Leghorn (chicken)

For the city in Tuscany, see Livorno.
Leghorn

White Leghorn Hen
Conservation status Recovering
Classification
APA Mediterranean
ABA
Notes
Layer breed
Poultry (Galloanserae)

The Leghorn (UK: /lɛˈɡɔrn/, US: /ˈlɛɡ.hɔrn/), Italian: Livorno or Livornese, is a breed of chicken originating in Tuscany, in central Italy. Birds were first exported to North America in 1828 from the port city of Livorno,[1] on the western coast of Tuscany. They were initially called "Italians", but by 1865 the breed was known as "Leghorn", the traditional anglicisation of "Livorno". The breed was first introduced to Britain from the United States in 1870.[2] White Leghorns are commonly used as layer chickens in many countries of the world. Other Leghorn varieties are less common.

Contents

History

The origins of the Leghorn are not clear; it appears to derive from light breeds originating in rural Tuscany. The name comes from Leghorn, the traditional anglicisation of Livorno, the Tuscan port from which the first birds were exported to North America.[1] The date of the first exports is variously reported as 1828,[1] "about 1830"[3] and 1852.[4] Initially called "Italians', they were first referred to as "leghorns" in 1865, in Worcester, Massachusetts.[5]

The breed was included in the American Standard of Perfection in 1874, with three colours: black, white and brown (light and dark). Rose comb light and dark brown were added in 1883, and rose comb white in 1886. Single comb buff and silver followed in 1894, and red, black-tailed red, and Columbian in 1929. In 1981 rose comb black, buff, silver, and golden duckwing were added.[4]

The breed was first introduced to Britain from the United States in 1870, and from there re-exported to Italy.[1] White Leghorns that had won first prize at the 1868 New York show were imported to Britain in 1870, and brown Leghorns from 1872. Pyle Leghorns were first bred in Britain in the 1880s; gold and silver duckwings originated there a few years later, from crosses with Japanese Phoenix or Yokohama birds. Buff Leghorns were first seen in Denmark in 1885, and in England in 1888.[6]

Characteristics

In Italy, where the Livorno breed standard is recent, ten colour varieties are recognised.[1] There is a separate Italian standard for the German Leghorn variety, the Italiana (German: Italiener).[1] The Fédération française des volailles (the French poultry federation) divides the breed into four types: the American white, the English white, the old type (golden-salmon) and the modern type, for which seventeen colour variants are listed for full-size birds, and fourteen for bantams; it also recognises an autosexing variety, the Legbar.[7] Both the American Poultry Association 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. In Britain, the Leghorn Club recognises eighteen colours: golden duckwing, silver duckwing, partridge, brown, buff, exchequer, Columbian, pyle, white, black, blue, mottled, cuckoo, blue-red, lavender, red, crele and buff Columbian.[2] Most Leghorns have single combs; rose combs are permitted in some countries, but not in Italy. The legs are bright yellow, and the ear-lobes white.[1]

The Italian standard gives a weight range of 2.4–2.7 kg (5.3–6.0 lb) for cocks, 2.0–2.3 kg (4.4–5.1 lb) for hens.[1] According to the British standard, fully grown Leghorn cocks weigh 3.4 kg (7.5 lb), hens 2.5 kg; cockerels weigh 2.7–2.95 kg and pullets 2–2.25 kg; for bantams the maximum weight is 1020 g for cocks and 910 g for hens.[2]

The eggs are white and weigh a minimum of 55 g. Ring size is 18 mm for cocks, 16 mm for hens.[1][7]

Use

Leghorns are good layers of white eggs, laying an average of 280 per year and sometimes reaching 300–320.[1] They have a good feed-to-egg conversion ratio, needing around 125 grams per day of feed. Leghorns rarely exhibit broodiness and are thus well suited for uninterrupted egg laying. The Leghorn is a light breed that matures quickly; it 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 embryonic and avian biological research as well as being the number one breed used for large-scale commercial egg production in the United States.

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Atlante delle razze di Polli - Razze italiane: Livorno Accessed December 2011. (in Italian) "Atlas of chicken breeds - Italian breeds: Livorno".
  2. ^ a b c Standards The Leghorn Club. Accessed December 2011.
  3. ^ Crawford, RD (1990) Poultry breeding and genetics Amsterdam; New York: Elsevier. ISBN 9780444885579 p.46
  4. ^ a b Leghorn Chicken American Livestock Breeds Conservancy, 1993–2009. Accessed December 2011.
  5. ^ Background On The Brown Leghorn Chicken American Brown Leghorn Club, 1998-2004. Accessed December 2011.
  6. ^ Wright, Lewis; Sidney Herbert Lewer [1911?] Wright's book of poultry, revised and edited in accordance with the latest poultry club standards London; New York; Toronto; Melbourne: Cassell. pp.411–422
  7. ^ a b Liste des races et variétés de Gallinacés et Palmipèdes domestiques et diamètres des bagues en mm Fédération française des volailles. Accessed December 2011. (in French) "List of races and varieties of gallinaceous and web-footed poultry with ring diameters in mm"

External links