Cream Legbars

[ChicKat]

In the UK, the Gold Legbar is uncrested and lays white eggs. It was an ancestor to the Cream Legbar. There is growing support over here in the USA for a crested blue egg laying Legbar with Gold Legbar coloring. There is some debate over what the variety name will be called.
Yes Pinkaboo, my little CLs have been very bouncy too lol

Superclucker, it's totally up yo you, but I like to use grower with whole grains mixed in (BOSS, oats, wild bird seed, calf manna).

x2 on all the above--(Lol except the coloration question perhaps)

Pinkaboo - I love the kangaroo analogy...I have some now that are just 3 1/2 weeks now - for the most part fully feathered....just wait until they find out they can fly---they will get as high as they can -- then jump down on a sister or their brother - fly up the edge of the rabbit hutch they are in when I open the roof and look for adventure.
Welcome to BYC
chick starter-->starter grower--> layer is the recommended progression. My chickens treat layer like it is cardboard and keep looking me and asking where their feed is.

If I have chicks with a broody hen, I don't use chick starter in that pen, but, I put in the all flock type feed in crumbles. And lately once they get to be 3-weeks and the chick starter feed bag runs out, I switch them directly to all flock type feed. I feel that this is good for the roosters too .

Calcium always is available free choice in both oyster shells and their crushed eggshells. I wish I could still free range mine - but it is too wild and woolly here and they are too valuable to me...

In addition to turning up their beak at any layer feed I have presented them with - they also don't like poultry conditioner or calf manna from mana pro. My Isbars, however will definitely run over me for sprigs of green I offer them such as clover......

 

[sol2go]

see, that is exactly what I do NOT want... so maybe it's a good thing I've only got 2 pullets to the 3 cockerels. maybe one will turn out smart and friendly. LOL

I've only had sweet CL roosters, not a bit of aggression (unless you count over excitement when pecking treats out of my hand). I've recently hatched a CL roo from another line, so far he is fine too. I would say type and color is the bigger consideration with CL's for me.

 

[afreeman0405]

Congrats on your new CL's and mix! We lived in Fort Wainwright for 3 years while my husband was stationed there. Being Texans we were ready to leave the 9 months of winter behind...now we miss it like crazy!

That is why we are up here too! BUT mine wants to retire here, and made that choice before even getting her. We are originally from Kansas, so the adjustment to ne thunderstorms and wind is hard... along with the no daylight in winter/nighttime in summer.

 

[SuperClucker]

Uhh, Pinkaboo, I really, really don't want to be the newbie who comes off as a know-it-all just from lurking, but I don't think you have all pullets in that picture. The pullets look like chipmunks when they are a day old (as does Nugget in the photo. Lots of chipmunk stripes). I think you may have at least two boys there, maybe three.

*ducks down for flames*

*small voice* thanks for the welcome, everyone. I will make sure to add some additional grit to their diet. We are feeding lots of water-heavy fruits and veggies because this is Vegas and it is hot as Hades already.

 

[KPenley]

Uhh, Pinkaboo, I really, really don't want to be the newbie who comes off as a know-it-all just from lurking, but I don't think you have all pullets in that picture. The pullets look like chipmunks when they are a day old (as does Nugget in the photo. Lots of chipmunk stripes). I think you may have at least two boys there, maybe three.

*ducks down for flames*

*small voice* thanks for the welcome, everyone. I will make sure to add some additional grit to their diet. We are feeding lots of water-heavy fruits and veggies because this is Vegas and it is hot as Hades already.

No flames but FYI, not all pullets are dark at hatch but they should have clearly defined stripes and nice eyeliner preferably. In the UK not all of the cockerels have a dot on their head either, but they should have muted wild type coloring and be at least one to two shades lighter than their fellow pullets. From the pic you mentioned I would have guessed 1 cockerel and two pullets, but we have to remember that cameras can be deceiving too ( flash, natural lighting, angle, etc can change perspective a lot!).

 

[HaplessRunner]

@ki4got

I have raised over 20 cream legbar cockerels and have never had one become people aggressive. Most of mine, even when grown, will allow me to pick them up and rest in my hand while holding them. The one behavior for CLB cockerels that is different than other cockerels involves breeding. If one cockerel goes to hold a hen down to breed, other cockerels join in to help hold her down so that the breeding cockerel can get the job done. CLB cockerels will knock other breed cockerels off hens but not other CLB cockerels in my experience.

Feeds:

I use non-medicated chick starter for the first month. I have found that some CLBs are somewhat sensitive to thiamine deficiencies that ampuprollum cause resulting in curled toes and bad hips.

After the chick starter, I switch to meat bird crumbles until they are old enough to take meat bird pellets. This provides lots of protein for their growing bodies,both male and female. I also provide oyster shell and crushed egg shells free choice. This way the hens get the calcium they need and the cockerels/roosters do not get overdosed with calcium.

