Cream Legbars

[rottlady]

Here is Small hen at 7 weeks watching the dog play ball hoping she gets close enough to peck LOL

 

[Bantambird]

These are 3 different eggs from 3 different hens. I dragged out the scale after getting curious about some saying certain legbar lines have dinky eggs. I don't think mine are dinky at all! But I have noticed a number of hens lay thin shelled eggs, and a few have very rough or bumpy shells every day :/ .
How many have shell gland problems in your experience?

 

[rottlady]

very nice egg size. 50+ grams is what all the breed descriptions I have read say, I have been surprised at the small size some are getting (and the green eggs)

 

[sol2go]

So talking about using hens with traits that make better cocks but might not win prizes themselves? I will admit i used this hen as the mother to my current cocks. So her crest may be a bit on the small side.

I'm a little late to this discussion, but I think ultimately breeding choices are about balancing out small aspects, not shooting for major swings in the breeding line. Otherwise the line won't be stable. But it is genetics, not an assembly line, and there will be variations that have to constantly be adjusted.

That having been said, I think most CL breeders stateside are still working to minimize the big impacts and get to the point that they can focus on fine tuning.

 

[sol2go]

Finally got a chance to get some halfway decent photos of the chicks. So here's the trio. They haven't been handled much so they were all a little spooky, but they calmed down pretty quick after a few minutes.

First up is Melanie. She's the darkest and has the biggest crest.


Next is Guinevere (aka Gwen). She does have a tiny crest. It only consists of a few feathers and is hard to see in the pics but it is there.



And last but not least, Arthur. This little man has got lots of spunk and personality.

The cockerel's nice crest vs Gwen's barely there? crest, reminds me of guys that get the great eyelashes much to their sisters dismay.

 

[sol2go]

Was able to get a half way decent photo of Melanie this morning with her tail up. She has a tendency to tuck it down when she's nervous. She's definitely the loudest and most vocal of the three.

She appears to have very good tail angle, one of those things that is good to introduce to a breeding program.

 

[sol2go]

Here is Small hen at 7 weeks watching the dog play ball hoping she gets close enough to peck LOL

haha =)

 

[sol2go]

These are 3 different eggs from 3 different hens. I dragged out the scale after getting curious about some saying certain legbar lines have dinky eggs. I don't think mine are dinky at all! But I have noticed a number of hens lay thin shelled eggs, and a few have very rough or bumpy shells every day

.
How many have shell gland problems in your experience?

My CL flocks tend to lay about 65 grams, some smaller, some larger. I try to breed with the largest egg layers to keep that in the mix. Your 70 plus is a nice size!
I have noticed some with the thin shells, others rough/bumpy. The rough/bumpy seems to be specific to certain hens, so I don't think it is specifically diet related. Mine have free choice oyster shell, a layer pellet with calcium and they free range so there are plenty of bugs. Not sure why some seem to have the thin shells.

I had a very large mixed breed pullet (not CL) start out laying 100 gram plus eggs, e-normous. After awhile the shells thinned out, then she was laying with no shells just the membrane holding everything together. Eventually she resumed laying nicely shelled eggs that are 80 grams plus. So?

What are your thoughts?

 

[Lucky Lemon]

My little injured cream legbar (mixed?) chick has made a complete recovery! YAY! Here she (thinking HE now, given the redness of that comb and not even 3 weeks old yet) is standing on both legs again!

 

[mellcrowl]

The cockerel's nice crest vs Gwen's barely there? crest, reminds me of guys that get the great eyelashes much to their sisters dismay.

Oh my, yes! Sometimes Gwen looks like she does have a crest, other times no. After feeding this morning I'm leaning towards not again :/ Either way I don't doubt Arthur will share the love with his offspring in terms of crest. I wouldn't be surprised at all if he's homozygous (double gene) for cresting.