300 



Nature-Study Agriculture 



The 

 type:, 

 iterranean 

 chickens 



Leghorns 



and 



Minorcas 



Character- 

 istics of 

 Leghorns 



white skin, was originated in England at a place called 

 Orpington. The first Orpington chickens were black, 

 but other varieties of the breed have been developed, 

 one of which is buff, one white, and one of a mixed color. 

 The White Orpingtons are the best layers, probably 

 because they possess some White Leghorn blood, this 

 being a specially good laying breed (Fig. 243). 



The four breeds that have been considered are known 

 as " general-purpose " chickens because they are both 

 good layers and good meat producers. The Leghorns 

 from Italy, the Minorcas from the island of that name, 

 and other breeds from the Mediterranean region are 

 known as " egg " breeds. The Leghorns, of which there 

 are a number of color varieties, are very small. The 

 Minorcas are larger, have long bodies, and stand very 

 erect. The Black Minorca, especially, is a very hand- 

 some bird. But the Mediterranean chickens are not so 

 good for meat as the general-purpose breeds, for they 

 have larger skeletons in proportion to their flesh. All 

 the Mediterranean chickens lay large, white eggs. 



The Leghorn undoubtedly lays more eggs than any 

 other breed in proportion to the amount of feed eaten. 

 Leghorns are very active and require either a large range 

 or plenty of straw to scratch in. They seldom become 

 broody, and when they do sit they rarely stay on the 

 eggs long enough to hatch them. Leghorns are quick- 

 maturing chickens, the cockerels making excellent broilers 

 at two months and the pullets sometimes beginning to 

 lay at five months. They do not stand cold as well as 

 the larger, loose-feathered breeds, and they are trouble- 

 some about flying. For these reasons some general- 



