Cream Legbar Roo

[jerseycat]

Hi fellow chicken lovers! I have a young 6 week) Cream Legbar Roo. I was just wondering the "general" temperment of this breeds roos?

 

[sylviethecochin]

https://chickenaddictsanonymous.weebly.com/cream-legbar.html

According to this site, the roosters are temperamental.

Other sites have confirmed, adding "especially during the breeding season," and "especially before maturity."

I've never owned any, but I'd keep an eye on him.

 

[Ducksandchickens]

https://chickenaddictsanonymous.weebly.com/cream-legbar.html

According to this site, the roosters are temperamental.

Other sites have confirmed, adding "especially during the breeding season," and "especially before maturity."

I've never owned any, but I'd keep an eye on him.

X2 I’ve never had Roos but I know they can be mean sometimes

 

[The Moonshiner]

I've had about 30 different ones and never thought they were bad.
Had a few that didn't want to get along with other roosters in smaller spaces but had breeding pens many times with two or three together without issues.
IMO there's many factors that come into play with a roosters temperment.
I've found breed has little to do with it in most cases.

 

[jerseycat]

Thank you all.

Moonshiner, what do you think the biggest factors are?

 

[The Moonshiner]

Thank you all.

Moonshiner, what do you think the biggest factors are?

How you interact with them. Especially when they're young.
And how much space they have are probably the biggest two.
I get away with some things others say you can't and I believe those two things are why I do.

 

[GaryDean26]

Cream Legbars are chickens and I think that you will find that the rooster temperament for a Legbar is about the same as 90% of the other backyard chickens you can find.

Legbars are bred for family flocks and most breeders will cull any cockerel that shows any human aggression. It is rare to find bad temperment birds in that type of a flock. You have to be careful of hatcheries that are breeding flocks of 200+ hens with dozens of cockerels in a single flock. That type of breeding plan favors aggressive cockerels because the more gentile and submissive cockerel don't get to breed when there are more dominant cockerels present.

We have worked with many different back yard breed. Every breed can have cockerels with bad temperaments and cockerels with sweet temperaments. I am convinced that temperament is NOT breed specific in the majority of backyard breeds but that the way the flock is managed and bred does make a big difference.

We got Basque Hens in 2012 because we were told they were the most friendly chicken in the world and that both the cockerels and the hens had a reputation for wonderful temperaments. They sounded perfect for my wife and for young children. Well...about the most human aggressive cockerel that I have ever owned (and that is in the range of several hundred) was one of the first two Basque cockerels we worked with. So...pay more attention to the source of the birds and less attention to the breed. Our first year with Legbars about half of our cockerels were jerks. My Legbar breeding mentor told me about how she had the same problem with cockerels when she had started with the breed 6 years before us but that she had been able to eliminate it from your flock through selection. We followed her advise and by working away from any bird with bad temperament we have seen the same results as she did. I have no problem at all with my 3 year old collecting eggs. She might pick up a hen right in front of the cock bird and the squawking struggling hen doesn't ruffle his feathers at all. We have been breeding them for over 6 years and our Cream Legbar cockerels are a perfect temperament for our family.

 

[BCLegbar]

I have Cream Legbars and my Rooster had become aggressive towards me recently. I found dumping water on him to work and a few other suggestions from others here (stick, walking as if he doesn't exist). I had also read that they can become aggressive and mine is. He has settled down to micromanaging the hens and is leaving me alone for the moment.

 

[ZurcherFarms]

I have two in a 5x12 coop with 10 other roosters (mostly marans, Bielefelder, and Ice Cream Bar) They are about 4 months old and have never been aggressive to me or my family. Occasionally they put the other younger roosters in their place and are both in the upper third of the group for dominance. I'll be putting them in with my hens soon, so we'll see if anything changes. But I agree that it's all in the breeding program they came from.

 

[SiriusChicken]

My Cream Legbar rooster got aggressive after 6 mo, only when he’s jealous of me feeding or visiting with the hens, especially his best friend from babyhood. He’s 10.5 mo old now & I still have to remind him often with mom-tone warnings & if he’s persistent then some scruff grabbing & feather pulling until he runs & then a bit of chasing & scolding, then he’s respectful again for awhile. Water worked also but can’t do it on cold days. (forced cuddles didbtveork, he likes it & slapping & throwing him only made him more aggressive). I suppose each rooster is different. We’ve reached a balance with a few regular reminders.

He’s very intelligent & learns quickly & he’s empathetic to the hens. He’s sweet as a baby during cuddles but he has strong instincts & he’s super protective of the hens. I can’t get rid of him because I imprinted on him as much as he imprinted on me when he hatched. He rode on my shoulder & slept in my lap. He still enjoys rocking in the hammock with me. My chickens are free range & he’s super alert & watchful & scares off predators. So I need him even if he’s high maintenance.

And now I’m about to have 6 crossbreeds chicks from him & my silver Laced & Gold Laced Orpingtons. He checks in on the mommy & offering her shavings, I haven’t moved her out of the chicken house yet.

He sometimes gets in a nest & coos & trills & then tries to call a hen in. He also finds them bugs & seeds & shares treats with all of them, & he makes sure no ones left behind & everyone gets in the chicken house before dark. The girls are mellow & take their time & it stresses him a bit, he worries a lot. I’d say he’s worth the work for the peace of mind he gives me watching over the hens. An apathetic gentle rooster wouldn’t do all that & my hens would be eaten.