Cream Legbars

[ChicKat]

At what age can you tell if offspring from Greenfire birds will be created? If my daughter would like to use a CLB for 4H and show, what should she look for in a chick?

So glad that you brought this up. The Cream Legbar Club has been kicking around the idea of making a check list of to help buyers of Cream Legbars. Everyone who is participating here -- please add to the list the things that you would advise someone to check up on when you are selecting Cream Legbar for purchase.

iPickYupik, because the Cream Legbar is not recognized by the APA at this time you daughter wouldn't be eligible to win big prizes in a show. However the CL Club is working with a 4H group - and another one soon to join them I beileve, There will be a late-in-the year virtual show for CL 4H participants. Your daughter could certainly particpipate in the virtual show with her CL. Probably she could participate in other shows--- a lot depends upon exactly where you are locaated and what shows are near. Last year a 4H group had about 30 CLs at the Texas State Fair - and that was something to see.

I'm not 100% sure I understand what you meant 'at what age can you tell if offspring from Greenfire birds will be created' I guess if a hen or pullet is laying eggs and they are fertile they would be hatchable. Advice from the top breeders is to breed birds that are a year old or older, and most people will wait until the pullet has reached full sized eggs -- which generally would be a couple of months after she begins to lay. Usually Cream Legbar pullets in the USA start to lay at 24 weeks. I don't know if Jill Rees line has any different performance, maybe some others that have that line could chime in.

Check out the SOP on the Cream Legbar Club's website to see what characteristics you would look for in a bird to put in a show. HTH

 

[ChicKat]

I think she may have meant the Cream Legbar Club website.

Here is the link to the membership listing https://docs.google.com/document/d/1NklSRpN6THHq1SCgllWWPdg3ur6QhYMyu9Ct3D8LGiw/edit?pli=1

Thank you CP---

sporel - I hope that lead you in the right direction - It also sounds like there were some Californians chippng in here with info.

 

[iPickYupik]

Thank you. Sorry, my phone had an issue with auto correct. It was supposed to say crested, not created. I did not realize that about showing. We picked up two chicks but did not get to pick ones we wanted due to fear of avian illnesses going around here right now. Everyone wants to meet you someplace else or at their drive way with bird already in hand which is understandable but frustrating when you want to pick based on traits.

 

[ChicKat]

Thank you. Sorry, my phone had an issue with auto correct. It was supposed to say crested, not created. I did not realize that about showing. We picked up two chicks but did not get to pick ones we wanted due to fear of avian illnesses going around here right now. Everyone wants to meet you someplace else or at their drive way with bird already in hand which is understandable but frustrating when you want to pick based on traits.

Autocorrect causes me to send some really wierd messages...for sure.

The crest on Jill Rees birds should grow in at about the same rate as other CLs IMO -- I have a couple of nearly 3--week old cockerels in the brooder -- and they are just beginning to show the first indications of crests. Also there are two photo essays on how Cream Legbars grow in the Cream Legbar Club's website (link in my sig)--- you can check them out week-by-week and compare to yours. Males have smaller crests than females and they may start a bit later and they may grow more slowly.

Good luck with your chicks.

Regarding concern for avian disease and biosecurity-- it is actually a sign that the person you are dealing with is on top of their game and that they are aware of the risks and that they want to maintain the health of their flocks. As difficult and as unhospitable as it seems, we should all be doing it just that way.

 

[caychris]

I can tell by about 4 weeks on mine.

 

[iPickYupik]

Regarding concern for avian disease and biosecurity-- it is actually a sign that the person you are dealing with is on top of their game and that they are aware of the risks and that they want to maintain the health of their flocks.  As difficult and as unhospitable as it seems, we should all be doing it just that way.  

Agreed and everyone around here is doing it since we live on the border of Idaho and all those wild birds died up there recently. I guess next time I should just ask for some good pics in advance.

I've noticed with my older chicks that some of them have odd combs. Like my FBCM wouldn't be a good breeder because at 2 weeks the FBCM thread said not to use as a breeder because he has a carnation comb. I've noticed my super sweet BR has 3 tips at the end that are completely out of line with the rest, etc. Can you tell that with CL chicks, too? I specifically asked for clean straight combs but at a couple days old these two are not ones I don't think I would have picked out myself since they seem lop sided or crooked. The breeder said that they are fine and you can't tell this young? Can you kind of see what I mean in this pic? Tiny chicks combs are so hard to see in pics...

Can you see how this ones kind of falls to the side already?

They are cuties and I'm excited to add their beautiful eggs to my colorful basket once they start laying.

 

[tdhenson86]

Okay. I've got somewhat decent pictures of all of the males I have left. They're 7 1/2 months old. So, they still have some growing out to do. I'm trying to decide who I want to keep. What are your honest opinions of each male?

Number 1






Number 2








Number 3







Number 4

 

[caychris]

Okay. I've got somewhat decent pictures of all of the males I have left. They're 7 1/2 months old. So, they still have some growing out to do. I'm trying to decide who I want to keep. What are your honest opinions of each male?

Number 1






Number 2








Number 3







Number 4

How hard is it to deal with the earlobe color they all look off to me 3 seems the closest though 1 seems better for back and tail. 4 seems nice but lobes seem yellow. What is with the various combs do you have rose comb or is it frostbite issues.

 

[tdhenson86]

How hard is it to deal with the earlobe color they all look off to me 3 seems the closest though 1 seems better for back and tail. 4 seems nice but lobes seem yellow. What is with the various combs do you have rose comb or is it frostbite issues.

Thanks so much for the feedback! Good question! They're all single comb, but some got frostbite. One and four have the best back and tail. I've thought earlobes were a little yellow on number one, but the others seem to be pretty close to white. I can definitely keep an eye on that in good lighting, though. Thanks again for the feedback!

 

[Odelia]

Thanks so much for the feedback! Good question! They're all single comb, but some got frostbite. One and four have the best back and tail. I've thought earlobes were a little yellow on number one, but the others seem to be pretty close to white. I can definitely keep an eye on that in good lighting, though. Thanks again for the feedback!

Do you have photos of them before they lost their combs this winter?