The acute effect of leptin on the regulation of food intake was investigated in layer and broiler chickens. In an initial study, we observed that a single intraperitoneal injection of recombinant chicken leptin (1 mg/kg BW) dramatically reduced (38%) food intake in 56-day-old layer chickens, more moderately reduced (15%) food intake in 9-day-old layer chicks, and had no significant effect in 9-day-old broiler chicks. In a subsequent study, body weight and plasma concentrations of leptin were measured weekly in layer and broiler chicks from day 1 to 35 of age and brain leptin receptor and neuropeptide Y (NPY) mRNA expression were analyzed at 1, 9, and 35 days of age. At day 1 of age, peripheral concentrations of leptin were significantly greater in layer than broiler chicks. Subsequently, despite increases in body weight and differences in growth rates between layer and broiler chicks from day 8 to day 35 of age, peripheral concentrations of leptin were constant and similar in both genotypes. Leptin receptor and NPY mRNA were expressed in brain from day 1 in chicks of both genotypes and increased significantly to day 35 of age. These observations provide evidence that the inhibitory effect of leptin on the regulation of food intake in growing chicks is an age dependent process. Furthermore, acquisition of the anorectic effect of leptin is likely to be associated with greater expression of the leptin receptor and NPY mRNAs than to changes in blood levels of leptin. Finally, this study provides evidence that chickens selected for high growth rates may be less sensitive or responsive to peripheral concentrations of leptin than chickens with low growth rates (layers), suggesting that the faster growth of broiler chicks may be related to a lessened responsiveness to anorexigenic factors.