The Leghorn breed of chickens is the most popular among breeders who breed chickens for egg production. Birds are highly productive, not picky about maintenance. Breeders exploit Leghorn chickens as a source of excellent genetic material for new breeds.
The history of the appearance of the Leghorn breed
The Leghorn breed appeared in the 19th century in Italy. The bird got its name in honor of the city of Livorno. At first, the breed was bred in only one area, as productivity was low. A little later, the chicken was brought to America. In the States, Leghorns began to be actively crossed with other breeds to increase the laying capacity. After crossing the Italian and Spanish breeds, breeders achieved the desired result. The breed standard was officially registered for the first time in 1874.
By the beginning of the 20th century, birds gained popularity in European countries. They were used to obtain egg products and to increase the productivity of already existing breeds.
Leghorns appeared on the territory of Ukraine in the mid-1920s. Thanks to the Leghorn, the Russian white chicken breed appeared. But only by 1960, Leghorns began to be bred on an industrial scale.
Appearance
The Leghorn chicken breed is so popular that all countries have their own standard. Among the general characteristics in the description of the Leghorn breed, the following are distinguished:
- the constitution of the body is small, as in other egg breeds;
- body wedge-shaped;
- the chest is rounded, protruding forward;
- the neck is disproportionately long;
- the back is wide, long, concave in the middle;
- small head;
- yellow-orange eyes;
- a large comb of rich red color;
- legs thin;
- lobes are either white or blue;
- thick tail feathers.
The color of laying hens is diverse. Leghorns with white color are popular, but there are at least 20 options.
Chicken or rooster
Outwardly, a chicken and a rooster of this breed are difficult to distinguish. The male and female are small, the tails of representatives of both sexes are thickly feathered. But roosters have their tails raised, chickens, on the contrary, have their tails lowered. A characteristic difference is the crest, which in males is standing, and in females it hangs to the side.
Differences from other breeds
Representatives of the Leghorn breed are small even in comparison with other egg-laying breeds. The maximum weight of a laying hen reaches two kilograms, while Highsex Brown, for example, can weigh up to 2.4 kilograms. Leghorn eggs are white. The average weight of one egg is 65 grams. The reproductive system is fully formed by 4.5 months.
In young birds, the skin is yellow, in older laying hens, it is flesh-colored. The beak of representatives of this breed is shorter than that of other egg-laying chickens, slightly bent at the tip.
Varieties
The most popular laying hens of the Leghorn breed with white plumage. They are the progenitors of leghorns of other colors:
- striped and variegated;
- cuckoo-partridge;
- golden;
- brown;
- lavender
Derived leghorns also differ in size:
- Mini Leghorn (Dwarf);
- Dominant (D 299).
To understand the differences between varieties, it is necessary to consider them in more detail.
Dominant
People are big. Females weigh from 1.7 to 2.2 kilograms, males – up to 3 kilograms. Productivity is high. One individual can lay up to 320 eggs per year. Picky in maintenance. The following conditions are important for them:
- constant temperature in the poultry house, without fluctuations;
- strict diet;
- sufficient level of lighting throughout the year.
Dominants have large eggs, up to 70 grams. But they are not suitable for the incubator, as they are two-yolk.
Dwarfs
Small white chickens with a friendly character. The maximum weight of an adult female is 1.5 kilograms, a male – 1.8 kilograms. Birds are very hardy and consume little feed. Roosters have increased activity, so eggs are fertilized in 95% of cases. The brooding instinct of females is atrophied, so an incubator will be needed to hatch new stock.
white
White Leghorn is the most famous representative of the breed. In a short time, it adapts to climatic changes, therefore it has gained significant distribution in the northern and southern regions. White Leghorn is not demanding either in food or in housing conditions.
In poultry farms, birds are kept in cramped cages without organization of walks. Due to special feeding and modification, chickens have high egg production. But such productivity quickly exhausts the body. That is why livestock is not kept in production for more than a year. White Leghorns have lost their brooding instinct. An incubator is required for hatching offspring.
Striped and variegated
Striped variegated Leghorn or, as it is also called, spotted – a pure breed. Breeders made no effort to create it. The breed appeared by itself, naturally. The color is black and white. The maximum weight is 2.5 kilograms. Productivity is high, up to 260 testicles per year.
Cuckoo-partridge
Representatives of the subspecies were bred by crossing a female Striped Plymouth with a male Leghorn. The new stock was crossed with partridge birds.
Large individuals. An adult laying hen can weigh up to 3.5 kilograms. Productivity is high, but the egg itself is shallow. Like the white Leghorn, the cuckoo-partridge is undemanding in food, active and friendly. There is no hen instinct.
