Cream Legbars

[dretd]

Quote: Flaming Chicken: One of my friends had raccoons reach through chain link and grab her birds then pull the parts through the chain link. Pretty gruesome and for the coon easier than untying.

Steen: Sounds like you and I think a lot alike. I like to layer fencing just in case. Instead of a 2x6 base I have 6x6 landscape timbers all around the base perimeter then I have hardware cloth stapled to that. This is inside my fenced yard with my border collie guardian. On the areas where the coop abuts the yard fence I have horse or field fence (2x4 or graduated squares of 14 gauge knotted or welded wire--see photo below of just the horse fence) secured with horizontal 2x6's on the outside then hardware cloth or chicken wire on the inside to keep the chickens from going through the larger wire. The whole deal is topped off with the same heavy-duty field fence because we have these:

 

[Flaming Chicken]

I had heard about raccoons pulling chickens through fencing also. That is why we have the hardware cloth below. The hardware apron extends out about a foot and is covered with landscaping concrete blocks. We have welded wire from about 36-48 inches up and the whole thing is roofed over because we live in the northwest where it rains 9 months out of the year and our chickens were swimming in mud.

This is how we have ours set up.

Flaming Chicken: One of my friends had raccoons reach through chain link and grab her birds then pull the parts through the chain link. Pretty gruesome and for the coon easier than untying.

Steen: Sounds like you and I think a lot alike. I like to layer fencing just in case. Instead of a 2x6 base I have 6x6 landscape timbers all around the base perimeter then I have hardware cloth stapled to that. This is inside my fenced yard with my border collie guardian. On the areas where the coop abuts the yard fence I have horse or field fence (2x4 or graduated squares of 14 gauge knotted or welded wire--see photo below of just the horse fence) secured with horizontal 2x6's on the outside then hardware cloth or chicken wire on the inside to keep the chickens from going through the larger wire. The whole deal is topped off with the same heavy-duty field fence because we have these:

These owls are beautiful. We have those too, but I haven't seen the nests. Just heard them all calling to each other in the morning.

 

[ChicKat]

Thanks for the structural tips for keeping chickens safe and - dretd and Flaming Chicken -- 1 picture is worth 1,000 or maybe more words.

 

[dretd]

I had heard about raccoons pulling chickens through fencing also. That is why we have the hardware cloth below. The hardware apron extends out about a foot and is covered with landscaping concrete blocks. We have welded wire from about 36-48 inches up and the whole thing is roofed over because we live in the northwest where it rains 9 months out of the year and our chickens were swimming in mud.

This is how we have ours set up.


Quote: I like your set-up very much! I am jealous of your run! I have thought about a cover for my run, but we have chinook winds that can gust through and its not uncommon to get 80 mph gusts. Even blew in my bedroom window one year so I haven't put anything up like that since it would probably just blow off the next bad storm that came through. I have some cheap bamboo screens that shade and help but its not rain-proof.

The Great Horned Owls are about a mile from my house. So beautiful! I've seen the nest before but this is the first time I have seen owls in it--I think they stole it from some hawks. Last year I had a trio of boys I hatched and had them in a second pen without a topper under a tree. They started roosting in the tree at night and one night I heard a predator alarm call about midnight. I ran out as fast as I could and saw a shadow fly off silently. Next morning one of the boys had claw marks in his back where the owl had grabbed him and tried to carry him off. I ended up keeping that roo as a flock protector--he is very good at watching for predators when I free-range the girls!

 

[grannychicken54]

Hi am new to this thread and wondered about what the best points of the CCL were I have one set that was ordered from a BYC member had 4 of 7 hatch 1 male and 3 females the females all but 1 are developing crest pretty fast they are 7 weeks old the little male is already trying to crow I also hatched 2 of 6 from another BYC member 1 male and 1 female the second male has a cinammon color just alittle bit right at the front of his head the other male did not, is there a standard that tells what is best somewhere I would really be greatful for any advice from people who know as I do not Thanks

 

[lonnyandrinda]

It's really hard to tell until they grow out a little more. But we'd be glad to give you pointers if you will post some pictures!

