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Chicken breed APA Recognized Light

Leghorn

Classic Mediterranean white-egg layer with a refined frame, active carriage, and strong production efficiency.

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Variety gallery

This breed uses variety images instead of one shared breed thumbnail.

Primary use

Egg production

Eggs

250-320 eggs/year

Egg color

White

Broodiness

Low

Notable traits

Light athletic body
Large single or rose comb depending on variety
White earlobes
Yellow legs
And exceptional laying efficiency.

Use in a cross

Use this breed as a sire or dam in the public cross predictor.

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Varieties

Leghorn varieties

Variety-specific images keep the library accurate when one breed name covers several different appearances.

Variety image pending

Single Comb White

Color: Clean white

Classic white Leghorn variety with white plumage and a large upright single comb on a refined Mediterranean body.

Traits: Light athletic body, large single comb, white earlobes, yellow legs, alert carriage, and clean white plumage.

Variety image pending

Rose Comb White

Color: Clean white

White Leghorn variety carrying clean white plumage and a low broad rose comb instead of the usual single comb.

Traits: Light athletic body, rose comb, white earlobes, yellow legs, alert carriage, and clean white plumage.

Variety image pending

Single Comb Light Brown

Color: Golden-brown rooster with black breast and tail; brown partridge hen

Light Brown Leghorn variety with a colorful golden-brown rooster and a brown partridge hen on a refined active frame.

Traits: Large single comb, white earlobes, yellow legs, active Mediterranean carriage, colorful rooster, and brown partridge hen.

Variety image pending

Rose Comb Light Brown

Color: Golden-brown rooster with black breast and tail; brown partridge hen

Rose Comb Light Brown Leghorn variety with classic brown Leghorn color and a low rose comb.

Traits: Rose comb, white earlobes, yellow legs, active Mediterranean carriage, colorful rooster, and brown partridge hen.

Variety image pending

Single Comb Dark Brown

Color: Dark brown rooster with black breast and darker striping; brown partridge hen

Dark Brown Leghorn variety with a more contrasty dark rooster and a wild-type brown hen.

Traits: Large single comb, white earlobes, yellow legs, active Mediterranean body, and darker brown variety expression.

Variety image pending

Rose Comb Dark Brown

Color: Dark brown rooster with black breast; brown partridge hen

Rose Comb Dark Brown Leghorn variety with darker brown color expression and a low rose comb.

Traits: Rose comb, white earlobes, yellow legs, refined Mediterranean body, and darker brown variety expression.

Variety image pending

Black

Color: Solid black with green sheen

Black Leghorn variety with glossy black plumage on a light active Mediterranean body.

Traits: White earlobes, yellow legs, light body, active carriage, single comb, and black plumage.

Variety image pending

Buff

Color: Warm buff

Buff Leghorn variety with warm buff plumage over the breed’s refined white-egg layer frame.

Traits: White earlobes, yellow legs, light active body, single comb, and buff plumage.

Variety image pending

Silver

Color: Silver duckwing-style coloration

Silver Leghorn variety with silver-toned hackles and duckwing-influenced markings on a light active body.

Traits: White earlobes, yellow legs, light body, single comb, and silver-toned plumage.

Variety image pending

Red

Color: Rich red with darker tail accents

Red Leghorn variety with rich red plumage on the breed’s light active frame.

Traits: White earlobes, yellow legs, light body, single comb, and red plumage.

Variety image pending

Black-Tailed Red

Color: Red body with black tail

Black-Tailed Red Leghorn variety with red body color contrasted by black tail accents.

Traits: White earlobes, yellow legs, light body, single comb, red body, and black tail.

Variety image pending

Columbian

Color: White body with black hackles and tail

Columbian Leghorn variety with a light body and dark hackle/tail contrast.

Traits: White earlobes, yellow legs, light body, single comb, white body, and black hackle/tail markings.

Variety image pending

Golden Duckwing

Color: Golden duckwing pattern

Golden Duckwing Leghorn variety with warm gold duckwing male pattern and wild-type female expression.

Traits: White earlobes, yellow legs, light body, single comb, and golden duckwing patterning.

Variety image pending

Silver Duckwing

Color: Silver duckwing pattern

Silver Duckwing Leghorn variety with cool silver duckwing coloration on a light active layer body.

Traits: White earlobes, yellow legs, light body, single comb, and silver duckwing patterning.

Variety image pending

Exchequer

Color: Irregular black-and-white exchequer pattern

Exchequer Leghorn variety with irregular black-and-white patching over a light Mediterranean frame.

Traits: White earlobes, yellow legs, light body, single comb, and bold exchequer patterning.

Quick stat summary

Weights: Hen 4.50 lb | Rooster 6.00 lb

APA status: APA recognized breed

Sexing traits: None noted

Comb type: Single

Egg size: Large

Origin: Italy

Planning notes

Genetics and sexing notes

Auto-sexing: None recorded for purebred chicks.

Sex-linked: None recorded.

Temperament: Very active. Friendliness is generally listed as Moderate. Activity level is generally Very high.

Rooster handling: Roosters may be alert and active. Watch for fence pacing, extra protectiveness, and flighty behavior, especially in smaller pens.

Reference profile

Breed depth notes

Extra breed details used for identification, breed-library accuracy, cross prediction, and better image prompts.

History and standard notes

History: Mediterranean white-egg breed that became one of the most influential production layers in the world because of efficiency, activity, and high egg output. In the RanchOps library, Leghorn is tracked as a egg production breed with roots tied to Italy. Its white egg profile, body type, and temperament notes help separate it from similar-looking breeds in flock records and cross predictions. For visual identification, focus on Light refined Mediterranean layer body. Its carriage is best described as alert, active, fairly upright, and athletic.

APA: Recognized breed in multiple single-comb and rose-comb varieties.

Type and structure

Large fowl: Recognized large fowl.
Bantam: Leghorn bantams are recognized in several varieties.
Earlobes: White
Body type: Light refined Mediterranean layer body
Carriage: Alert, active, fairly upright, and athletic

Visual identification

Rooster

Roosters are light and athletic with prominent white earlobes, yellow legs, large comb according to variety, and colorful male feathering in brown/duckwing types.

Hen

Hens are trim active layers with white earlobes, yellow legs, and variety-correct color; White hens should not look heavy like Plymouth Rock.

Chicks

White Leghorn chicks are commonly pale yellow; brown varieties show darker chipmunk-style down.

Common confusions

White Leghorns can be confused with White Plymouth Rock, White Cornish, White Minorca, or White Australorp; Leghorns should be lighter, more upright, and white-earlobed.

Image guidance

Keep Leghorns light, refined, yellow-legged, white-earlobed, and active. Do not bulk them into meat or dual-purpose type.

Cross predictor notes

Leghorn crosses often add strong laying ability, white egg influence, activity, lighter body weight, and large comb size depending on variety.

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