Cream Legbars

[Fire Ant Farm]

I'd like to post a couple of updated photos of my girls and ask for input related to our recent discussion - if nothing else, I want to learn something about describing markings in CLs (especially my own). I seem to have a mental block on the parts of a chicken (hackles, etc.) no matter how many times I look it up - I really need to get that straight - so apologies in advance. My two girls who are squatting really well have become very affectionate (interesting, Lissa was standoffish since chickhood and avoided me until just recently - with her hormones coming in, she has now turned into a cuddle monkey and loves to be held). Jenny & Lissa have a lot more gold than Paula. Paula is quite dark (she was the blonde-downed chick with the broken vee at hatch). Jenny (not squatting) is currently in a "Mommy wants to kill me, can't let her near me" phase (although she'll make mealworm exceptions), so no real photos of her. (Not sure why their combs have that dry/scaly look - input welcome). They are 23 and 24 weeks (Paula is now officially a deadbeat).

Lissa (she's got gold on her head and neck, but the sunlight here is way over-emphasizing that in the body, which is more grey than it looks here):


Lissa the cuddle monkey (she LOVES being held like this):


Paula (had a hard time getting her to stand still):


Paula has always been a cuddler:


Here is a shot where you can see gold (Jenny) vs. more grey (Paula) on neck (hackles?):


They are such cuddly sweethearts...

- Ant Farm

 

[Fire Ant Farm]

OK, Dumbledore didn't want to be left out. He's the lovely cockerel I got from ChicKat (he's about 15-16 weeks). He is not cuddly - he remains under the impression that I'm evil:



And Paula wanted you all to know how offended she was that I called her a deadbeat:



I apologized. Mealworms were involved.

- Ant Farm

 

[ChicKat]

Hi ChicKat, popping into this discussion -

What I am seeing with hens and roosters that I identify as cream, is that the cream hackle and saddle feathers are in fact a cream color as compared to the white barring in the wings and tail feathers of the males; when I read "some white permitted" I think that may reference the white streaks that can appear in the tail feathers of the males, and possibly the white at the base of those tail feathers. In contrast, the cream that I am seeing is not the same color that I see on the patch work quilt colors of a gold or split for gold rooster, or the gold hackles of females, which also have a liberal application of gold dust across their body feathers.

The cream offspring have been auto-sexing, blue egg layers, with crests, tail barring and nice wide feathers, so I'm happy with what I have to work with. I appreciate the work others put into their breeding stock because we can only pick up where someone else left off.

That's great, and sounds as all is as it should be.

 

[ChicKat]

OK, Dumbledore didn't want to be left out. He's the lovely cockerel I got from ChicKat (he's about 15-16 weeks). He is not cuddly - he remains under the impression that I'm evil:



And Paula wanted you all to know how offended she was that I called her a deadbeat:



I apologized. Mealworms were involved.

- Ant Farm

What a great story, and such superb pictures!!!

The hallmark for 'gold' female CL chickens is a burnt orange or cinnamon set of back and wing feathers on a female. A couple years ago - or was it last year -- people were thinking lack of white hackel feathers (yes on the neck) were the 'tell' -before there was knowledge that cream has a range and that it is the color of pale butter.

when I look at the person with red shirt holding Lissa, her back feathers on my monitor are gray -- her neck hackles look butter-colored - not white as years ago the thought was it 'had' to be. I suppose this could be a source of debate. Her prevous picture very influenced by the sun and very warm colored looking hackles and back. Whixh is a reason - that photos are hard to go by.

Paula that little scallywag -- has really dark dark feathering and the black tips on some of her feathers -- although very pretty to look at -- it isn't something you want in a CL -- You will probably want to select away from that in future for her offspring IMO. I think it is something that lessens as they age.

The door of the coop Paula is standing in -- looks superb... the taj mahal for your town. You did a fabulous job building it!!

Dumbledore may never be friendly and cuddly -- however I despurred all my adult males today except Isbar who doesn't need it -- and Dumbldore's father fell asleep on my lap in the sun and was as sweet as a kitten. (but they hate being caught, and handled when they don't know what's up) -- Dumbledore's half brother despurred today too -- and he was pretty mean - I had to wear gloves to pick him up -- but I'm coming into a darkened area from bright light and he has no idea if I am the backyard prowling raccoon (yes, there is still one that I haven't trapped) -- or what -- so he did land a few pecks on the glove-- but then to despur him I could despense with them...and he's fine now.

Two really important things I wish for you with Dumble -- that he follows in his father's foot steps and is completely gentle with the hens -- (I think he will be, it is kind of a CL trait) -- and that he will turn into an asset for your breeding program.
Thanks for the updates and posts -- those pictures just show a warm sunny autumn!