Hope this isn't an information overload:

About now you should be able to start seeing if the girls have cream hackles or gold hackles (cream are correct). Crests seem to be fairly easy to breed back in so hang on to all the girls, even the one that doesn't have a crest yet. It may still grow in, too. Look for nice yellow legs and feet, and you want a male with a more erect straight comb (it will be several months before you know the full outcome of this feature). Tail angle about 45 degrees for the male and about 35 degrees for the female. Body shape is very important, too. Take a look at the club logo for an idea. It's not perfect but it gives you a good idea.



You can find lots of info and pictures on the SOP discussion thread and I will copy and paste the proposed SOP for the US (As of March 8, 2013):

SHAPE -- MALE​

Comb: Single; large, fine in texture, straight and upright, deeply and evenly serrated with six distinct points, extending well over the back of the head and following, without touching, the line of the head, free from side spikes, thumb-marks or twists.

Beak: Stout, point clear of the front of the comb, slightly curved.

Face: Smooth, skin fine in texture.

Eyes: Large, bright, and prominent. Round in appearance.

Wattles: Moderately long, thin, uniform in size, well rounded, free from folds or wrinkles. Skin soft.

Ear-lobes: Large, elongated oval, pendant, smooth and free from folds, equally matched in size and shape.

Crest: Small, well back from the eyes with narrow feathers falling off the back of the head to below the blade of the comb.

Head: Medium size, symmetrical, well balanced, and of fine quality.

Neck: Long and well covered with hackle feathers.

Back: Moderately broad at the shoulders, narrowing slightly toward the tail, long in length, flat, sloping slightly to the tail.

Saddle feathers—Abundant, long, and filling well in front of the tail.

Tail: Moderately full, carried at an angle of forty-five degrees above horizontal.
Main tail—feathers broad and overlapping.
Sickles—long and well curved.
Lesser Sickles and Coverts—long, of good width, nicely curved and abundant.

Wings: Large and carried close to the body without dropping.

Breast: Prominent, well-rounded, carried forward and upright.

Body and Fluff: Body moderately long, sloping to the tail, broad in front tapering slightly to the rear. Keel is of good length, following the line of the back. Feathers moderately long and close to the body.
Fluff—medium in length, moderately full.

Legs and Toes: Legs moderately long, straight when viewed from the front. Thighs are medium length.
Shanks round, strong, and free from feathers.
Toes—four, long, straight, and well-spread.

SHAPE -- FEMALE​

Comb: Single; large, fine in texture, erect or first point to stand erect and the remainder of the comb dropping gracefully to the side without obscuring the eyes, deeply and evenly serrated having six distinct points.

Beak: Stout, point clear of the front of the comb, slightly curved.

Face: Smooth, skin fine in texture.

Eyes: Large, bright, and prominent. Round in appearance.

Wattles: Medium in length, thin, uniform in size, well-rounded, free from folds or wrinkles. Skin soft.

Ear-lobes: Medium, elongated oval, pendant, smooth and free from folds, equally matched in size and shape.

Crest: Medium, affixed at the forefront of the skull on both sides of the base of the comb and running length of comb. Rising well in front so as not to obstruct the eyes, with feathers narrow and falling off the back of the head to below the blade of the comb.

Head: Medium size, symmetrical, well balanced, and of fine quality.

Neck: Long and well covered with hackle feathers.

Back: Moderately broad at the shoulders, long, with an even slope to the tail. Feathers moderately broad and of sufficient length to carry well up to tail.

Tail: Moderately long, carried at an angle of thirty-five degrees above horizontal.
Main tail—feathers broad and overlapping.
Coverts—broad and abundant, extending well onto main tail.

Wings: Large and carried close to the body without dropping.

Breast: Prominent, well-rounded, carried forward and upright.

Body and Fluff: Body moderately long, sloping to the tail, broad in front tapering slightly to the rear. Keel is of good length, following the line of the back. Feathers moderately long and close to the body.
Fluff—medium in length, moderately full.

Legs and Toes: Legs moderately long, straight when viewed from the front. Thighs are medium length. Shanks round, strong, and free from feathers.
Toes—four, long, straight, and well-spread.

COLOR -- MALE​

Comb, Face and Wattles: Bright Red.

Beak: Yellow.

Eyes: Reddish bay.

