Large fowl

Origin: Mediterranean

Classification: Light, soft feather

Egg colour: White

Weight: Large fowl; male 3.4kg, female 2.5kg. Bantam; male 1020g,
female 910g.

History

Originally from Italy, the first birds (white) reached the UK via America around 1870, with the brown following two or so years later. These early examples were lighter, at not more than 1.6kg but our breeders soon crossed the whites with the Minorca and Malay to increase this up to the weights of the heavy breeds. Post-war the utility and commercial breeders established a type of their own and it is this which is now favoured. The white Leghorn has figured prominently in commercial breeding programmes of hybrids designed to produce high numbers of eggs.

Characteristics

Male

Carriage: very sprightly and alert but without any suggestion of stiltiness or in-kneed appearance. Well balanced.

Type: body wide at the shoulders and narrowing slightly to root of tail. Back long and flat, sloping slightly to the tail. Breast round, full and prominent, carried well forward; breastbone straight. Wings large, tightly carried and well tucked up. Tail moderately full and carried at an angle of 45° from the line of the back; full, sweeping sickles.

Head: well balanced with fine skull. Beak short and stout with the point clear of the front of the comb. Eyes prominent, comb single or rose. The single is of fine texture, straight and erect, moderately large but not overgrown, coarse or beefy, deeply and evenly serrated (the spikes broad at their base), extending well beyond the back of the head and following, without touching, the line of the head, and free from ‘thumb marks’ and side sprigs or twist at the back. The rose moderately large, firm (not overgrown so as to obstruct the sight), the leader extending straight out behind and not following the line of the head, the top covered with small coral-like points of even height and free from hollows. Face smooth, fine in texture and free from wrinkles or folds. Ear-lobes well developed and pendant, equally matched in size and shape, smooth, open and free from folds. Wattles long, thin and fine in texture, free from wrinkles and creases.

Neck: long, profusely covered with hackle feathers and carried upright.

Legs and feet: legs moderately long, shanks fine and round – flat shins are objectionable – and free from feathers. Ample width between legs. Toes, four straight and well spread, the back toe straight out at rear. Scales small and close fitting.

Plumage: of silky texture, free from wooliness or excessive feather.

Female

Similar to the male, allowing for normal sexual differences, with the exception of the single comb rising from a firm base and falling gracefully over either side of the face without obstructing the sight, and the tail, which is carried closely and not at such a high angle.

Colours

Black, blue, brown, buff, cuckoo, golden duckwing, silver duckwing, exchequer, red mottled, black mottled, partridge, pile, white.

In both sexes and all colours, beak yellow or horn, eyes red. Comb, face, wattles bright red. Ear-lobes pure opaque white (resembling white kid), or cream, the former preferred. Legs and feet yellow or orange.

Defects

Ear lobes red. Any white on face. Legs other than yellow or orange. Squirrel tail, bodily deformity.

Single comb; male’s comb twisted or falling over, or female’s erect. Side sprigs on combs.

Rosecomb; comb other than rose or so as to obstruct sight.