Golden
The Golden Leghorn is so named for its golden-brown plumage. Laying hens weigh an average of 2 kilograms. Up to 280 eggs are laid per year.
Brown
Brown-feathered Leghorns are gaining popularity among farmers because of their brown-shelled eggs. But this subspecies of the breed is capricious in food. And if the feeding schedule is disturbed, the birds stop laying eggs for a long time.
Unlike a white Leghorn, it is very easy to distinguish a male from a female in a brown (brown). Roosters have golden and red feathers on their backs and necks. The main plumage is dark, with a green tint. Females are less bright.
Lavender
Unusual coloring distinguishes lavender chickens from others. Small birds are more like decorative individuals than ordinary egg-laying chickens. They have high productivity – up to 260 eggs per year. Timid and prone to stress.
Nature
Leghorn chickens have a calm, friendly character. They get along well not only with their own kind, but also with representatives of other breeds. They do not require a lot of space. Can live in cells. Chickens are energetic and interesting. They are very nervous at sharp loud sounds or light exposure.
Productivity
Leghorn is an egg breed of chickens. Based on the indicators of these birds, standards for other breeds are set. Leghorns are most in demand in industrial production.
The reproductive system is fully formed by 4.5 months. In the first year, laying hens produce up to 300 eggs with proper care and balanced nutrition. In the second year, the indicator decreases to 250 eggs. And every year it continues to fall. For this reason, industrialists renew their stock annually. The average weight of an egg is 60 grams.
In 1979, a laying hen’s record was recorded – 371 eggs in a year. And in 1956, a bird named Blanche produced an egg with a double shell weighing 454 grams.
Features of maintenance and care
Keeping, feeding and caring for hens is the basis of high productivity. Leghorns are capricious chickens, they require certain standards.
Lighting
There should be enough light in the poultry house for 13-14 hours a day. Therefore, the chicken coop is equipped with windows and additional lighting for the winter season. Egg breeds do not breed in the dark.
Experienced birders recommend using infrared lamps. They illuminate the coop and heat it at the same time. The light of such lamps is enough for laying hens, because too bright lighting scares them, which significantly reduces productivity.
Poultry house
The chicken coop will be equipped in accordance with the following standards:
- Although laying hens are adapted to low temperatures due to their dense plumage, the temperature in the room should not fall below +5 ℃ to increase productivity. Sharp temperature changes negatively affect the productivity and health of individuals.
- There should be no drafts in the chicken coop.
- A layer of hay or sawdust on the floor of the poultry house should be at least 5 centimeters thick.
- Air humidity in the room with livestock should be more than 45%, as overdried air is harmful for chickens.
- The room must be constantly ventilated.
- The birdhouse, feeders, and drinkers must be kept clean. If you don’t clean the room, the birds’ feathers get parasites.
- It is important to equip comfortable perches so that the chickens sleep comfortably. They are located at a height of 80 centimeters from the floor, opposite the window. Nests are installed on the walls next to the perch.
- For good productivity of laying hens, equip a place for free walking. The site is protected by a net or fence with a height of at least 150 centimeters. This height is sufficient so that birds do not fly over the fence.
- The birdhouse should have trays with small stones. With their help, chickens grind food in the goiter.
Food
Leghorn chickens have weak digestion and a slow metabolism. Therefore, you should not expand the diet. It is better to choose one permanent menu. The main thing is that it should be balanced and complete.
Laying hens are fed three times a day. The first time immediately after waking up, and the last time no later than an hour before departure. Feeding takes place at regular intervals.
What should be included in the daily diet of birds:
- grain crops;
- fresh greens in summer;
- grass flour in winter;
- vegetables;
- wet mixtures;
- bone meal;
- supplements and feeding.
Adults need mineral supplements, vitamins. Therefore, the diet of chickens should contain a lot of fresh greens – at least 40% of the daily amount of food consumed. The daily menu should include slaked lime, chalk, and bone meal. But the main diet consists of cereals.
Birds must consume sufficient water. About 300 milliliters of fluid per day per person. The main condition is the cleanliness of the drinking bowls and the freshness of the water. If the water is stagnant, the birds will not drink it. This can lead to dehydration. Due to the lack of drinking water, productivity falls.
Egg breeds especially need calcium. Therefore, they need to add crushed chalk, seashells or eggshells to their diet every day.
Approximate chicken menu:
- Morning – grain mixture. For example, wheat, corn and barley. The grain must be beaten. Grains no larger than 3 millimeters. And definitely fresh drinking water.
