poultry
• American Brown Leghorn Club

Prices vary from 2USD to about 14USD for an adult variety of Leghorn. Hatching chicks average about 4USD.

Final Thoughts

Leghorn chickens have been an integral breed in the poultry industry, providing the most commercially available eggs. 

Despite their high egg production, Leghorns are a relatively easy breed to raise in your backyard.

Their hardiness, space adaptability, and minimal feed requirement make them ideal for beginner and expert keepers alike.

Although Leghorn rooster’s strong personality isn’t for everyone, the hens make a great addition to all backyard flocks.