The Leghorn chicken had its origin from Italy, Denmark and England. They were admitted to the American Standard of Perfection in 1874 for its characteristics of hardiness, rate-of-lay, and small appetite. White leghorns are good layers of white eggs, laying an average of 280 per year and sometimes reaching 300–320. Their feed-to-egg conversion ratio is excellent, needing just 125 grams of feed per day. The Leghorn, with its lively disposition, long flowing curves, and long flowing tail is picture perfect. The Leghorn has relatively large comb and wattles.

Chickens must be fed properly for them to live long, healthy lives and for producing nutritious eggs. A suitable sized regulator disc is helpful when feeding these chickens. The 1/4-inch regulator disc from PECk-O-MATIC Automatic Chicken Feeder can be used when millet or milo constitutes the feed. For pellets, cracked corn or wheat, the appropriate size of the regulator disc would be 5/8-inch. It is important to include correct nutrients, vitamins and minerals in their diet.

Broodiness is not a characteristic of this breed and hence, it is well suited for uninterrupted egg laying. It is not considered a suitable meat producer. This chicken breed is suitable for free-range chicken farming. On range, they are impressive foragers and small eaters. Its high rate of egg production, high level of fertility, hardiness, and vigor won this breed its popularity.

An interesting fact about this breed is that the heaviest egg reported to have been laid by a hen is one of 454 g (16 oz), with a double yolk and double shell, laid by a White Leghorn at Vineland, New Jersey, USA, on 25 February 1956. Another interesting fact is that the record for egg laying belongs to a white leghorn that laid 371 eggs in 364 days.