The White Leghorn originated in Tuscany, Italy, with its first exports recorded in the early 1800s. While Leghorns have since been bred in a wide variety of colours—including red, black-tailed red, light brown, dark brown, black, buff, Columbian, buff Columbian, barred, and silver—the White Leghorn remains the most popular and, arguably, the most productive of all.
Highly active and intelligent, Leghorns are excellent foragers, alert, and naturally flighty—traits which help them evade predators. They enjoy roosting in trees and are capable fliers. However, due to their high energy and intelligence, they may become bored if confined too tightly, sometimes leading to bullying or feather pecking. Providing chicken enrichment like toys, scratch grains, or greens helps keep them stimulated.
Physically, White Leghorns have red wattles and a red single comb—upright in roosters and usually flopping to one side in hens. Their legs are yellow, and their striking white earlobes match the large white eggs they are famous for.
Renowned as one of the best heritage egg-laying breeds, White Leghorns lay over 300 large white eggs annually, starting from as early as 4 to 4.5 months of age. They are non-broody, making them ideal for consistent egg production. Notably, they achieve this impressive laying rate while consuming significantly less feed than other breeds producing similarly sized eggs—earning them a reputation for outstanding feed efficiency.
Leghorns have played a foundational role in the development of many other popular breeds, including the Rhode Island Red, Black Australorp, and Potch Koekoek, as well as the modern commercial layers such as Lohman, Hyline Brown, Amberlink, and Silver Hyline. Although the exact lineage of today’s commercial hybrids is proprietary, the Leghorn’s genetic legacy is evident in their egg-laying prowess, efficiency, and auto-sexing traits.
Greenhills Country Farm currently supplies White Leghorns on a weekly basis.
★★★★★
“Excellent White Leghorn chickens with very strong egg production. The hens arrived healthy, active, and adapted quickly to our farm setup.”
— Pieter M., Bloemfontein
April 2026
★★★★★
“Very impressed with the quality of the White Leghorns. Healthy birds, professional service, and excellent communication throughout the process.”
— Amanda T., Durban
March 2026
★★★★★
“Our White Leghorn hens started laying consistently very quickly. Strong, active birds and great experience buying from Greenhill Country Farm.”
— Johan R., Pretoria
February 2026
★★★★★
“Healthy laying hens with excellent feed conversion and egg production. Delivery arrangements were smooth and professionally handled.”
— Melissa K., Port Elizabeth
January 2026
★★★★★
“Highly recommend these White Leghorns for commercial or backyard egg production. Strong birds and excellent customer support.”
— Daniel S., Polokwane
December 2025
★★★★★
“Beautiful healthy chickens with very good laying performance. The birds settled in immediately and are doing extremely well.”
— Karen L., Nelspruit
April 2026
★★★★★
“Reliable supplier with premium quality White Leghorns. The hens arrived stress-free and matched the website description perfectly.”
— Sipho D., Johannesburg
March 2026
★★★★★
“Very satisfied with the condition and productivity of the White Leghorns. Excellent breeder with healthy stock and professional communication.”
— Rebecca H., East London
February 2026