Day Old Exchequer Leghorn Baby Chicks
Hatching March to September.
Exchequer Leghorn Chickens are good producers and would make a nice addition to the backyard flock as long as they are not kept too close to neighbors and you don't mind the noise. These are talkative birds. Their distinctive black and white plumage enhances the already handsome appearance of a leghorn.
Egg Production: What leghorns do best is lay eggs, and the Exchequer is no exception. They are nearly as prolific as the white leghorn. A good hen will average about 5 large white eggs per week.
Body Type and Mature Weight: The Exchequer Leghorn does not really make a good meat bird. This is a lightweight chicken, females reaching only about 4 1/2 pounds at maturity. A mature male will weigh up to 6 pounds. If desired, extra roosters can be fried up, but don't expect them to be very plump.
Like other leghorns, the Exchequer is quite slim with long tail feathers and a large comb. The legs are yellow and are not feathered. Body feathers are soft and evenly checkered black and white all over. The underlying color is white, which is an easy way to distinguish these birds from the Ancona.
The large comb adds to the bird's elegant appearance but can suffer frostbite in very cold weather, so this bird does better with adequate shelter. Otherwise, the Exchequer Leghorn will adapt to most living conditions. This is a healthy bird, on the whole.
Chicks should be hatched in an incubator since the nesting instinct has been largely bred out of this chicken. They are hardy and easy to raise. Exchequer chicks grow and mature quickly.
Temperament: Since the bird has been bred for production, not personality it doesn't get very friendly with humans. An Exchequer Leghorn can be tamed enough to keep in the backyard flock but will be quite aloof. Collecting eggs is not a problem, since the bird seldom goes broody. If chicks are desired, it is best to place some eggs in an incubator.
Exchequer leghorns are not particularly aggressive, but they do become quite noisy. If trees are available, they will roost there. They can be allowed to roam around the yard but will tolerate a run without a great deal of fuss. This is a very alert and active type of chicken.
Breed StatusThe breed has been recognized for exhibition for only a few years but is well regarded.
Breed History: Exchequer Leghorns developed spontaneously in the leghorn flock of Scottish breeder Robert Miller in 1904. He took a fancy to the unusual markings and developed the breed, which quickly became popular as a utility chicken. The birds are both hardy and prolific and continue laying eggs for many years.
In 1907 the Exchequer was introduced to the Fancy. Careful selective breeding has established the variety as a well-developed member of the leghorn group.
Exchequer leghorns will make a nice, showy addition to the flock and will certainly produce an abundance of eggs. They are easy to care for but can become noisy. These are great chickens for the right breeder.
Standard Weights: Rooster 6 lbs, Hen 4.5 lbs, Cockerel 5 lbs, Pullet 4 lbs