- Lunch is a wet mash. It is prepared on the basis of meat or fish broth. You can make it on sour milk, kefir. Boiled chopped vegetables, bran, meat and bone meal, chopped greens and chalk are poured into the dishes. Pour warm liquid. Leave to infuse for 15 minutes. A wet mixture spoils quickly. The finished mixture is stored for no more than two hours. Therefore, the amount of food for one meal should be such that the chickens have time to eat everything in half an hour. If after half an hour there is food left in the feeders, then the portion should be reduced. If the food is absorbed in 20 minutes or less, the portion is too small and the birds are not full. Uneaten remains of food must be removed, and feeders must be washed.
- Evening – laying hens again consume grain. Experienced breeders advise adding a little granulated feed to the evening meal.
Diseases
A very common disease among Leghorns is noise hysteria. It occurs due to an increased level of noise near the place where livestock is kept. Signs of noise hysteria:
- aggression towards other chickens;
- active flapping of wings;
- cry;
- laying hens begin to beat against the walls.
To get rid of the disease, it is enough to reduce the noise level near the chicken coop and the birds will calm down.
If the chicken coop is not cleaned in time, laying hens can get infectious or parasitic diseases. The most dangerous infectious disease caused by dirty poultry is tuberculosis. It affects the lungs and internal organs. Spreads by airborne droplets. Tuberculosis in poultry cannot be treated. If you do not isolate a sick individual in time, the entire livestock will die.
Otherwise, laying hens have strong immunity and rarely get sick. It is important to vaccinate the livestock on time and regularly show the birds to the veterinarian.
Linka
Molting is a natural process for poultry. The change of plumage begins with the shortening of the daylight hours, i.e., in autumn. During this period, intensive egg laying stops. When molting, chickens can hide from others. To facilitate the process, it is necessary to give laying hens products with a high protein content, but no more than 5% of the food volume per day. And stressful situations should be avoided.
Change of livestock
In poultry farms, the stock is renewed annually, since after the first year of life productivity drops by 30%, and after the second year – by 45% or more, which becomes unprofitable for production.
In domestic conditions, repair youngsters are added to adults, and old individuals are eliminated according to the decision of the poultry farmer.
Dilution
Beginners in poultry farming are trying to purchase young birds. But over time comes the understanding that chicks can be raised independently. What are the pitfalls in breeding young animals?
Leghorn chickens have an atrophied brooding instinct. Therefore, an incubator will be needed to breed the young. Or you can plant a laying hen of another breed with a developed brooding instinct on the testicles.
Purchased eggs can also be used for incubation. But here there is a risk of running into an unscrupulous seller who stored hatching eggs improperly. For this reason, it is better to use testicles obtained in one’s own household.
Feeding and caring for chickens
The young have high survivability. With proper care and proper feeding, the survival rate is 95%.
For the first two days, feeding is done every two hours. After that, the intensity decreases. By the tenth day, chicks are fed 6 times. Even before the age of three weeks, chicks can be transferred to three meals a day and an adult diet.
The first feeding of chicks occurs eight hours after hatching. You can give them low-fat cheese, boiled egg. Then millet, green onions, dandelions, and nettles are gradually introduced. On the fifth day, you can start giving chalk. Since the growing body of chickens has a particularly acute need for protein, crushed worms are added to their diet.
Farmers go for a trick. In order not to burden themselves with finding the right food and weighing the ingredients, poultry farmers feed chickens with starter feed for laying hens. It is both simpler and less expensive. Industrial feeds already contain all the useful substances for the proper development and growth of young chickens.
Advantages and disadvantages of the breed
It is not for nothing that Leghorn chickens are very popular among breeders and small farmers, because the breed has many advantages:
- Performance indicator. At home, the bird lays about 200 eggs a year. In production, the indicator rises to 300.
- Early formation of the reproductive system. Already at 4.5 months, the laying hen is ready to race.
- Economy in food consumption. Chickens eat much less than other egg-laying breeds.
- Friendly and calm character. Poultry get along well in the same chicken coop with hens of other breeds.
- Ease of maintenance. Leghorn does not need any special care or special housing conditions.
But the breed also has its drawbacks:
- Very little meat. Leghorns are not large birds, so they have very little meat. The maximum that a chicken is good for after death is to become a soup set.
- Rapid loss of bearing capacity. Every year, the productivity indicator drops in geometric progression. The maximum amount of egg production can be obtained only in the first year. Later, keeping adults becomes unprofitable.
- Low resistance to stress and timidity. If the noise level is increased, the chickens become restless, nervous and may harm themselves or the surrounding birds.
- Absence of the brooding instinct. But this problem is easily solved with the help of an incubator or hens of another breed.
Breeding Leghorn laying hens is a simple and profitable business. Chickens are suitable both for small farm yards and for large breeders.