 

[sol2go]

OK, Dumbledore didn't want to be left out. He's the lovely cockerel I got from ChicKat (he's about 15-16 weeks). He is not cuddly - he remains under the impression that I'm evil:



And Paula wanted you all to know how offended she was that I called her a deadbeat:



I apologized. Mealworms were involved.

- Ant Farm

Thanks for the Friday saga =)

 

[Fire Ant Farm]

What a great story, and such superb pictures!!!

The hallmark for 'gold' female CL chickens is a burnt orange or cinnamon set of back and wing feathers on a female. A couple years ago - or was it last year -- people were thinking lack of white hackel feathers (yes on the neck) were the 'tell' -before there was knowledge that cream has a range and that it is the color of pale butter.

This is very helpful - in person, the color of Jenny and Lissa's necks are definitely best described as butter - not much burnt orange or cinnamon at all, and none at all on the back or wing feathers (though Lissa has a stray orange feather or two in her crest). These two are the ones that I always meant to breed from, as they had amazing auto sexing as chicks. Jenny's eyes are more greenish, and she's got a sort of clumsy looking body, so I'm not as enthused by her, but I like Lissa's chances crossed with Dumble.

when I look at the person with red shirt holding Lissa, (that's me!

) her back feathers on my monitor are gray -- her neck hackles look butter-colored - not white as years ago the thought was it 'had' to be. I suppose this could be a source of debate. Her prevous picture very influenced by the sun and very warm colored looking hackles and back. Whixh is a reason - that photos are hard to go by.

Paula that little scallywag -- has really dark dark feathering and the black tips on some of her feathers -- although very pretty to look at -- it isn't something you want in a CL -- You will probably want to select away from that in future for her offspring IMO. I think it is something that lessens as they age.

Paula had iffy auto sexing as a chick - I never planned to breed from her regardless (except perhaps for a hybrid/olive egger project), so she is mostly useful as an example to look at (I wonder what E-locus influence "broke" her auto sexing). She is definitely a scallywag. She also growls and mutters to herself all the time - she sounds like a chain smoker who's halfway into a fifth of gin. That's my girl...
The door of the coop Paula is standing in -- looks superb... the taj mahal for your town. You did a fabulous job building it!!

Thanks! They really love it - they have roosts in front of an east-facing hardware cloth "wall", so they greet the sun every morning (sometimes more loudly than Dumble). And I've just come in from working on the foundation for the SECOND coop (for the Naked Neck rascals). Bigger (16'x8' overall), but this time I have more power tools, so I hope it goes more quickly (before they begin to outgrow their tractor).

(snip)

Two really important things I wish for you with Dumble -- that he follows in his father's foot steps and is completely gentle with the hens -- (I think he will be, it is kind of a CL trait) -- and that he will turn into an asset for your breeding program.
I am so grateful to have him - very excited to make baby DumbleLissas...

 

[terrip824]

I'd like to post a couple of updated photos of my girls and ask for input related to our recent discussion - if nothing else, I want to learn something about describing markings in CLs (especially my own). I seem to have a mental block on the parts of a chicken (hackles, etc.) no matter how many times I look it up - I really need to get that straight - so apologies in advance. My two girls who are squatting really well have become very affectionate (interesting, Lissa was standoffish since chickhood and avoided me until just recently - with her hormones coming in, she has now turned into a cuddle monkey and loves to be held). Jenny & Lissa have a lot more gold than Paula. Paula is quite dark (she was the blonde-downed chick with the broken vee at hatch). Jenny (not squatting) is currently in a "Mommy wants to kill me, can't let her near me" phase (although she'll make mealworm exceptions), so no real photos of her. (Not sure why their combs have that dry/scaly look - input welcome). They are 23 and 24 weeks (Paula is now officially a deadbeat).

Lissa (she's got gold on her head and neck, but the sunlight here is way over-emphasizing that in the body, which is more grey than it looks here):


Lissa the cuddle monkey (she LOVES being held like this):


Paula (had a hard time getting her to stand still):


Paula has always been a cuddler:


Here is a shot where you can see gold (Jenny) vs. more grey (Paula) on neck (hackles?):


They are such cuddly sweethearts...

- Ant Farm

They are beautiful! I just love the way the pullets' combs fold over. It gives the CCL a relaxed look. So they can be pretty and quirky at the same time.

 

[terrip824]

OK, Dumbledore didn't want to be left out. He's the lovely cockerel I got from ChicKat (he's about 15-16 weeks). He is not cuddly - he remains under the impression that I'm evil:



And Paula wanted you all to know how offended she was that I called her a deadbeat:



I apologized. Mealworms were involved.

- Ant Farm

Did the mealworms survive?

 

[Fire Ant Farm]

Did the mealworms survive?

It was brutal - I couldn't watch...

 

[Red Banks]

The babies are 12 days old and I can see tiny little crests. A little patch of mowed grass! What flyers they are!