Chicken breed
Leghorn (White)
Also called White Leghorn
The White Leghorn is a light, active Mediterranean breed and the classic white-egg layer behind the commercial egg industry. Hens lay many white eggs and are rarely broody. They tolerate heat well, but their large combs are prone to frostbite.
At a glance
150–320eggs a year
17–22weeks to first egg
4.5 lbhen weight
6 lbrooster weight
Largeegg size
Traits
- Cold hardymedium
- Heat toleranthigh
- Goes broodyrare
- Fine in a small runmedium
- Egg colour
- white
- Temperament
- very active, flighty
- Good with kids
- Not the best choice
- Noise
- loud
- Origin
- Italy (Tuscany; named for the port of Livorno)
- Comb
- single
- Bantam size
- Available
- APA standard
- Recognized
- Conservation
- Recovering (non-industrial Leghorn)
- Purpose
- eggs
Good for
- maximum egg production
- white eggs
- hot climates
Watch out for
- noisy; not ideal for close neighbors
- flighty and not cuddly
- large single comb is prone to frostbite
- gets bored in a small run
Looks and feathers
Light, tight-feathered Mediterranean breed with a large comb; rose-comb Leghorn varieties also exist (APA).
Our drawing shows the most common US variety; colours vary.
Similar breeds
All breedsSources
- 1White Leghorn (product/breed profile)Cackle Hatchery
- 2Leghorn White (breed page)My Pet Chicken
- 3Leghorn Chicken (breed facts)The Livestock Conservancy
- 4Accepted Breeds & VarietiesAmerican Poultry Association
- 5Managing Chickens From Chicks to Peak Egg ProductionUtah State University Extension (J. Okoh, E. Perry; October 2025)
- 6Chicken Breeds & Varieties (A2880), incl. APA standard weightsUniversity of Wisconsin-Madison Division of Extension
- 7Which chicken breeds may need extra heat in winter?My Pet Chicken
Hatcheries often disagree on eggs a year; ranges span every source we read. How we check the facts.