Chicken Coop Chatter©
WHITE LEGHORNS: The leghorns (legherns, as they are called by seasoned farmers) is probably the most common known, heritage breed of all chickens and one of the oldest breeds in this country. The production Leghorns, because of their abundant egg laying, produce the common white eggs found in virtually every grocery store. The non-production leghorns are a heritage breed in recovery status with the American Conservancy. This status does not apply to the common production leghorn. Leghorns are known for high egg production, more than meat, however at 7 pounds they can be used for meat birds. Leghorns are not particularly friendly birds, and somewhat flighty, but if you want an abundance of white eggs, they can't be topped.
Leghorn can be found in a variety of colors; brown, black, gold, silver and buff to name but a few, though most of the other colors are rare and can only be obtained from breeders specializing in the Leghorn breed. They are a Mediterranean breed, exported from Italy in the early 1800s, though records conflict on exactly when, varying from 1828 to 1852. They were then ironically exported back to Italy and Britain, where the long-tailed variety was bred from the Phoenix and/or Yokahama game birds, creating a very elegant long tailed leghorn. The long tailed variety is very regal looking in comparison to the more common variety that we are accustomed to seeing and usually seen as exhibition birds. Early paintings that show a long-tail white bird, were often the leghorn and some take on the trait of the game bird with the raptor type beak. There are bantam varieties in virtually every color and including the long-tailed version. The APA accepts both the rose comb and the more common single comb in their breed standards. The California White and California Gray are hybrid varieties of Leghorns.
PLEASE NOTE: WE NO LONGER RAISE THE HERITAGE WHITE LEGHORN, HOWEVER THE INFORMATION IS USEFUL TO THOSE INTERESTED IN THISE BREED AND WILL REMAIN ON THE SITE.
We do pro-rate for less than one dozen, for those with small incubators. Email us at: [email protected]. Please put breed name in the subject line and quantity in the body of the email. You will need a current Paypal account (easy and quick to set up). Please add us to your address book so our mail does not go to your spam folder. Thank You for your interest in JFA fertile hatching eggs
Customer Comments:
Peg A: Look at these beauties the Leghorn pullet I got from you on the Tri-...Cities run in August just produced. She started laying about a month ago but these are whoppers! Most are running approx. 1.6 to 1.9oz but am certain they'll get larger but not *as consistently large* as those in the photos! Thank you much! (See Photos in our slide show, used with permission, Thank you Peg!!). Peg reminds us that this is the pullet that tried to make her great escape in a truck parking lot during our delivery. The pullet was captured and has settled in very well with Peg and her existing flock, and obviously thriving.
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