 

[ki4got]

@ki4got

I have raised over 20 cream legbar cockerels and have never had one become people aggressive. Most of mine, even when grown, will allow me to pick them up and rest in my hand while holding them. The one behavior for CLB cockerels that is different than other cockerels involves breeding. If one cockerel goes to hold a hen down to breed, other cockerels join in to help hold her down so that the breeding cockerel can get the job done. CLB cockerels will knock other breed cockerels off hens but not other CLB cockerels in my experience.

Feeds:

I use non-medicated chick starter for the first month. I have found that some CLBs are somewhat sensitive to thiamine deficiencies that ampuprollum cause resulting in curled toes and bad hips.

After the chick starter, I switch to meat bird crumbles until they are old enough to take meat bird pellets. This provides lots of protein for their growing bodies,both male and female. I also provide oyster shell and crushed egg shells free choice. This way the hens get the calcium they need and the cockerels/roosters do not get overdosed with calcium.

Thanks Tony for your input too... if I end up with a monster i'll hit you up for an extra boy.

might just anyways, since these are related to the pullets. I hate breeding that close (as you can probably guess from the sfh too LOL)

as for the thiamine deficiencies, I see that in several breeds, but especially in the SFH, so it's good to know on the ccl too.

I also feed a starter mash and switch to a meat bird pellet when they're big enough to eat the pellets. I usually put both out at the same time right now, using a small dog crate as my feeder. the adults can get their heads in to peck the pellets and the broody babies can go between the wires and get all the mash they want. the adults don't tend to take that as much since the pellets are in there too. I have a spot in the yard I keep oyster shell and egg shells for the free rangers. my breeding pens get a combination of layer and rooster pellets with free choice oyster shell too. I found that they weren't getting enough calcium when I offered just the rooster pellets and oyster shell.

 

[HaplessRunner]

Thanks Tony for your input too... if I end up with a monster i'll hit you up for an extra boy.

might just anyways, since these are related to the pullets. I hate breeding that close (as you can probably guess from the sfh too LOL)

as for the thiamine deficiencies, I see that in several breeds, but especially in the SFH, so it's good to know on the ccl too.

I also feed a starter mash and switch to a meat bird pellet when they're big enough to eat the pellets. I usually put both out at the same time right now, using a small dog crate as my feeder. the adults can get their heads in to peck the pellets and the broody babies can go between the wires and get all the mash they want. the adults don't tend to take that as much since the pellets are in there too. I have a spot in the yard I keep oyster shell and egg shells for the free rangers. my breeding pens get a combination of layer and rooster pellets with free choice oyster shell too. I found that they weren't getting enough calcium when I offered just the rooster pellets and oyster shell.

No problem. Now that I have a true cream boy, I have plenty of other extra boys. if they do not sell, some of them will be caponized.

 

[sol2go]

Thanks Tony for your input too... if I end up with a monster i'll hit you up for an extra boy.

might just anyways, since these are related to the pullets. I hate breeding that close (as you can probably guess from the sfh too LOL)

as for the thiamine deficiencies, I see that in several breeds, but especially in the SFH, so it's good to know on the ccl too.

I also feed a starter mash and switch to a meat bird pellet when they're big enough to eat the pellets. I usually put both out at the same time right now, using a small dog crate as my feeder. the adults can get their heads in to peck the pellets and the broody babies can go between the wires and get all the mash they want. the adults don't tend to take that as much since the pellets are in there too. I have a spot in the yard I keep oyster shell and egg shells for the free rangers. my breeding pens get a combination of layer and rooster pellets with free choice oyster shell too. I found that they weren't getting enough calcium when I offered just the rooster pellets and oyster shell.

I haven't seen the thiamine deficiencies with medicated chick starter mash/grower as HaplessRunner described. I do supplement with dried mealworms and after a couple of months my flock free-ranges. I'm not sure what makes a difference but am interested in hearing from others. I am aware of iron-free baby vitamins as an option, but haven't tried them.

I enjoy reading how everyone has success in different ways. My feeding options/methods are most similar to ki4got. If I offered whole grains as the main meal like KPenley, it would all end up on the floor because they flick it around. So unlike ChicKat, I stick with very bland looking pellets in the feeders, which they eat well and don't waste.

Whole grains are a treat, or maybe a watermelon or a bucket of kale or swiss chard. On a hot day I rummage through my freezer and pull out some old bags of frozen fruits and veggies for snacks. Right now everyone is eating plums which are raining down off the trees.

I think alot of people like to feed them plain yogurt, which I also mix with grains. Does anyone prefer probiotic additives to yogurt?

I admire people who can feed their chickens fermented feed with confidence, that must come with lots of practice.

 

[ChicKat]

Hi Sol2go et al,

Like you, I haven't seen thiamine or any other deficiencies, to date, no curled toes, crooked toes, displaced anything or bad hips....just healthy hooligans. LOL when I first started a couple of years ago, I did everything by the letter of the book -- 'leave in the incubator for the first 24-hours' - 'feed chick starter til 8-weeks, then switch to grower, then layer as they begin laying'. I guess you have them a while and you learn things that work for your flock management that aren't in the books. or that your flock is a bit different from the established wisdom.

just like Sol2go - I find it fascinating how others manage their flocks......