This was my first silver Leghorn Chicken. It was a wild, speckled hen who was a real force to be reckoned with. She also talked a lot, was nice, and gave me a beautiful white egg every day.
Leghorns are interesting chickens that do well in coops because they can handle being confined, lay a lot of eggs, and are tough.
This guide is a great choice for homesteaders and people who have never kept chickens before! In it, we’ll learn about Leghorns’ past, how they lay eggs, how they act, and how to keep them happy and healthy.
History of Silver Leghorn Chicken
Silver Leghorn Chicken is a mix of different kinds. No one knows for sure, but in Northern Italy, small Landrace chickens were part of the breed that the Leghorn came from. Like most breeds, the Leghorn also gets its name from Livorno, Italy, where it came from.
A long time ago, the British called the city of Livorno Leghorn. The Leghorn breed of chicken was first brought to the United States from Livorno, Italy, around 1828 and again in 1830 and 1831.
The white type was first called “Italian Fowls” or “White Spanish.” People wrote in the “Poultry Bulletin” in 1881 that it was a small white bird with big combs and good layers.
Around 1835, Mr. N.P. Ward brought brown leghorns to the United States. He bred some birds and gave some away. The next Leghorns to come to the United States were brought there by Captain Gates in 1852. That’s when the Brown Leghorns showed up.
This group of people brought the Leghorns, who we know today, with them. Recordings show that a load of brown and white Leghorns arrived in ports not long after Captain Gates. They were getting the background of how the Leghorns got to the United States.
People in the United States started breeding Leghorns with more focus on color and refinement. They even started breeding a rose comb type to make them more resistant to cold.
History
Around 1868, the Leghorn became more famous because it laid great eggs. From then on, it became more sought after.
As time went on, two types of producers emerged: those who only wanted to produce eggs for sale and those who wanted to keep the birds’ shape and function.
In 1910, English Leghorns put their feet in the United States. These hybrid birds, which came into existence due to crossing several different breeds, were a big part of the country’s move from farm layers to a commercial poultry business.
In the United States, these hybrid Leghorns are still used in industrial poultry farms. The Leghorns that were not used for business purposes look a lot like the foreign Leghorns that were first brought in.
You can find these birds on small farms and also in hatcheries that work hard to keep the Leghorn’s natural traits.
Silver Leghorn Chicken Breed Standards
The APA lists Leghorn’s classes as Single Comb, Rose Comb, and Mediterranean. They come in both Large Fowl and Bantam sizes.
Leghorn chicken with a buff color. Buff Single Comb Leghorn Rooster. Many people think that Silver Leghorns are the only color, but there are many different colors.
There are many different colors of Leghorn chickens, such as rose comb black, buff, dark brown, light brown, barred, red, golden, silver, white, single comb buff, and many more. Visit the APA website to see a complete list of approved varieties.
Standards:
- Leghorns should have thin, bent bodies and high tails, making them look like game birds. (They are excellent birds for flying!)
- They have wattles and a big red comb.
- In the 1800s, the American Poultry Association accepted rose comb types as the best. These varieties were bred to be hardy in cold weather.
- It has four toes and spurs.
- Hens should be 6 pounds.
- Small roosters, 1.7 pounds.
- Hens can weigh up to 4.5 pounds.
- Chickens 1.4 pounds.
Size of Silver Leghorn Chicken
For reference, hens weigh about 4-5 pounds, and roosters weigh about 5-6 pounds. Birds that are leghorns are small to medium-sized.
Silver Leghorn Chicken Characteristics
Leghorn chickens are famous for their sleek and classy appearance. Their thin bodies have red wattles and a big red comb that usually falls over.
Leghorns’ earlobes and wattles are bright red, which stands out against their white feathers (in the case of White Leghorns) or darker feathers in other types. They also stand tall and aware, which gives them an air of confidence and energy.
Leghorns are lively and busy birds that often act in strange ways. The breed comes in many different colors, such as White, Brown, Black, Buff, Silver, Exchequer (also called Barred), and many more.
Silver Leghorn Chicken Egg Production & Egg Color
One thing that makes Silver Leghorn chickens stand out is that they lay many eggs, more than any other type of chicken. Because Leghorn hens’ earlobes are white, the eggs they lay are big and white. The eggs get more prominent as the hen ages.
Pros and Cons of Silver Leghorn Chicken
Pros:
- High egg production: Leghorns are the only birds that regularly lay a lot of eggs.
- Small Appetite: They lay more eggs and eat less food, so it’s a win-win situation.
- Active bird: Silver Leghorns are solid and hardy birds that can do well in a wide range of conditions.
- Excellent foragers: Silver Leghorns like to hunt on their own, which can help them eat more, but you should keep an eye on them, or they might get lost. Hawks love them, and that’s how we lost the other half of our Leghorns. It must have been because they look a lot like wild prairie birds.
- Cold hardy– If you live in a colder area, buy a rose comb Leghorn.
Cons
- Shy temperament: Their wild personality can be cute, but it can also make them jumpy and hard to control.
- Not broody: Silver leghorns aren’t popular for being broody; this doesn’t mean they don’t sit on eggs and watch chicks hatch.
- Vulnerable to predators: They can easily become prey because they mostly stay busy and like to roost high.
- Flighty: They can fly very high when I say “fly.” You will need to either cut off the wings or make sure the run is fully covered. That’s how we lost half of our Leghorns!
- Noisy Bird: Silver Leghorns aren’t suitable for backyards in cities because they can be more talkative than other breeds.
Conclusion
The silver Leghorn Chicken can be talkative, shy, and flighty, but they can also be friendly, sure of themselves, and a lot of fun to watch in the coop.
These chickens have been very important to the poultry business, and they are still making their mark in backyard coops and egg factories.