Brown Leghorns aren’t originally from America; they came over from Italy in 1828. Nowadays, American chicken owners love Brown Leghorn chickens for their delicious meat and lots of eggs.
Such docile and low-in-maintenance bird has a friendly nature, so people started to keep them either for poultry purpose or pet. What I love about them is their active and flighty behavior with a colorful flock in the body! Seems like a perfect exhibition bird as well! But some other chickens have more beauty! Sigh!
To know more about Brown Leghorn Egg Laying Chicken Breed, there are some amazing facts waiting below. I promise you’ll find this article quite interesting!
Table of Contents
A Quick Profile: Brown Leghorn Egg Laying Chicken Breed
The prolific egg layer Brown Leghorn has a profile to maintain. Let’s share it below!
| Other names | Livorno, Livornese |
| Type | Standard |
| Country of Origin | Italy |
| Class | Mediterranean |
| Heritage Breed | Yes |
| Best Purpose | Egg-laying |
| Egg Color | White |
| Egg Size | Medium |
| Egg Production | Good around Approx. 260 to 300 |
| Meat Production | Poor |
| Weeks to Maturity | 19 |
| Length | Male: 20 inches (51 cm) |
| Female: 18 inches (46 cm) | |
| Weight | Male: 6 Lbs |
| Female: 4.5 Lbs |
History And Origin Of Brown Leghorn Chicken
Well-known for their energetic behavior, Brown Leghorn chicken breed are in high demand. The Brown Leghorn is believed to come from a small, landrace chicken with dark feathers. It was indigenous to the Tuscan region of Italy.
It’s worth mentioning that no one knows the real story of its origins. These hens, likely to be marketed from the port city of Livorno, were introduced to North America in the early 1800s and gave rise to the breed’s name. Yes, it’s an Italian city!
Are Brown Leghorns Heritage Breed?
The brown leghorn chicken breed is, in fact, a heritage one. With a historical genealogy rooted in Italy, they have made a big contribution to chicken farming.
When Brown Leghorns Exactly Came In North America?
The Brown Leghorns were first known to arrive in the United States. It’s when F.J. Kinney received a shipment of them in Boston Harbor in 1853.
I found that they had a wide variety of color patterns and that their appearance was still developing after the research. However, their exceptional egg-laying skills soon caught the attention of American poultry breeders.
The Appearance Of Brown Leghorn Chicken
Let’s talk about their look! The medium-sized Brown Leghorn chickens have a long, slender body with a single comb. So, calling them single-comb chicken breeds won’t be any wrong.
However, the appearance is characterized by the unique brown plumage and other colorful parts.
Size and Body Shape
Brown Leghorns are medium-sized chickens. Hens weigh about four to five pounds and roosters weigh around five to six pounds.
They have a long, slender body, deep keel, and gently sloping back. Their head is medium-sized and slightly elongated, with a single comb that is upright and well-serrated.
Plumage and Color Patterns
Brown Leghorns have distinctive brown plumage, which varies in shade and pattern depending on the color variety.
The American Poultry Association and the American Bantam Association recognize many Leghorn varieties, along with other researchers. That including –
- White
- Red
- Black-tailed
- Light brown
- Dark brown
- Black
- Buff Columbian
- Barred
- Silver.
Among them, the most noticeable popular varieties are:
- Light Brown Leghorns: They have a lighter brown plumage with a reddish-brown hackle. And you’ll see a saddle in males and a lighter brown body with delicate penciling in females.
- Dark Brown Leghorns: Have a darker brown plumage with a black-striped neck. Besides, a saddle in males and a darker brown body with more prominent penciling in females are seen.
- Red-Gold Brown Leghorns: Have a rich, reddish-brown plumage with a golden-brown hackle. Aside from that, a saddle in males and a warm brown body with subtle penciling in females.
5 Other Unique Appearance Facts Of Brown Leghorn
- Compared between male Brown Leghorn Chicken and female ones, males have more vibrant plumage. On the other hand, females do not have that vibrant hue.
- Brown Leghorns have a single comb, which is upright and well-serrated.
- This contrasts with the rose comb found in some other breeds like Rhode Island Reds.
- Brown Leghorns have large, red wattles and earlobes. You’ll see more prominent in males than in females.
- Brown Leghorns have a yellow beak and toenails that other breeds usually don’t have them.
Check out this video for a visual representation of Brown Leghorn Chickens.
What Are The Characteristics Of Brown Leghorn Chicken?
You already understand the Brown Leghorn chicken’s characteristics. However, let me mention the most notable parts of such poultry breeds.
