Calling All Legbar Owners!

[mchickies]

Hi Everyone! So, a little backstory first; I already have a flock of exclusively Barred Rocks + one fiesty Roo-Roo. The hens are super sweet & friendly, like being held, and are well-loved and spoiled pets. Only two of them are skittish (don't like being picked up), and even they are total sweethearts. They're completely free-ranged on 5 acres with tons of shade, dust-bathing spots, and greens to eat (so no chance of boredom). Now, I'm planning on buying some female Crested Cream Legbar chicks locally, sometime later this year, but I'm not sure how their temperament will be. I mean, I'd love them either way but I'd like to know what the general consensus is. I've heard they can be skittish and unfriendly, but I've also heard that about BRs and, in my experience, if you give them lot's of love (and food ) they're total puppy dogs! So, what's the take on it? Are they cuckoo for cocoa puffs? Or cuddlebugs?

Also, while we're at it...any other suggestions for a friendly, auto-sexing breed. NOT sex-links...I won't be dealing with any kind of reproductive stuff again...

 

[TillyPeeps]

I had two legbars. Both were very skittish. However, I also have/had two olive eggers who are half legbar and super sweet lap chickens. I guess it depends on the individual chicken. For a friendly, auto-sexing breed, bielefieder is the one! They are just big teddy bears!

 

[Iluveggers]

Bielefelder or Niedderheiner are supposedly very friendly & docile!

 

[HaikuHeritageFarm]

Hi Everyone! So, a little backstory first; I already have a flock of exclusively Barred Rocks + one fiesty Roo-Roo. The hens are super sweet & friendly, like being held, and are well-loved and spoiled pets. Only two of them are skittish (don't like being picked up), and even they are total sweethearts. They're completely free-ranged on 5 acres with tons of shade, dust-bathing spots, and greens to eat (so no chance of boredom). Now, I'm planning on buying some female Crested Cream Legbar chicks locally, sometime later this year, but I'm not sure how their temperament will be. I mean, I'd love them either way but I'd like to know what the general consensus is. I've heard they can be skittish and unfriendly, but I've also heard that about BRs and, in my experience, if you give them lot's of love (and food ) they're total puppy dogs! So, what's the take on it? Are they cuckoo for cocoa puffs? Or cuddlebugs?

Also, while we're at it...any other suggestions for a friendly, auto-sexing breed. NOT sex-links...I won't be dealing with any kind of reproductive stuff again...

Mine are totally chill. They're fun, inquisitive, industrious birds, great foragers, less likely to roost in the trees than my leghorns, never had an aggressive cock.

Your mileage may vary, however. There's a huge range of legbars out there with a vast array of differences in all of the traits. They have a long way to go before they're stabilized and consistent in the US.

 

[HensInTheForest]

Aw! I love a lap chicken ! Yours sound just like my babies; they love to see what I'm up to and hang out with me. Where did you get your chicks? Just curious...

First flock owner I went to my local feed store which is family owned for many years. Very knowledgeable staff, huge breed list and better care of the chicks than your TSC type places. They won't sell for 48 hours after receiving to give them drench, observe, and a good start pulling aside any who may need extra care to one of their barns set up for grow outs etc. All they do is poultry ducks and a few rabbits.

It was my best option to grab just a few of the many breeds (9!) we wanted to try out without the uncertainty of shipping chicks our first time. Plus getting the hatchery calendar to line up to ship out our list the same hatch week seemed really difficult.

For what we needed it was a good fit.

They are great healthy birds no complaints.

 

[mchickies]

I had two legbars. Both were very skittish. However, I also have/had two olive eggers who are half legbar and super sweet lap chickens. I guess it depends on the individual chicken. For a friendly, auto-sexing breed, bielefieder is the one! They are just big teddy bears!

Thank-you so much! I must've missed the Bielefelders because they look so much like Welbars.

 

[TillyPeeps]

You've owned both Bielefelder & Welbar, right? Are Bielefelders particularly broody?

My Bielefelder was not broody at all, but she wasn't with me for many years. One of my Welbar went broody one time in 2.5years, but she gave up very quickly. The other Welbar never went broody.

 

[BlueBaby]

You've owned both Bielefelder & Welbar, right? Are Bielefelders particularly broody?

I've had 2 of my Bielefelder girl's go broody on me already. I broke them of it, because when I decide that I want chick's I hatch them in an incubator.

 

[HensInTheForest]

In April we brought home 3 of these as chicks.

They are good layers, not bossy with others and very sweet chickens. Ours grew out into 3 sizes which is funny so we have one large like an Orpington, one medium and one small body. The larger one keeps her distance but will settle down in your lap fine for a rest.

The other 2 love company and always pop into the coop when I am working, following me along the roost bars and watching. They prefer to sit with you when given the chance. We spent a ton of time with them tho and this may be the reason.

Happy with them they are calm, not loud at all and good layers. I don’t see them pecking other either. I would get them again I love these mint eggs. The larger hen lays very large eggs.

Hope that helps!

 

[mchickies]

In April we brought home 3 of these as chicks.

They are good layers, not bossy with others and very sweet chickens. Ours grew out into 3 sizes which is funny so we have one large like an Orpington, one medium and one small body. The larger one keeps her distance but will settle down in your lap fine for a rest.

The other 2 love company and always pop into the coop when I am working, following me along the roost bars and watching. They prefer to sit with you when given the chance. We spent a ton of time with them tho and this may be the reason.

Happy with them they are calm, not loud at all and good layers. I don’t see them pecking other either. I would get them again I love these mint eggs. The larger hen lays very large eggs.

Hope that helps!

Aw! I love a lap chicken ! Yours sound just like my babies; they love to see what I'm up to and hang out with me. Where did you get your chicks? Just curious...