Breed Spotlight: Exchequer Leghorn
When most people hear the name Leghorn, they immediately think about White Leghorn chickens, which is the variety of Leghorn that has been around for ages and is also heavily used in the commercial egg production industry. Did you know that there are other varieties of Leghorn that also have wonderful production of white eggs?
Today we would like to share with you more about a variety of Leghorn called Exchequer.
Exchequer pronunciation is eks·cheh·kr or ex-checker.
History
Exchequers were developed by a Scottish Breeder named Robert Miller back in 1904. While Leghorns started out in Italy, the Exchequers got their start in Scotland. The breed was developed for the purpose of good egg laying abilities, but with more of a checkered appearance to the feathering. The name Exchequer comes from the British word for taxation. Some say that the name for this particular breed stems from the additional taxes that one would be paying for the income that stemmed from selling a high number of eggs. The coloring assists in reducing attention from predators as it does not stand out as boldly as a solid white chicken.
Reasons To Love The Exchequer!
Hens will weigh approximately 3.5 lbs when fully grown while the roosters will weigh approximately 5 lbs. This lighter size means that they are economical. They will thrive on smaller amounts of feed, making each egg cheaper compared to large, heavy breeds.
One of the younger maturing breeds of chickens. Eggs should start arriving a little after 17 weeks of age. While rates will vary depending on variables such as diet, and time of the year, Exchequers will lay around 3-5 medium-sized, white eggs each week.
This breed is hardy in all climates, though it is important to take into consideration the potential for frostbite on the comb. You can learn more about Frostbite here – Dealing with Frostbite In Your Flock.
Exchequers are a nice active breed that are great at foraging. They are considered a non-setter, which means they are not likely to go broody. Broody is the term used for a chicken that ceases laying eggs while sitting on a nest of eggs to hatch them out.
Looking for something new that is economical to feed while supplying you with ample white eggs? Give the Exchequer Leghorn a try! You can find more about them here Exchequer Leghorn
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Exchequer actually means ‘chequered’ – like a chess board, and the pattern of the feathers is a bit like a chess board (or chequers board). The tax joke still works, though – the medieval Exchequer, which handled taxes, and originated the name and role of Chancellor of the Exchequer (senior politician for taxation & fiscal policy), is named after a checked counting table.