Cream Legbar

[erzulieloo]

Hi.

I've got a small, mixed flock and have been keeping chickens for about six years. Last November, I added a Cream Legbar (she came from My Pet Chicken) and she's been fun and interesting to say the least. She's very curious, seems pretty darn smart and is one of the most "adventurous" birds I've raised. She loves to get herself up high someplace and jump down, which led to a slight injury several months ago. I was really afraid something else was wrong at the time (like Mareks) so I took her to an avian vet to have her checked out. They told me they felt it was an injury and we cared for her the way they suggested and she came out just fine and hasn't had any other problems. At that time, however, the vet said in passing that the xray of her internal organs looked more like a chicken who was much younger than this one was. Immature. I thought it was a strange comment but that was the most she could say about it so I tried to let it go.

So here we are today and Blu is 44 weeks old. She's just started laying this week - two eggs in three days - and both have had a little smear of blood on them and both have been bigger than I'd have expected for "first eggs" so I'm assuming the blood is because she's new at this. I've heard that this sometimes happens with the first few eggs a hen lays so I'm just keeping an eye on her to make sure it passes and that she's doing okay.

The other two who were hatched at the same time and who came in the same shipment are different breeds (a lavender orpington and a blue favaucana) and have been laying for a few months without any troubles. They started right at the age most do. All eat the same feed and get the same treats and live in the same conditions. I have two older chickens who lay regularly as well. Blu has been doing the squatting and has had the red comb and wattle for months without any eggs. I guess the reason I'm posting is I'm wondering if anyone else has had a chicken delay laying till this late when you can't say it was related to diet or stresses or illness. Could it be a breed thing? I don't know anyone with Cream Legbars so I don't know anything practical about the particular breed.

Mostly just curious but any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks!

 

[Frazzemrat1]

A couple of my chickens took that long to start laying, but at the time it was because they came to laying age in the coldest part of winter. It could be that where you are in Fl is uncomfortably hot for her, so she started late. It could be that she may slow or stop laying in the deepest part of summer.

 

[Chickem707]

Mine are real characters too! As chicks they loved jumping on my head if i sat down. I spoke to my friend i got them from, and he said they’re due to lay this October! (My first ever eggs!) I’ll give another update then if you’d like

 

[KenworthToyMan]

I’ve got four 10 week cream legbar (1st time with the breed) so I don’t know about laying times. But there is a thread on here that is devoted to cream legbars and seems to have many breeders that watch and post to it. You may want to repost you question there.
I think this is the link to that thread
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/cream-legbars.509483/page-1184

 

[KenworthToyMan]

Hi.

I've got a small, mixed flock and have been keeping chickens for about six years. Last November, I added a Cream Legbar (she came from My Pet Chicken) and she's been fun and interesting to say the least. She's very curious, seems pretty darn smart and is one of the most "adventurous" birds I've raised. She loves to get herself up high someplace and jump down, which led to a slight injury several months ago. I was really afraid something else was wrong at the time (like Mareks) so I took her to an avian vet to have her checked out. They told me they felt it was an injury and we cared for her the way they suggested and she came out just fine and hasn't had any other problems. At that time, however, the vet said in passing that the xray of her internal organs looked more like a chicken who was much younger than this one was. Immature. I thought it was a strange comment but that was the most she could say about it so I tried to let it go.

So here we are today and Blu is 44 weeks old. She's just started laying this week - two eggs in three days - and both have had a little smear of blood on them and both have been bigger than I'd have expected for "first eggs" so I'm assuming the blood is because she's new at this. I've heard that this sometimes happens with the first few eggs a hen lays so I'm just keeping an eye on her to make sure it passes and that she's doing okay.

The other two who were hatched at the same time and who came in the same shipment are different breeds (a lavender orpington and a blue favaucana) and have been laying for a few months without any troubles. They started right at the age most do. All eat the same feed and get the same treats and live in the same conditions. I have two older chickens who lay regularly as well. Blu has been doing the squatting and has had the red comb and wattle for months without any eggs. I guess the reason I'm posting is I'm wondering if anyone else has had a chicken delay laying till this late when you can't say it was related to diet or stresses or illness. Could it be a breed thing? I don't know anyone with Cream Legbars so I don't know anything practical about the particular breed.

Mostly just curious but any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks!

???? bantambird , or duluthralphie might be able to help?

 

[GaryDean26]

Hi.

I guess the reason I'm posting is I'm wondering if anyone else has had a chicken delay laying till this late when you can't say it was related to diet or stresses or illness. Could it be a breed thing? I don't know anyone with Cream Legbars so I don't know anything practical about the particular breed.

Mostly just curious but any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks!

I know I have had some skip their first winter and start to lay at the beginning of the year with all the hens who are coming off molts so assuming they were hatching in April and start laying in January they would be in the 44 week range. My first Legbars would all start laying at about 24 weeks old +/- a week or so. If they are delayed past 30 weeks I would be suspicious of a respiratory or other illness. Her fall from a high place could have stressed her enough to delay layings. She is probably fine. Yes, we always see the red steaks on first eggs, and yes the older the hen is when she started to lay the larger the first egg will be. Eggs typically are not evaluated until the hen has been laying for a month. Watch her for a few weeks and see whow she does.

 

[erzulieloo]

I know I have had some skip their first winter and start to lay at the beginning of the year with all the hens who are coming off molts so assuming they were hatching in April and start laying in January they would be in the 44 week range. My first Legbars would all start laying at about 24 weeks old +/- a week or so. If they are delayed past 30 weeks I would be suspicious of a respiratory or other illness. Her fall from a high place could have stressed her enough to delay layings. She is probably fine. Yes, we always see the red steaks on first eggs, and yes the older the hen is when she started to lay the larger the first egg will be. Eggs typically are not evaluated until the hen has been laying for a month. Watch her for a few weeks and see whow she does.

you know, i didn't consider the stress of the fall. thank you SO much! it was at about the "right" time to have thrown her off, so to speak, and she spent almost a week in my house away from her flock and then had to be re-introduced along with all the "who the heck are you" pecks that went with it. she was definitely stressed out for a time. thanks for this!!

 

[erzulieloo]

I’ve got four 10 week cream legbar (1st time with the breed) so I don’t know about laying times. But there is a thread on here that is devoted to cream legbars and seems to have many breeders that watch and post to it. You may want to repost you question there.
I think this is the link to that thread
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/cream-legbars.509483/page-1184

appreciate this!!!

 

[erzulieloo]

Mine are real characters too! As chicks they loved jumping on my head if i sat down. I spoke to my friend i got them from, and he said they’re due to lay this October! (My first ever eggs!) I’ll give another update then if you’d likeView attachment 1530410 View attachment 1530411 View attachment 1530413 View attachment 1530412

thank you so much! they are the coolest looking girls, right?

 

[erzulieloo]

A couple of my chickens took that long to start laying, but at the time it was because they came to laying age in the coldest part of winter. It could be that where you are in Fl is uncomfortably hot for her, so she started late. It could be that she may slow or stop laying in the deepest part of summer.

i hadn't considered this and i think you've made a wonderful point. she didn't care for the heat at all when we went into full summer, and in fact she's the reason i bought a mister for the worst days. thank you!! very helpful!!