Cream Legbars

[ChicKat]

It's really hard to tell colors from photos that's true... Both chicks look like they are girls.

I suppose it could happen. But at only 7weeks old the comb and wattles are very large and very red. I stand by my first opinion that is it male.

I think chicken pickin is right - when I said both look female - I meant their baby pictures not their 7-week pictures. ;O( Sorry --

 

[pugasaurusrex]

Ok. I'm texting the lady I bought them from today to see if she can swap out another pullet for this guy. I did look at the original description from the sale and they ARE from Greenfire/Reese lines. Would that cause some blurring in the autosexing traits? So weird! I picked both of these chicks because they had such clear, precise female characteristics on their down---the dark dot on the top of the head and the dark chipmunk stripe. And the (probable) male didn't have that yellow tuft at all.

 

[ChicKat]

Ok. I'm texting the lady I bought them from today to see if she can swap out another pullet for this guy. I did look at the original description from the sale and they ARE from Greenfire/Reese lines. Would that cause some blurring in the autosexing traits? So weird! I picked both of these chicks because they had such clear, precise female characteristics on their down---the dark dot on the top of the head and the dark chipmunk stripe. And the (probable) male didn't have that yellow tuft at all.

Hopefully you will get the swap for one that has much smaller comb. -- From what I have heard, sometimes (and there are other posts here on BYC you may encounter) - it is difficult to correctly sex some of those chicks. Those are the ones that shouldn't be used as breeders.

From my experience, though, the males are definitely little barred critters and crowing (or trying to ) -- by that time -- so it really is confusing - and as you picked them for the female autosexing traits it should be a female.

Here is a plumage pattern on a boy of 9-weeks

background is a female....foreground is male with barring evident.

Here is another thing you may want to reference - on the CL Club's website -- two people have documented chicks growth -- these are from the pre-Rees line days -- but it is a way you could reference males and females -- by ages during their development.

http://www.creamlegbarclub.com/12-how-cream-legbars-grow---photo-essay

these are great photos BTW -- they really helped me out with my first two -- because back in 2012 -- we were really 'flying blind' -- there wasn't the wealth of referencing material that we now have!

 

[fowlman01]

Ok. I'm texting the lady I bought them from today to see if she can swap out another pullet for this guy. I did look at the original description from the sale and they ARE from Greenfire/Reese lines. Would that cause some blurring in the autosexing traits? So weird! I picked both of these chicks because they had such clear, precise female characteristics on their down---the dark dot on the top of the head and the dark chipmunk stripe. And the (probable) male didn't have that yellow tuft at all.

The question would be: "Did they comer directly from GFF or did someone else get them from GFF who got them from someone, who got them from someone else etc etc". People tend to say they got them from such and such a line when what they received is several generations removed from the original source. It only takes one generation of bad breeding to completely ruin a line of birds if bred by the wrong people.

Walt

 

[ChicKat]

The question would be: "Did they comer directly from GFF or did someone else get them from GFF who got them from someone, who got them from someone else etc etc". People tend to say they got them from such and such a line when what they received is several generations removed from the original source. It only takes one generation of bad breeding to completely ruin a line of birds if bred by the wrong people.

Walt

Now THAT is disheartening - that a line can be ruined in just one generation. Add to that fact, it probably would take far more than one generation to reverse the ruination.

 

[fowlman01]

Now THAT is disheartening - that a line can be ruined in just one generation. Add to that fact, it probably would take far more than one generation to reverse the ruination.

It generally takes about 2-3 generations to ruin the line, but it is possible to do in the first generation if the wrong decisions are very made with important decisions. This is a very complex color pattern, so it would not take too much to reverse the direction from progress to going in the wrong direction.

People jump on the band wagon when they see stock from breeds like the CL's going for so much money. It is really easy to make chicks and sell them for big bucks. Making chicks is very easy. Making chicks that will look like the breed is a different story. That is difficult and requires some experience and knowledge that most "breeders" don't posses.

Research the "breeder" before you buy anything. Ask the folks here that have invested a lot of their time with these birds. They will know how is a breeder and who is not.

