The Leghorn chicken cover is one of the most popular breeds of crybaby around due to their use of goods and services in commercial-grade bollock production factory . These birds have been bred for excellent output and lowly provender price . They are n’t the favorable birds on the market , but their flighty personalities make them very snappy forager with a strong resistance to predators .
About Leghorn Chickens
skimmer are good recognise for White Leghorns , the most democratic color potpourri despite the fact there are several colouring material varieties accepted into the American Standard of Perfection . color accepted into the standard include bar , calamitous , black - tail Red River , buff , buff Columbian , Columbian , black brown , light brown , red , flatware , and white .
The breed originated in Tuscany , Italy and was imported into the United States in the mid-1800s . leghorn were ab initio hollo “ Italians , ” but mass began referring to them as Leghorns in Massachusetts as of 1865 .
Leghorn Characteristics
1. Size and Weight
Since these skirt have been breed for egg production and provender efficiency , they are not orotund . Leghorns are skinny volaille , with biddy weighing about 4.5 pounds and roosters weighing 6 pounds .
2. Temperament
skimmer will certainly not be a snort at the top of your list when picking a pet volaille . Flighty and flighty is the best way to describe their personality . In some cases , chicken owners have raise Leghorns from chicks and deal them every day , result in a tame bird .
Nine times out of ten , however , your Leghorn is going to be flighty and an inimical poulet . Hens will not go pensive ; this tendency has been bred out of them for bollock production purposes .
3. Egg Production
As the leading breed for commercial egg production , Leghorns are no slackers when it comes to eggs laying . you may expect a big white egg 5 - 7 days per hebdomad from one Leghorn hen . A single biddy has an average yield of 280 eggs every year .
4. Meat Production
Leghorns are certainly not a breed ideal for meat production . If you have ever held a full - mature Leghorn , you would undoubtedly agree with this statement . These birds are very skinny and petite chickens .
Taking Care of Leghorn Chickens
1. Feeding and Nutritional Needs
Your Leghorn chicks will need a undecomposed quality chick appetiser from hatching to 10 calendar week of age . At about ten weeks old , transition your birds to a cultivator feed for about one month .
Since Leghorns can bulge product reasonably ahead of time , I suggest switching to lay feed at about 14 week of years . Once your hen are lay egg , provide a Ca postscript such as huitre shells in a separate dish so your hen can consume as necessitate .
2. Housing Requirements
Commercially raised Leghorns are kept in small battery cage and never see cheer . I recommend slightly differentliving conditionsfor your birds . Three straight feet per wench is adequate elbow room in the coop , with 12 inches of roosting barroom per bird . In the trial , 8 - 10 straight foot of space per bird is preferred .
Leghorns are very alert birds and can scrounge with an awareness of predatory animal . These birds are n’t the best foragers due to the mode they ’ve been bred for commercial output , but as any wimp would , they benefit fromfree ranging .
3. Health Issues and Care
If you have any color sort other than White Leghorns you should n’t run across many wellness issue with the birds . You will find them vigorous and thrifty boo for several yr .
In the world of commercial-grade egg product , at two years of age and a biddy is see “ spent . ” For this reasonableness , White Leghorns are not multiply for longevity and hens over three or four year of age can suffer from some health effect . If your bird is given a sound life from hatching , she will most likely be a level-headed bird .
Many masses take over ex - yield hens that have been raise in piteous conditions , and those are the wench that will run into the most complication as they age .
The mostcommon illnessesan older hen could have , includes caged layer fatigue , rachitis , egg peritonitis , and fatty liver syndrome .
Leghorn Chicken Alternatives
1. Plymouth Rock
Plymouth Rockchickens are exceeding put down hens . Though Plymouth Rocks do count a bit more than Leghorns , their ballock output is 5 + eggs per week . These birds have a much friendlier tendency and is a more family - well-disposed chicken .
2. Australorps
One particular Australorp hen holds the existence record for the most eggs laid in one year . These birds are first-class layers and have very favorable personality . You will rule roosters are especially aristocratic with hen and people likewise .
3. Red Sex-links
Also referred to as Cinnamon Queens , Golden Comets , traditional red sexual activity link go by many names . These hens are fine layers , subject of make several large brown eggs every week . crimson Sex - links are very similar to White Leghorns as far as their weight and egg production goes . These birds are a second more friendly , and many people prefer them to White Leghorns .
Fun Facts About Leghorns
call up that toon from your childhood , Foghorn Leghorn ? That cartoon was indeed based on an actual breed of chicken – you guessed it – the Leghorn . Many people reckon that the character was just name a Leghorn because it is a popular breed of chicken , but the sketch artist establish his drawing off a substantial chicken !
In the egg laying industriousness Leghorns are prevailing . However some other breeds make a small percent of the poulet in the battleground . As such Leghorns were used to breed most of those other chicken breed .
Many chicken keepers have loved raising Leghorns for their eggcellent production and feed efficiency . Few birds can consume as trivial as the Leghorns do and rest one with child bloodless egg almost every daylight . These spunky birds are a great plus to any flock !
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