History: Leghorns originated in Italy and the white variety first reached Britain from America around 1870 and the brown followed a couple of years later.

Characteristics: They are a very sprightly and alert breed.  They have a wide body, narrowing slightly to the root of the tail.  Their backs are long and flat, the breast is found, full and prominent.  The wings are large and the tail is moderately full and carried at an angle of 45 degrees from the line of the back.  The head is fine with a single or rose comb and the face is smooth and fine.  The legs are free of feathers.  They are the very best egg layers of the pure breeds and are not prone to broodiness.

Colours: Black, blue, brown, buff, cuckoo, golden duckwing, silver duckwing, exchequer, mottled, partridge, pyle, white.

At The Garden Hen we keep the brown variety which have rich golden-yellow hackles, broadly striped with black.  The breast is salmon-red, running into maroon around the head and wattles and ash-grey at the thighs.  The body is a rich brown, very evenly pencilled with black. The tail is black, pencilled with brown.

Why do we keep Leghorns at The Garden Hen? They are prolific egg layers.