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Brown Leghorn Chicken Breed Info + Where to Buy

Modified: Feb 28, 2023 by Phil · This post may contain affiliate links ·

The Brown Leghorn is one variation of the Leghorn chicken breed. They differ from White Leghorns in that they are more rare and are less productive. They are also not used as a dual-purpose breed.

A beautiful Brown Leghorn hen walking on a pasture.

They are hardy, have no common health issues, and are very efficient egg producers in terms of how much feed they consume compared to their egg output.

One thing to note is that if you want to hatch chicks, you’ll definitely have to use an incubator. Brown Leghorns, like all Leghorns, are not at all broody and do not make good mothers. When your chicks hatch, you’ll be amazed at how quickly this breed grows and matures.

Jump to:
  • How to Buy Online Brown Leghorn Chickens
  • Brown Leghorn Chicken Chicken Breed Quick Info
  • Origins of Brown Leghorn Chicken
  • Some Things to Know About Brown Leghorn Chicken
  • How Easy is it to Keep Brown Leghorn Chickens?
  • Special Care and Considerations for Brown Leghorn Chickens

How to Buy Online Brown Leghorn Chickens

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Brown Leghorn Chicken Chicken Breed Quick Info

Brown Leghorn Chicken Description

Brown Leghorn Type/Size:Standard
Feather Color:Brown
Leg Type:Clean
Leg Color:Yellow
Skin Color:Yellow
Brown Leghorn Ease of Raising/Keeping:Medium
Brown Leghorn Special Care Needs:Yes
Is the Brown Leghorn breed a common, rare, or protected breed of chicken?Rare, “recovering” status

Brown Leghorn Use

MeatNo
EggsYes
Dual PurposeNo
Brown Leghorn Temperament:Active, intelligent, skittish
Brown Leghorn Ability/Likelihood to Free Range:Yes

Brown Leghorn Egg Production

Egg ColorWhite
Egg SizeLarge
Estimated Number of Eggs Per Year150-200
Likeliness to Brood Eggs/Raise ChicksLow

Brown Leghorn Meat Production

Dressed Weight MaleN/A
Dressed Weight FemaleN/A

Brown Leghorn Climate Tolerance

HeatExcellent
ColdGood

Brown Leghorn Age to Maturity

Number of Months to Reach Full Size5 Months
Number of Months to Start Egg Laying4-5 Months
Number of Weeks/Months to Reach Meat Harvest SizeN/A

Brown Leghorn Size at Maturity

Male6 lbs
Female4.5 lbs

Origins of Brown Leghorn Chicken

Four Brown leghorn chickens gobbling in a backyard.
Image source: Instagram

This chicken breed originally hails from Italy, and as such, we once called Italians. The name Leghorns evolved from the Italian city of Livorno, where the birds were exported to the United States from in the early 19th century.

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They were brought to Mystic, Connecticut, and from there was split into industrial (White Leghorns), and non-industrial (Brown Leghorns) strains of the breed. White Leghorns went on to become one of the most popular egg-producing breeds in the world, while Brown Leghorns faded into the background and became much rarer and harder to find.

Today, only a handful of breeders and enthusiasts breed and promote the Brown Leghorn strain. They are making a comeback, though, among homesteaders and backyard chicken owners.

Some Things to Know About Brown Leghorn Chicken

A beautiful colorful Brown leghorn rooster.

Brown Leghorns are generally brown, as their name implies. Hens are medium brown with penciling on their feathers, along with a salmon-colored breast and dark brown tail. Roosters, on the other hand, have an orange hackle and saddle area, along with black striping down the middle of each feather.

Their body shape is more game-like in appearance than the White Leghorn’s. They stand upright and have fairly narrow breasts. This makes them poor meat birds.

How Easy is it to Keep Brown Leghorn Chickens?

A brown leghorn rooster with two chickens in a backyard.

The Brown Leghorn is a very intelligent bird. They love to forage for their own food, which makes them a great free-range breed. They will keep themselves busy and even roost in trees if there are any nearby, so be aware of that when planning your pasture area.

It’s best to give them lots of room to roam, as they can get bored easily. If you’re looking for a cuddly pet, this is not the breed for you. They tend to be skittish around humans and are known to be noisy and high-energy.

See also  Ayam Cemani Chicken Breed Info + Where to Buy

Special Care and Considerations for Brown Leghorn Chickens

If you live in a colder climate, beware of the effects of frostbite on the combs and wattles of your Brown Leghorns. One way to avoid this is to regularly spread Vaseline on them. Another option is to choose the rose comb variety, which was bred to withstand cold winters.

Brown Leghorn Chicken Breed Info pinterest image.

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