- The Leghorns are popular for their active temperament.
- Considered among the most prolific egg-laying chickens in the poultry industry.
- They are also relatively social birds and do well in small flocks.
- Brown Leghorns are hardy birds that are well-adapted to a variety of climates. They are also relatively resistant to diseases.
Reproduction Of Brown Leghorn
If you do not know, Brown Leghorn chickens can be an amazing breed for natural reproduction. For the breeding, you’ll need a few things, such as
- Semen from the Rooster
- A syringe, which is a needleless
- Small sterile vial.
How To Breed Brown Leghorn Chicken?
To breed Brown Leghorn Chicken, follow the given steps:
- Step 1. Ensure they have proper diet, care, and environment for breeding.
- Step 2. You will need to collect rooster semen first. Get this by giving the rooster a massage on his vent until he ejaculates.
- Step 3. You must transfer the semen to the vial after you have collected it.
- Step 4. The hen you wish to inseminate must then be restrained. Do it by placing her on a table and holding her wings near to her body.
- Step 5. Then, you must slowly discharge the semen after inserting the needle into her vent.
When Does Brown Leghorn Chicken Breed?
In the spring, usually from March to May, brown leghorn chickens breed. It will take around 21 days for the eggs to hatch after the chickens have begun to lay.
When Do Brown Leghorns Start Laying Eggs?
At 5–6 months of age, Brown Leghorns usually reach sexual maturity and can begin reproducing. Or, more precisely, Brown Leghorns generally start laying eggs between 18 and 30 weeks of age.
How Many Eggs Do Brown Leghorns Lay?
These chickens are famous for laying eggs. They can lay about 280 to 300 big eggs each year.
Recommended Read: Egg-layer Sussex Chicken Breed
What Kind Of Eggs Do Brown Leghorn Chickens Lay?
Brown Leghorn Chickens usually lay small to medium-sized white eggs. Such eggs typically weigh around 50 to 60 grams, or the size is 50 to 60 mm lengthy and 40 to 48 mm wide.
However, you can check out the Survey of Cambridge University about Brown Leghorn chicken egg production.
What Purpose Is Best For Brown Leghorn Chicken? Poultry!
Brown Leghorn Chickens are excellent egg layers, so you can keep them for poultry purposes. Surprisingly, they lay around 300 eggs, as I stated earlier. Except for egg-producing chickens, you can have them for other purposes such as –
- Friendly Pet: They are also friendly and social birds, and they make good companions for both adults and children.
- Pest Control: Chickens are amazing foragers. So, you can keep them for pest control, as they can help to keep down populations of insects and other pests.
Backyard Suitability Of Brown Leghorn Chicken
Brown Leghorn chickens are a great choice for backyard chicken keepers because of their characteristics and nature. Here are some of the things that make Brown Leghorns a good choice for backyard chicken keeping:
- They are quite easy to care for and adapt well to a wide range of conditions.
- Such chickens are a strong breed of chicken that is relatively disease-resistant. I’ll talk about this soon!
So, Brown Leghorn Chickens Are Good For Commercial Purposes?
Yes, Brown Leghorn chickens are good for commercial purposes, particularly for egg production. However, there are other reasons that made them an ideal choice for commercial purposes.
- Quick Maturity: Brown Leghorn hens grow rapidly, being sexually mature and beginning to lay eggs at the age of 18th weeks. Because of their early development, commercial egg farmers can start collecting eggs earlier and make more money.
- Hardiness: The Brown Leghorn breed of chickens is strong and can stay in any sort of environment. These chickens can handle different temperatures, so they’re used in many ways to make eggs.
- Health Resistance: Brown Leghorn chickens have good resistance to common chicken diseases. This lowers the risk of outbreaks and keeps the flock healthier. This helps to maintain uniformity in egg production and lowers illness-related losses.
- Excellent Feed Conversion: Brown Leghorn chickens are efficient at turning feed into eggs. It means they consume less feed to produce the same amount of eggs. This adds to decreased production costs and increased profitability.
- Adaptability to Intensive House: Brown Leghorn chickens easily adapt to intensive housing systems, commonly used in commercial egg production. This enables better space management and use.
- Industry Demand: Brown Leghorn eggs are in high demand because of their medium size, light brown shell, and consistent quality. This makes them a popular choice among customers, contributing to the breed’s commercial viability.
How To Raise Brown Leghorn Chicken? 6 Tips!
