Description and characteristics of Leghorn chickens, conditions of detention

When raising various breeds of chickens, poultry farmers are looking for an option that would be a leader in egg production. Leghorn is a variety of chicken that is prized for this characteristic. During its existence, the breed has managed to gain popularity among professional and amateur poultry farmers.

The history of Leghorn chickens

The birthplace of the breed is Italy. After some time, chickens were brought to America, where they began to be crossed with other varieties. The desired result was to obtain a bird with ideal characteristics. Experts focused on the highest possible percentage of egg production.

As soon as success was achieved, Europe became interested in the breed. Later, Belarus, Russia and Ukraine needed Leghorn. When Leghorns arrived in the country in the 20th century, chickens immediately became popular.

Description and characteristics of the breed

You can recognize a Leghorn by its appearance, color and behavior.

Varieties and their appearance

Regardless of color, chickens and roosters are characterized by certain body parameters. This is the so-called standard that chicken varieties comply with. The bird's body is folded harmoniously. Despite their small size, they stand out with their proud posture.

A long neck of medium thickness connects the body to a medium-sized head. The earrings are painted in rich red color. In roosters the leaf-shaped comb stands straight, in hens it hangs to the side. The orange iris of the eyes loses its brightness over time. The older the chicken, the paler it is.

Laying hens and roosters have a voluminous chest protruding forward. This gives the bird a stately appearance. There are the most unusual colors of Leghorns. Most often, it is white Leghorns that are bred.

Dwarf

The subspecies is distinguished by its high friendliness towards other birds. They get along with other birds without any problems. The egg fertilization rate is 95%, which is much higher than other birds. This phenomenon is observed due to the activity of adult roosters.

Dwarf Leghorn It is an economical species because it eats little food. They acclimatize easily because they are not afraid of cold weather. Only high quality nutritious food is suitable for feeding.

White

The white leghorn is a versatile variety. The survival rate of the bird allows them to be kept in regions with a changeable climate. White Leghorns are easy to breed. They require standard housing conditions and the usual food for birds.

Brown

The colors of roosters and laying hens are slightly different. The body of females is covered with feathers of an even brown color. Closer to the tail the color darkens a little. Roosters have a tail, chest and belly covered with dark feathers with a green tint.

Dalmatian

The Leghorn variety is also commonly called striped and variegated. Its black and white color makes it look like a Dalmatian, which is why it was decided to name the breed that way. They are relatives of spotted crosses and were bred in 1904.

In those years, speckled chickens were very rare, so they gained popularity at a high rate. Dalmatians are excellent breeders and have many advantages.

Isabel

Chickens are colored silver or ash. Feathers with a golden color are visible on the back. Isabella is completely considered a decorative species.

Lavender

The Leghorn variety combines two criteria - incredible color and high productivity. Pink feathers look unusual, especially if the birds are chickens. They are quite timid and react nervously to any foreign manifestations.

Due to their light weight, they are classified as ornamental birds. During the year, one laying hen produces about 260 eggs. Bred exclusively for eggs.

Character and temperament of birds

Chickens do not show aggression towards other birds. They look calm and not stupid.They are not afraid of people and treat them with trust. During the day they actively explore the territory, as they do not like to sit still.

Breed productivity

The main advantage of chickens is considered to be high egg production, due to which the breed has become widespread. Laying hens are ready to lay eggs at 4 months of age. One bird brings about 230 eggs per year.

The average egg weight is 55-60 g. The shell is painted white. When broken, it does not give in immediately, as it is distinguished by its strength.

How to determine the age of a chicken?

Poultry farmers who cannot boast of extensive experience in breeding birds fall for deception by sellers. They go to the market to buy young laying hens, and come home with old hens that stop laying eggs at any moment. To avoid such situations, during the inspection the following rules are followed:

1. Comb color. In adult chickens, due to poor circulation, the comb has a pale pink color. If you touch it, you feel a chill. In young birds it is bright red and warm.
2. Stomach. In young chickens it is soft. Over the years of keeping old birds, the belly becomes covered with fat and becomes hard.
3. Beak color. In older hens it is pale yellow, while in young hens it is a rich orange hue.

There is a little trick with which you can determine whether a laying hen is young. They are given a treat. If the birds quickly run towards him, it means they are young and inexperienced. Older laying hens approach food with caution.

How to distinguish hens from roosters?

On the first day the chicks appear, their gender is determined. Females are completely white, gray or black. While young cockerels have a striped color.

It is quite problematic to distinguish a hen from an aged rooster.It's all about the bushy tail that both the laying hen and the rooster have. In this case, pay attention to the ridge.

Main pros and cons

Among the advantages of the breed are:

• large egg size;
• high egg fertilization rate;
• rapid onset of puberty;
• economical feed consumption;
• friendly and calm character;
• adaptation to climatic conditions.

