The Legbar Thread!

[ChicKat]

Here are my thoughts on the subject.

The 'S' shaped "wickel comb' is appropriate for Sulmtalers. Why would the USA change the Cream Legbar to a Wickel comb? Just because Sulmtalers have them? No no no !!

To keep the CL as is would be my strong preference. It is nice that the CL comb can be gracefully flopped, and even nicer that it isn't required to flop or wiggle -- cause know what folks? Your females with smallish straight non-flopped combs are going to be more likely to provide you with roosters with straight combs (Got that from a Genetics expert!!! but it is also common sense)--

Want a neat straight comb on your rooster that has 6 points? Find a neat straight combed CL hen that has 6 points, find a rooster that has a straight comb with 6 points -- pair them -- wait 21-days to see if you get some baby boys.... grow them out -- rinse and repeat.

 

[GaryDean26]

ALL of the Cream Legbars Evaluated at the Regional Club activity in California had the "S" shaped comb. It looked to me like the Sumtalers and Pyncheons did too which made me believe that from a "structural" stand point that a Cream Legbar would need to have an "S" comb to be build correctly with a Crest even though the Silver and Gold varieties do not since they lack the crest. It looks to me like Tim has said that he had never breed a single combed bird that didn't have this "wickel" comb.

Tim:

I also have heard from breeders in the UK who said they are not concerned about "S" shaped comb and have stated they breed them with indiscretion (be it right or wrong).

BUT, it also sounds like it may be possible to breed a CLB without the "S" shaped comb. I need others to confirm his though since I am not clear on this.

The question is 1) can/should a Single Combed Crested breed with a single comb be breed to the same standard as a non-crested single combed breed (i.e. Leghorn) as listed in the current Draft SOP and 2) What state is the Current North American CLB stock in with regards to the comb shape on our Cream Legbars?

 

[lonnyandrinda]

Him if we dry out later this week and I find my camera battery I will have to do some photos to look at combs more closely. Most of my hens have fairly straight combs with no flop but I seem to remember most also have the little S wiggle at the front even though they don't flop.

 

[ChicKat]

Would you like me to set up an on-line survey on line so people could weigh-in and it would be tabulated - regarding the true S comb? A bit of a wave isn't usually considered a wickel. Perhaps there is a direct correlation between the size of the females CREST and the amount of wiggle in the Comb............

 

[Flaming Chicken]

Would you like me to set up an on-line survey on line so people could weigh-in and it would be tabulated - regarding the true S comb? A bit of a wave isn't usually considered a wickel. Perhaps there is a direct correlation between the size of the females CREST and the amount of wiggle in the Comb............

Here are my girls. Is this a wave? Or an s comb? they all have it.

Carol

 

[Junibutt]

Here are my girls. Is this a wave? Or an s comb? they all have it.

Carol

@Flaming Chicken we can't zoom into the picture you posted (atleast I can't). Can you kindly repost it as large? @ChicKat can you kindly post some pictures of an S comb versus a wave in the comb. Thanks for your help in advance!

 

[Flaming Chicken]

@Flaming Chicken we can't zoom into the picture you posted (atleast I can't). Can you kindly repost it as large? @ChicKat can you kindly post some pictures of an S comb versus a wave in the comb. Thanks for your help in advance!

Here is as big as it will let me post.

 

[KPenley]

I'm not sure if this answers anyone's questions, but it looks like the Sulmtaler only considers the female to have a wickle comb. From British Poultry Standards, pg 282, Sulmtaler shape sections male head, "Comb straight, single, upright, medium size with a tendency to fly away, evenly serrated but not too deep." And the female summary, "...the hen has a finely serrated comb often called in German a 'Wickle' or 'S' shape: a comb of which the front part falls to one side and back to the other side (irregular). "

So the wickle comb descriptions are different than the descriptions of the Cream Legbar, and I do not think that they really consider the small twist at the anterior end the same as a wickle. All large straight combed breeds will have the small twist due to size entirely, even without a crest, as you can see in the APA SOP Leghorn comb figures. But I have seen hens, and even a couple of roosters with a comb that matches the wickle description, so I understand where the questions are coming from. Does anyone else still have offspring from GFF line A (perhaps red) or B (perhaps yellow)?

I find these pretty straight.

Whereas some the later hens seemed to have more of a wickle shape.

I do think it is possible to get very straight combs, especially from the hens, with crests. But the anterior twist/fold will be there in the cock especially if the comb is the correct large size. This is actually our next/current topic in standards committee, as to whether the anterior fold needs to be added to the standard or whether it is just assumed correct due to size.

 

[ChicKat]

My rooster ICE is from the Yellow line from GFF.

 

[ChicKat]

Here is as big as it will let me post.

Thanks for reposting!!!! It is interesting how very tidy the crests are on your chickens- which BTW I think are beautiful hens...I like their combs and crests and I think interestingly the one with the most wave in the comb is the one at the far left of the photo who also seems to have the largest crest. To my eye, I wouldn't say that the combs are wickel whoops wickle - Thanks KP....

BTW - I think that the center hen facing left is an excellent example of a salmon breast too.... I'll see if I can round up some wickles.... And I think that maybe CJ waldon has a hen with a perfect S although that hen is not a Sulmtaler....The pict. is in her avatar.