Keeping and raising Brown Leghorn chickens need some demanding aspects. But the labor will surely gonna pay you for your commercial purpose.
However, let’s see how we should raise such chicken breeds.
1. Proper Housing
- Build or purchase a well-ventilated coop with adequate space.
- Give them one nesting box for 3 to 4 hens with clean bedding for egg-laying.
- You can also offer them roosting perches to sleep on at night.
Anyway, how much room do Leghorns Need? Ensure at least chickens have 3 square feet of space.
2. Ideal Diet
- Brown Leghorn Chicken Breeds are not picky eaters, so ensure you offer them a balanced diet.
- Offering at least 16 to 18% protein is perfect!
- Providing supplements can be another idea for their faster growth.
- You can give grit for proper digestion.
- Calcium supplements can be great for strong eggshells.
- Oyster shells or crushed eggshells play a good role as well.
3. Enough Water Source
- Always offer them clean water, especially during the hot summer days.
4. Enough Space For Foraging
- Brown Leghorns are natural foragers, so they need enough space.
- Allow at least 2-3 square feet of coop space per chicken and 8-10 square feet of outdoor run space per bird.
5. Ensuring Health Care
- Meet the vet to let them check the chicken’s health condition occasionally. Let them see any signs of sickness, parasites, or injury.
- Ensure chickens are vaccinated when it’s needed.
- Regular deworming is another good idea, as chickens are more susceptible to having worms.
6. Safety And Protection
- Keep a coop safe from predators’ entry.
- Burying wire along the perimeter to deter predators.
- Employ robust locks on doors for more security.
Pros And Cons Of Having Brown Leghorn Chickens in Backyards
Keeping Brown Leghorn Chickens can be both beneficial as well as challenging. Check out the pros and cons for a clearer view!
Pros Of Brown Leghorn Chicken
- Exceptional egg-laying abilities
- They are active foragers
- Such breeds are hardy and easily adaptable
- Can be beneficial for commercial purposes
- A friendly breed to keep as a pet as well
- A type of chicken usually doesn’t face diseases too much.
Cons Of Brown Leghorn Chicken
- A little difficult to handle as they are flighty and a little skittish
- Less interested to sit on eggs and hatch chicks
- Need enough space to forage
- Cold temperature difficulties
- Often considered a less attractive bird compared to other ornamental chickens or ducks.
- Totally a bad choice for offering meat.
Recommended Reading: Raising Cinnamon Queen Chicken Breed
Brown Leghorn Vs White Leghorn: Which One Is Better?
To understand the better breed among Brown and White Leghorn Chicken Breed, check the table given below.
| Characteristics | Brown Leghorn | White Leghorn |
|---|---|---|
| Egg Production | 250-300 eggs per year | 250-300 eggs per year |
| Temperament | Friendly and social | Friendly and calm |
| Activity Level | Active and flighty | More laid-back |
| Noise Level | Noisy | Less noisy |
| Cold Hardiness | Less cold hardy | More cold hardy |
| Size | Medium | Slightly smaller than Brown Leghorns |
| Appearance | Reddish-brown feathers | White feathers |
| Purpose | Commercial egg production and backyard chickens | Commercial egg production and backyard chickens |
Recommended Reading: Black Copper Maran Chicken Breed
FAQs
Check out some other important facts about the Brown Leghorn Egg Laying Chicken Breed. I have some Frequently asked questions for you.
Q. Why Is It Called Leghorn?
It is called Leghorn because it originated in Livorno, Italy, which was historically known as Leghorn.
Q. What Are The Weakness Of Leghorn Chickens?
Leghorn chickens are active and flighty, so they may need more space to roam. So, you cannot keep them in a small space.
Q. Are Brown Leghorns Noisy?
Yes, Brown Leghorns can be quite noisy, especially when they are excited or surprised.
Bottom Line
So, now you know almost everything about the Brown Leghorn egg-laying chicken breed. They are quite amazing and prolific egg layers, getting popularity in North America since 1828. Congratulations! If you want to raise this breed for poultry, get ready to be an attentive owner. You’ll have lots of eggs!
But before you raise them, ensure you keep the pros and cons in mind about such brown breeds of chickens. You’ll need a little challenging task to monitor them for properly raising them. Interestingly, they’re social and can be a pet in your house as well!
Sources & References:
- https://breeds.okstate.edu/poultry/chickens/leghorn-chickens.html
- https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/genetics-research/article/survey-of-line-crosses-in-a-brown-leghorn-flock-1-egg-production/11DD28157BC8AC608E3CDFBD17497F01