The disadvantages include:

• meat is not eaten;
• birds are afraid of noise and bright light;
• poor development of maternal instinct;
• They do not hatch eggs on their own.

Meat is not eaten not only because of its taste. The size of the birds makes this impossible.

Specifics of breed content

Like other chickens, Leghorn prefers standard conditions.

Poultry house requirements

The room where the birds live - the chicken coop - should be spacious. If birds are too crowded, this contributes to the development of diseases. The chicken coop should be warm during the cold season. Birds cannot tolerate drafts.

Perches should be high off the floor to prevent birds from feeling the cold in winter. It’s good if there is at least one window in the poultry house. Boxes for laying hens are installed in a secluded place.

Preparing a walking area

A walking area is organized near the chicken coop. The designated area is covered with a fence made of wooden slats or mesh. The height of the fence should be within 1.5 m to prevent birds from flying over.

The best option is an area with grass so that Leghorn can get its own food by pecking on greenery. Chickens love to dig in the ground, getting bugs, worms and other living creatures. This technique helps reduce feed costs.

Installation of feeders and drinkers

The depth of the food container should be at least 5-10 cm. The length depends on the number of chickens. 10-15 cm is allotted per bird.

Feeders should be designed so that Leghorns cannot climb inside. This will prevent the feed from being scattered and protect the grain from excrement. Feeders that are moved from one place to another have the advantage.

Water containers must be well washed and filled with water. It is important that the drinker does not tip over. The material of drinking bowls must be made from safe materials.

Plastic bottles, nipple drinkers, open and vacuum devices are used as water containers. Nipple drinkers are suitable for industrial chicken rearing. For private households, it is possible to use any of the existing options.

Seasonal molt

The phenomenon is typical for all birds and is accompanied by a break in egg production. Leghorns continue to lay eggs even in winter, but not as actively. In order to restore productivity, poultry farmers stimulate molting.

Reducing daylight hours speeds up the process. Leghorns actively lay eggs for 200-250 days a year.

Replacement of livestock

Chickens actively lay eggs in the first year of life. To ensure there are always eggs on the farm, the birds are changed every year. It is recommended to start new laying hens after the end of the peak egg production of domestic chickens.

What to feed the breed

The diet of chicks and adult birds is different. The food used is purchased products, as well as homemade ones.

Chickens

Little chickens eat a mixture of boiled eggs, cereals and herbs. Before each feeding, a new portion is prepared. The role of greens is played by chopped onions, dandelion tops, dill or nettles.

As soon as the chicks have eaten, the food is taken away so that insects do not breed in the box. Chicks also eat starter formulas.When the bird reaches 2 weeks of age, whey, root vegetables, fish oil and yeast are added to the diet.

As they grow older, crushed eggshells are added to the diet. Cabbage will be useful, as it is rich in various vitamins. From the birth of chicks until 3 weeks of age, the number of feedings per day is 6 times. After this, the figure decreases to 3 times.

When they reach 4 weeks of age, the chicks are transferred to the diet of adult Leghorns..

Adult chickens

Leghorns eat little food due to their size. It is important that the food is nutritious and rich in nutrients. The food should contain everything that is needed for growth and egg laying.

Birds love grain, bone meal, chalk, lime and other food additives. In the morning and evening, the birds are given whole grain. At lunch, a mash is made, which is diluted with broth or plain water.

In winter, the mash must be warm. Chickens love corn, barley and wheat. The base of the mash is bone meal, vegetables, fresh herbs and bran.

Calcium is added to the diet of laying hens, which is needed to strengthen the eggshell. Its source is crushed shells from used eggs. Chickens can also be given shells that have been previously crushed into small grains.

Breeding and Incubation

Laying hens do not have maternal instinct, so an incubator is used for breeding. This is a real salvation for poultry farmers, since the device solves the problem. The incubation period for Leghorns is 26 to 28 days. The offspring are healthy and strong, and also grow quickly. During incubation, losses are insignificant - only 8-13%.

Diseases and how to treat

Birds of the Leghorn breed are characterized by a disease such as noise hysteria.Birds growing in farms with increased noise are exposed to it. As a rule, they have an industrial direction.

The chickens become aggressive, often flapping their wings and screaming at each other. During an attack, they hit the walls, injuring themselves and the birds around them. As a result, the appearance of the Leghorns deteriorates. They lose their plumage and the hens produce few eggs.

To reduce the number of attacks per day, noise sources are eliminated. This is considered the main treatment. In addition, Leghorns are provided with ideal conditions, thanks to which egg production increases.

Chickens often suffer from parasitic diseases. This happens due to poor cleanliness of the room in which they are kept. The bedding should be regularly changed to a new one, and the room itself should be ventilated. If you follow the rules of keeping, no problems with birds will arise.