How to Raise Red Leghorn Chickens

A Leghorn chicken is a noisy bird that is spirited in nature. It is smaller than many chickens, but it is still larger than a bantam. The Red Leghorn is a forager and they get much of the protein in their diet from roaming freely over fields and barnyards. Keeping a Leghorn captive is a challenge at best since they have enough flight ability to roost in trees. Read on to learn more.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

1. Decide where you want to house your Leghorn chickens. Although they are small in size they lay a large amount of eggs and can fly up and into trees.

2. Create a chicken coop that allows the Leghorn to roost in trees where they are most comfortable.

3. Hang food and water dispensers suspended to keep them clean--remember that Leghorns are not all bantams so make sure your measurements are accurate for your dispensers.

4. Select from many different varieties feed—feeds with more corn produce a deep yellow yolk.

5. Study the different breeds of chickens. Most people raise chickens to sell the eggs. Choose the one that will give you the results you want.

6. Determine where you want your Leghorn chickens to roam. They are relentless foragers so grasslands are perfect.

7. Learn the leghorn and the area and climate you live in. Decide if the two are adaptable. Urban areas are not the best place to raise Leghorns.

Tips & Warnings

• Put a fence up around your property to try and prevent wild animals from bothering your Leghorn chickens.
• Chickens will eat anything so make sure their roaming area is a safe environment.
• Leghorns do best when allowed to roam freely.
• Be vigilant in protecting your Leghorn chickens—they are easy prey for wild animals.

Resources

• Information on all types of hens and roosters.
• Information of Leghorn bantams.