Walt

 

[caychris]

It generally takes about 2-3 generations to ruin the line, but it is possible to do in the first generation if the wrong decisions are very made with important decisions. This is a very complex color pattern, so it would not take too much to reverse the direction from progress to going in the wrong direction.

People jump on the band wagon when they see stock from breeds like the CL's going for so much money. It is really easy to make chicks and sell them for big bucks. Making chicks is very easy. Making chicks that will look like the breed is a different story. That is difficult and requires some experience and knowledge that most "breeders" don't posses.

Research the "breeder" before you buy anything. Ask the folks here that have invested a lot of their time with these birds. They will know how is a breeder and who is not.

Walt

Thats where Im stuck trying to get going Ive had poor hatch rates and a number of birds with lots of flaws.

Walt do you know a relatively local CLB person here in CA? Of the birds Ive tried so far I think I like Rebecca's ( @CackleJoy ) females the best.

Im probably going to just start with what I have and hopefully I can get something out of them but Im not holding my breath.

 

[ChicKat]

Thats where Im stuck trying to get going Ive had poor hatch rates and a number of birds with lots of flaws.

Walt do you know a relatively local CLB person here in CA? Of the birds Ive tried so far I think I like Rebecca's ( @CackleJoy ) females the best.

Im probably going to just start with what I have and hopefully I can get something out of them but Im not holding my breath.

Not sure if Sol2Go is selling chickens or eggs -- but there is someone with a lot of insight and a good eye for the good birds. You may check with her.

Nothing like putting her on the spot. ;O)

 

[CackleJoy]

Thats where Im stuck trying to get going Ive had poor hatch rates and a number of birds with lots of flaws.

Walt do you know a relatively local CLB person here in CA? Of the birds Ive tried so far I think I like Rebecca's ( @CackleJoy ) females the best.

Im probably going to just start with what I have and hopefully I can get something out of them but Im not holding my breath.

Hello! Thank you for the compliment

We had a cockerel straight from GFF. He was a packing peanut with some SFH. Due to the timing of our order, I was hopeful that he was from their new Jill Reese line. He looked different (less colorful) than many of the US cockerels I was seeing on FB or other social media sites. He grew out to be pretty good looking and I had hopes that his offspring would do well.

The hens I got from someone who had original GFF birds and had been breeding them for fun. I had no idea their quality and didn't really know what to look for when I purchased them. One kept throwing gold-hackled pullets, which I was weeding out and selling as pets. Right now I am raising up some nice juvies to sell as breeding stock. I can't say that I've made any improvements but I've been aware of the more obvious (and common in the US) faults, such as color, improper markings at hatch, & off-center keel. Is that what you call it? The bone in the center of the breast? I've been feeling for a the nice straight ones, hoping to get rid of that fault.

This is what I have found, (a) our combination of birds produced excellent markings in the chicks. Unlike some pictures I've seen, there was never any question of gender. (b) about 25% of all pullets were gold and not cream. Since I had 3 hens, I felt this was coming from one of them and not all of them as a group. I sold all the gold pullets as back-yard layers. (c) Leg color, ears, comb and all that were looking pretty good. Room for improvement in the combs as some of the pullets would get too floppy, but overall a solid base. (d) I'm kind of new to chickens so the keel thing is just as good as I can feel it, and honestly I wasn't feeling an off-center keel very often. I took those to auction as juvies and didn't even raise them up.


I liked the idea of having auto sexing birds but the Swedish Flower Hen program is growing (I'll have 2 breeding pens) and we are needing more pens for Orpingtons.

We are getting out of the CLBs. The chicks I have now are the end of the CLB journey for us. I keep telling myself that it's okay to let a breed go. It really is! Someone else will have more knowledge and space for a better breeding program.

I'm going to be listing a nice breeding quad on CL soon, they are about 4 - 5 months old. If someone is interested, they are welcome to PM me.

 

[cressrb]

Finally, my CL laid her first egg. I 'think' it is a nice color. This my first CL hen. It is a very good size for her first egg and I am so pleased. I put it beside the Isbar egg which has also just started laying.

Here is the comparison in colors.


CL is 27 wks.