Cream Legbars

[shotzy007]

I should have bought more of them

 

[KPenley]

The girls who started laying in November laid slowly through the winter...never after dark rainy days. The girls who started last Spring took a 1-2 month break and started up again in the past couple of weeks. hth

 

[GaryDean26]

Quote: Originally Posted by Ashdoes:

I have 5 hens in the Cream Legbar Breeding pens. This week I have been getting 3 or 4 eggs every day.

My oldest hen is now in her 3rd laying season. She started her molt the 3rd week of October and I know she was back to laying by the first week of February.I am in Texas though and we typically have 40 deg. weather all winter long and I increase the level of protein in her diet all winter long to help them through the molt.

My top layer was in a separate breeding pen all winter so I know to the day when she stopped laying. Her last egg of her first laying season was the 17th of November and her first egg of her 2nd laying season was the 2nd of January. That hen hit 200 eggs in her first year of laying. The hen in her 3rd laying season only hit 165 in her first year, but went broody on two different occasions which accounted for significant time off from laying.

Both of these hens started laying at 23 weeks old. The hen in her 3rd laying season was hatched in January and started laying in June when the days were their longest. The 200 egg hen was hatched in August and started laying the middle of February at the beginning on the natural laying cycle when days are getting longer.

I hatch a few hen in March of last year as well as a pullet in May. Some of the hens that were hatched in February toyed with the idea of laying eggs in September and Octobers, but others didn't lay at all until December. I didn't get any eggs from them in November and those that did start to lay in December quite laying in January. Those that laid from September to October are laying again, but I don't think the ones that laid in December are back to work yet. The pullet hatched in May didn't start laying until the 30th of January (but she skipped over those 35-45 gram first pullet eggs and jumped right in at laying eggs over 60 grams)..

 

[lonnyandrinda]

Can you take a pic of this scale set up with a bird in it once you have it ready?

Will try to.

Quote: Originally Posted by Ashdoes:

I have 5 hens in the Cream Legbar Breeding pens. This week I have been getting 3 or 4 eggs every day.

My oldest hen is now in her 3rd laying season. She started her molt the 3rd week of October and I know she was back to laying by the first week of February.I am in Texas though and we typically have 40 deg. weather all winter long and I increase the level of protein in her diet all winter long to help them through the molt.

My top layer was in a separate breeding pen all winter so I know to the day when she stopped laying. Her last egg of her first laying season was the 17th of November and her first egg of her 2nd laying season was the 2nd of January. That hen hit 200 eggs in her first year of laying. The hen in her 3rd laying season only hit 165 in her first year, but went broody on two different occasions which accounted for significant time off from laying.

Both of these hens started laying at 23 weeks old. The hen in her 3rd laying season was hatched in January and started laying in June when the days were their longest. The 200 egg hen was hatched in August and started laying the middle of February at the beginning on the natural laying cycle when days are getting longer.

I hatch a few hen in March of last year as well as a pullet in May. Some of the hens that were hatched in February toyed with the idea of laying eggs in September and Octobers, but others didn't lay at all until December. I didn't get any eggs from them in November and those that did start to lay in December quite laying in January. Those that laid from September to October are laying again, but I don't think the ones that laid in December are back to work yet. The pullet hatched in May didn't start laying until the 30th of January (but she skipped over those 35-45 gram first pullet eggs and jumped right in at laying eggs over 60 grams)..

Good data, thanks.

 

[promiseacres]

Anyone having issues with crooked toes on their Cream Legbars? (as juvinles or adults) I've been researching and it seems as it could be genetic but maybe a defiency problem. And the only way to tell if it's one way or the other is to hatch eggs from the bird and see if they pass it on. Any thoughts? TY

 

[lonnyandrinda]

I have an occasional chick that hatches with crooked toes, but it has always resolved itself within a few days. If it didn't I would not keep that bird for breeding.

 

[HaplessRunner]

Anyone having issues with crooked toes on their Cream Legbars? (as juvinles or adults) I've been researching and it seems as it could be genetic but maybe a defiency problem. And the only way to tell if it's one way or the other is to hatch eggs from the bird and see if they pass it on. Any thoughts? TY

Do you preemptively treat for coccidosis with Corid or use medicated feed? The ampuprollium medication in Corid and medicated feed is a vitamin B1 (thiamine blocker). Thiamine is needed for the development of joints and connective tissue in young chicks.

Early last year, I lost two cream legbar pullet chicks to cocci and then began a regimen of preemptively treating with Corid. Subsequently, I have found that cream legbars, cream legbar crosses, and Swedish flower hens are very sensitive to thiamine deficiencies and can develop curled toes and hip problems when they were treated with Corid and use medicated feed. I ended up with a number of chickens with curled toes and two that had hip problems. So, having had this unfortunate learning experience, I will treat for cocci only when I see signs of it and I will never use medicated feed.

 

[promiseacres]

Do you preemptively treat for coccidosis with Corid or use medicated feed? The ampuprollium medication in Corid and medicated feed is a vitamin B1 (thiamine blocker). Thiamine is needed for the development of joints and connective tissue in young chicks.

Early last year, I lost two cream legbar pullet chicks to cocci and then began a regimen of preemptively treating with Corid. Subsequently, I have found that cream legbars, cream legbar crosses, and Swedish flower hens are very sensitive to thiamine deficiencies and can develop curled toes and hip problems when they were treated with Corid and use medicated feed. I ended up with a number of chickens with curled toes and two that had hip problems. So, having had this unfortunate learning experience, I will treat for cocci only when I see signs of it and I will never use medicated feed.

these are some I bought as a 4 month old trio, all have them I didn't notice their toes due to the shavings when I picked up. Medicated feed is a definate possiblity as the breeder (well hatcher of the eggs) hatches and sells chicks weekly. the eggs came from another breeder, he said he was sellling due to not having space, and while that may of been one of the reasons I am sure the toes had something to do with it. I mostly have mine as layers but am wanting to breed and sell eventually. I have some CL eggs in the mail so will be able to "test" the genetic theory with another line. it was a definate bummer when I saw the toes a few days later. I know they aren't ideal to breed but I do really like the coloring on my hens from my research.

 

[HaplessRunner]

these are some I bought as a 4 month old trio, all have them I didn't notice their toes due to the shavings when I picked up. Medicated feed is a definate possiblity as the breeder (well hatcher of the eggs) hatches and sells chicks weekly. the eggs came from another breeder, he said he was sellling due to not having space, and while that may of been one of the reasons I am sure the toes had something to do with it. I mostly have mine as layers but am wanting to breed and sell eventually. I have some CL eggs in the mail so will be able to "test" the genetic theory with another line. it was a definate bummer when I saw the toes a few days later. I know they aren't ideal to breed but I do really like the coloring on my hens from my research.

FWIW, my bet is that it was a medication issue. I would recommend that you proceed with your breeding plans and evaluate what comes from your hatches. Certainly, you will be able to control the medications and feeding regimens. That way you will be able to decide whether birds have an unfortunate physical impairment or something more serious that affects their use in breeding.

Best wishes for your efforts! I know how frustrating this is.

 

[blackbirds13]

Humidity and hatching issues, like an early hatch can have affect the toes also. The only way to ascertain if it is truly genetic would be to test hatch. I use medicated feed and to date have had no issues with cocci.