White Leghorn

Non-industrial Leghorn chickens were first brought to North America in 1852 by Captain Gates. In 1853 Mr. Simpson received a shipment of White Leghorns at Boston Harbor. In 1870 Mr. Tegetmeier imported White Leghorns to England from America. They were crossbred with Minorca chickens to increase the breed’s size. These birds were reintroduced into America in 1910 to help build the commercial poultry industry.

In 1946 the White Leghorn chicken inspired the creation of famous Looney Tunes character, Foghorn J. Leghorn.

White Leghorn chickens are known for being very active and independent. They are excellent free-range chickens that love to roam and forage if given the opportunity. They will pay no mind to your beautiful flower bed. Also, keep in mind is that White Leghorn chickens can be very nervous birds, so keeping them in a small, tight coop may not be the best option. We recommend that they are given enough space to truly flourish. Their bright, white feathers, tend to attract predators. This is just something that you will want to be mindful of if you choose to purchase White Leghorn baby chicks from Chickens for Backyards.

Those who welcome White Leghorn chickens to their farm or backyard typically do so because of their reputation for superior egg production. While female White Leghorn chickens only grow to be 3 to 4 pounds and males grow to be 5 to 6 pounds, don’t let their size fool you. This breed can produce anywhere from 250 to 300 extra-large white eggs annually. They are not usually broody, however, so it is likely that their eggs will need to be incubated. Commercial egg producers continue to call on the White Leghorn chicken for their eggs, and they continue to deliver.