Ear-lobes: Enamel white.

Head: Plumage, cream and gray.

Crest: Cream and gray, some chestnut permissible.

Neck: Hackle—cream, sparsely barred with gray.
Shoulder—cream, barred with dark gray, some chestnut permissible.
Front of neck—same as breast.

Wings: Fronts and Bows—dark gray, faintly barred, some chestnut permissible.
Coverts—gray, barred, tipped in cream.
Primaries—dark gray, faintly barred, some white permissible.
Secondaries—dark gray, more clearly barred.

Back: Cream, barred with dark gray, some chestnut permissible.
Saddle—cream, barred with dark gray, edged in cream.

Tail: Main Tail—gray, evenly barred.
Sickle and Coverts—light gray, barred, some white feathers permissible.

Breast: Dark gray, evenly barred, well defined outline.

Body and Fluff: Silver-gray, indistinctly barred.

Legs and Toes: Yellow.

Under-Color of All Sections: Silver-gray.

COLOR -- FEMALE
​

Comb, Face, and Wattles: Bright red.

Beak: Yellow.

Eyes: Reddish bay.

Ear-lobes: Enamel white.

Head: Plumage, cream and gray.

Crest: Cream and gray, some chestnut permissible.
Neck: Hackle—cream, softly barred gray.
Front of neck—salmon.

Wings: Fronts, Bows and Coverts—silver-gray, faintly barred.
Primaries—gray, peppered.
Secondaries—gray, very faintly barred.

Back: Gray, softly barred.

Tail: Main Tail and Coverts—silver-gray, faintly barred.

Breast: Salmon, well defined in outline.

Body and Fluff: Silver-gray, indistinctly barred.

Legs and Toes: Yellow.

Under-Color of All Sections: Silver-gray.

 

[KPenley]

Hi am new to this thread and wondered about what the best points of the CCL were I have one set that was ordered from a BYC member had 4 of 7 hatch 1 male and 3 females the females all but 1 are developing crest pretty fast they are 7 weeks old the little male is already trying to crow I also hatched 2 of 6 from another BYC member 1 male and 1 female the second male has a cinammon color just alittle bit right at the front of his head the other male did not, is there a standard that tells what is best somewhere I would really be greatful for any advice from people who know as I do not Thanks

Welcome to Cream Legbars! The best points??? Autosexing, Blue Egg Laying, Crested and Cream! It seems like most people want them for the ability to tell the girls from the boys at hatch, and the blue eggs (vary from mint green to sky blue depending on parentage, feed, and time of laying season). We have release our first draft of the American proposed SOP. The completed one will not be available until our application goes in to the APA in about 4 years. Here is the thread where we presented the first draft (#1040). Have you joined the club yet? It's free for associate members (newsletters, name and city in membership list if desired, and Clubhouse participation) and $12/yr for Full members (associate benefits plus: voting, full detail listing available in the membership list, can run for leadership offices).
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/713115/cream-legbar-working-group-standard-of-perfection/1030

Update: Thanks Rinda!

 

[robnorman24]

Ok I have a question for everyone hatching CLB'S. so far I have hatched around 30 eggs over a couple of months. I have hatched only about 7 boys out of those 30. Has anyone else getting high pullet numbers when hatching?

 

[CibolaChooks]

What is horse fence? I want that.

horse fence is a 2 inch by 4 inch metal fence. the wire is 5 times thicker and stronger than normal fencing. My hands are big and strong and it still hurts my palms cutting it with the big wire cutters. the top and bottom wire i have use both hands and squeeze so hard to cut it. Its also way more expensive but i figure the things maid to keep horses and cows in has been strong enough to keep the predators out. Its confirmed held up against coyote and a bob cat although i also attribute allot of that deterrent to the 2by6 boards around my base. I have seen some crappy horse fence from Tractor supply. i like home depot horse fence the best.

 

[puglady]

Ok I have a question for everyone hatching CLB'S. so far I have hatched around 30 eggs over a couple of months. I have hatched only about 7 boys out of those 30. Has anyone else getting high pullet numbers when hatching?

Very lucky! I recently hatched a perfect quad however previously it was strongly on the roo side. One hatch was 8 boys, 1 girl!