Cream Legbars

[Fire Ant Farm]

I was wondering if you guys could help me out a little? These are 3 weeks old, bought directly from Greenfire (as day old chicks) as a package deal. The box was marked as 8 pullets, 8 cockerels. I 100% know which ones the pullets are. These 2 were part of the cockerel group but I really don't think they are cockerels.
#1 has a white dot on it's head, however, everything else about this chick screams pullet. Look at the coloring of the feathers. Its tail is longer like the other pullets as well. All the males have shorter, stubbier tails right now. All the other males have barring on their feathers.

I'm sure someone more experienced will speak up, but when I was looking at the markings on my chicks (hatchery stock), the two that were the most clear pullets looked just like this chick - as I understand, there is sometimes a paleness in the center of the dark "vee" on their head. (I had a third pullet for whom the autosexing markings weren't as clear...) I think this is a girl.

Now let's see what folks who actually know what they're talking about say about it...

- Ant Farm

 

[BuffyBugSlayer]

Gingerly, I can sure see why these two chicks are causing confusion for you. The first does look like a pullet. And the second? The wings look like pullet coloring and rest a cockerel! I am going to guess this is an off colored cockerel.

 

[ChicKat]

I was wondering if you guys could help me out a little? These are 3 weeks old, bought directly from Greenfire (as day old chicks) as a package deal. The box was marked as 8 pullets, 8 cockerels. I 100% know which ones the pullets are. These 2 were part of the cockerel group but I really don't think they are cockerels.
#1 has a white dot on it's head, however, everything else about this chick screams pullet. Look at the coloring of the feathers. Its tail is longer like the other pullets as well. All the males have shorter, stubbier tails right now. All the other males have barring on their feathers.



#2 was a chick with all yellow down. I got 3 like that. All had blurry white dots.
The other two are more distinctly males with barring and stubbier tales. I'm just not sure this is a cockerel.





Can you guys please give me some input? I know I could have posted in the What breed/gender thread, but I thought you guys would know more about Cream Legbar specifics.

I'm sure someone more experienced will speak up, but when I was looking at the markings on my chicks (hatchery stock), the two that were the most clear pullets looked just like this chick - as I understand, there is sometimes a paleness in the center of the dark "vee" on their head. (I had a third pullet for whom the autosexing markings weren't as clear...) I think this is a girl.

Now let's see what folks who actually know what they're talking about say about it...

- Ant Farm

Gingerly, I can sure see why these two chicks are causing confusion for you. The first does look like a pullet. And the second? The wings look like pullet coloring and rest a cockerel! I am going to guess this is an off colored cockerel.

Hi Gingerly -

First, Welcome to the Legbar threads.... second, probably this is a better place to post your question since you are talking about a specialty that the general chicken folks probably would have to do more guess work in than the legbar folk's guess work. Third - I have heard that there is some ambiguity in the autosexing on Jill Rees lines -- and I have heard in multiple sources -- so take that into consideration .......

I agree with Buffy that the second one is a cockerel despite the female pattern on the wing feathers -- I would be surprised if the next set of feathers on this one won't show you clear barring -- I have had a couple of cockerels go through the female-wing feathers phase. It is confusing. Legbars change a LOT as they grow out.

The first one does look very female in some respects. Look face on -- front of face and see if there is a definite V with the white NOT extending beyond the V. (does that make sense)--- In males the white spot will extend outside the V and in females it won't. For me the clearest indicators are the female V and the male headspot. I think that your top one could be a male also despite the ambiguity -- if the front -- very front by the baby comb and beak -- isn't a clear V that travels back over the whole back. Clear crisp dorsal chipmunk stripes over the back indicate female -- and diffused stripes that are a bit more blurry -- or lack of stripes in some strains is a male. You will have to lift the wing...if a female the stripes will still be there.

YOU HAVE to keep us updated on these chicks of course.... I think despite the female characteristics -- such as the eye stripe -- I'm guessing both are males.

ETA - the break in the chipmunk stripes at the neck where the stripes seem to disappear also is something I have seen picts of in JR line. ALSO -- do you have younger pictures of these two -- ?? And a front face of the first one...with chick looking right into the camera -- especially at a younger age.

What you have brought up is intriguing .

 

[gingerly1983]

Thank you all for your responses. These are the Jill Rees line so that's probably some of the issue. I took several pics of them as babies, but I cannot figure out who is who from them lol. I took a couple head shots of #1 a little while ago but I'm mobile right now and it's not letting me post them. I'll try again in the morning. I will definitely keep you guys updated as they grow out.

 

[gingerly1983]

Ok, here's the best I can get of #1's head.

 

[ChicKat]

Ok, here's the best I can get of #1's head.

okay... Now, I'm changing to say female. I concur with BuffyBugSlayer and Fire Ant Farm's opinions. Does this chick have dorsal stripes on the abdomen? - You'll need to move the wings to the side. :O)

ETA - your observation about pullets at that stage with longer tail feathers is a good one too. When I saw that in my first pair - I was a bit confused, because I had thought that the male should have longer feathers in the tail. One thing about your second chick in the picture above, to my eye it is interesting to see that from the shoulders up - the chick is a butter color, hence showing some cream...but the lack of barring makes me wonder what the genes are doing in there... One of the drawbacks that some have experienced with the JR line is the highly irregular barring or faint barring. I wonder if subsequently this chick will grow up to have barred hackles.

 

[chambe94]

Some updates on the capons. Interestingly, I've notice how "feminine" the crests look on some of the capons.
Capon

Capon

Capon and intact

Intact

 

[ChicKat]

Thanks for the update and the documentation of the effects!!!

 

[chicken pickin]

I had ELEVEN 18week old CL cockerels and ONE 2year old CL hen culled this weekend. Currently in the refrigerator resting. Cant wait to cook one or 2 up in a few days

I ended up culling all my older CL cockerels. I was thinking of holding one back but DH wasn't keen on the idea so all got sent out to the processor. I still have 3 younger CL cockerels ages 13 and 15weeks. The 15 week old is showing some good qualities so time will tell if he stays or goes. Next processing date isn't until October when some of my Barred Plymouth Rocks get culled, so plenty of time to decide where to go.

Honestly we are feeling like the Barred Rocks are a breed better suited for our families needs, so we might be cutting back some on the CL. Time will tell.

 

[chicken pickin]

Here are the 18week old pullets, a few keepers and a few will be rehomed.