Cream Legbars

[dretd]

 


Well, my average is still about 50/50. Agatha produced 4 pullets for me and Beatrix produced 3 cockerels and 1 pullet (this one got taken by a Coopers Hawk). So near 60% pullets on this hatch overall, but all girls from my hen that is the best layer both in terms of egg size and frequency. I did not keep track on parentage of the spring hatch so I don't know if this was random or if Agatha tends to produce more girls than expected on average. I will do selective hatching from her in the spring and see if the pullets continue. If so she is for sure a keeper in spite of her lack of crest!

sorry about the pullet taken by the coopers hawk, I think I remember that day...

Thank you for your kind thoughts. It's my fault for not covering the little pen sooner. Put up light weight bird netting over the top and that seems to have done the trick. Of course there were 5 pullets and 4 cockerels and it got a pullet!

The rascally Coopers Hawk was back out again today. We have a wild flock of banded doves that comes in to clean up missed scratch I throw out in the mornings. and it set it's sites on one. Freaked the chickens out for sure. Even the smaller hens are really too big for it but they were none too happy about its presence!

 

[dretd]

Here is a boy that is more melanized than ideal (solid black feathers in some of his secondary coverts). You can see he has what I would consider a normal amount of black in his hackles and his saddle is mostly cream barred with faint grey barring. I am gong to breed from him next year and see what he produces. He has really good type and so his wing color flaws are worth over looking.
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Here is a picture of the overly light boy I had mentioned:
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He has very little distinct barring on his breast. I really like his head has a reasonable body type and he is very nice/easy going so I was hoping to get some good girls to move forward. I wanted more color in his offspring and I guess I got what I wished for in spades! So Nicalandias hypothesis of some of the melanizers being hypostatic in males but not females could very well be true since his girls are all more melanized than their mother. Its blowing 30 mph winds today so brrrr I will go out and add in pictures of the chicks when the weather improves.

Got a group photo this morning of the 8 week olds. Both pullets facing the camera have some breast tipping. I think the one on the right will molt out of it but the one on the left is really dark and is the one I am most concerned about. She has cream hackles. (note: pay no mind to the roo at 9 o'clock, he is a CLxDark Brahma cross)

 

[dretd]

Quote:

 

[ChicKat]

nicalandia - thanks for the nice summaries on chick down, and E- genetics.

I agree with dretd that there maybe other genetics at work that aren't the ones the Punnett and Pease put into the breed. Infact, it is almost definite. Add to that, there are people in the USA that have already outcrossed their CLs - for some reason --- a group of olive-egg laying CLs appeared, which would be a definite indication that someone put a brown-egg layer in the mix that probably didn't come over from England. So really - it isn't a question of maybe, it has happened, and anyone can sell anything on eBay.

dretd- thanks for the documentation and careful observation that you are doing on the breed. The strategy that you cite
The good news is that with effort on the part of the breeders that are actually breeding towards the standard, the Cream Legbars are really coming along.
is exactly what needs to be followed along with really good record keeping!!!!!!! (did I say good record keeping?)

Regarding the person that said we should scrap our CLs - I have seen his CLs in a youTube video - and frankly - they aren't 'better' -- maybe he should scrap his and start over...LOL -

Okay -- apologies for being Snarky. I promise to quit right now for the whole rest of today.

A real word to the wise though,....eBay sellers, and things that seem to be unexplained if breeding was as it should be in the breed, and advice from some of the others (such as trash all your USA Cream Legbars)--- should all be taken with a grain of salt.

 

[nicalandia]

Are you really saying that you don't think Rhodebar males have headspots? The barring gene should work on them as well as any. I could even see it in my eb/e+,S/s, B/b Dark BrahmaxCL roo

Delawares (like Faverolles) are Wheaton but they are not a good example to use IMO becasue they carry Silver. I was under the impression that the Silver diluted the down to make what would be a reddish-buffy colored down it that yellowy color you are referring to.

I am not saying pure Rhodebars males lack headspots, they are an Autosexing breed after all... But 100% of all the F1s of Rhodebar x RIR(e+ from Rhodebar and eWh from RIR) dont show headspot, its weird as I was expecting to see even small ones.. and when I say 100% of those males I mean it, I am working with Ridge Farms on their Rhodebar improvement project and I have seen all of their F1s Hatches and none of their F1 males have shown a headspot while retaining their chipmunk striped chick down, I know its not what one would expect if you want to see the pics, just PM me as they are too many of these chics to post them here and I will be poluting the thread..


as far as pure Wheaten gold based Barred chicks? no they are still unsexable.. and the Euskal Oiloa is the proof of that

 

[nicalandia]

advice from some of the others (such as trash all your USA Cream Legbars)--- should all be taken with a grain of salt.

I would take it with a sack of Salt




Quote:

thats your Keeper.. That hen will reveal its secrets in due time

 

[Rancher3535]

I have heard that comment several times by judges as I clerked for them. Cream Legbars have a lot of work to go before they are ready to be put into the APA. The APA is slow to move on new breeds and have revamped the system because of how the Marans railroaded their way through to get accepted by the APA. There are some good Marans out there so don't take it wrong just a fact and comment that many of the APA judges have made.

 

[ChicKat]

Thanks for the insight rancher3535

 

[Phage]

I have some Rees cream legbar cockerels from GFF. Most have large crests and tortuous combs.

As far as coloring does anyone know if darker or lighter is better to keep? They are about 8 weeks old now.

 

[chicken pickin]

I have some Rees cream legbar cockerels from GFF. Most have large crests and tortuous combs.

As far as coloring does anyone know if darker or lighter is better to keep? They are about 8 weeks old now.

Do you have pics you can post of them?