Cream Legbars

[duluthralphie]

That is a weird looking CLB rooster. I have no idea why it looks like that. The barring seems incomplete like it has half the normal barring or something.

I wonder if it is one someone tried to breed to a silver of some kind then breed back to get a lighter CLB.

I am patiently awaiting Jerry's response. I am betting he will know the answer.

 

[GaryDean26]

Hello, so I am looking for a difinitive answer on what the correct color is for a male Crested Cream Legbar. I have looked them up on this page and all over the internet even on Cream legbar sites/clubs pages and I see MANY different looking colorations for the roosters.

Most have quite a bit of light brown on their hackel freathers, wings and saddle feathers. Others are very black and white without much color. I dont know what is right.

The standards page say it MAY have some light brown but doesnt say what is preeferred. ............

..............So, the only real question: Who do I want for my main breeder rooster? 2 year old rooster with almost NO brown, all black and white or one of his 3 sons with MUCH more brown?

What color is preferred in a Crested Cream Legbar Roo?

thanks

The Standard of Perfection doesn't list preferences because they are subjective and Standards are written to remain objective. If a small amount of chestnut ("brown") is listed as allowed in the standard then if you have it on your bird their is nothing to worry about, but it is not required. That means that both a cockerel with a small amount of chestnut and a cockerel with out a small amount of chestnut can be shown in the variety and win first prize.

You need to steer clear of extremes though. Breeding chickens is a blancing act. If you have hens with a lot of red enhancement and breed them to a cockerel with a lot of red enhancement, then the things could double up in the offspring and produce off color. Like wise if you have hens that have almost not red enhancement and you breed them to a cockerel that has almost not red enhancement you could end up with offspring that lack any cream coloring at all and are a mono chrome black and white.

The Standard call for sparcly barred hackles on the cockerel with grey. If you have any chestnut on the hackle of the cockerel you have too much red enhancement. Cream is an off white to really light yellow color. It is NOT brown. The Shoulder of the cockerel is the same as the hackle but with darker grey and chestnut is permissible. The color of the Cockerels were discussed in deatail in a presetation I did at a Cream Legbar Club meeting a few years ago. One of our members in Austrelia was given permission to use the information from that meeting on a website there to promote the breed. You can see slides from the meeting on that website HERE or look up the past club meeting on the member's "Cream Legbar Club Clubhouse" google group.

 

[OneMountainAcres]

The Standard of Perfection doesn't list preferences because they are subjective and Standards are written to remain objective. If a small amount of chestnut ("brown") is listed as allowed in the standard then if you have it on your bird their is nothing to worry about, but it is not required. That means that cockerel both a cockerel with a small amount of chestnut and a cockerel with out a small amount of chestnut can be shown in the variety and win first prize. You need to steer clear of extremes though. Breeding chickens is a blancing act. If you have hens with a lot of red enhancement and breed them to a cockerel with a lot of red enhancement, then the things could double up in the offspring and produce off color. Like wise if you have hens that have almost not red enhancement and you breed them to a cockerel that has almost not red enhancement you could end up with offspring that lack any cream coloring at all and are a mono chrome black and white. The Standard call for sparcly barred hackles on the cockerel with grey. If you have any chestnut on the hackle of the cockerel you have too much red enhancement. Cream is an off white to really light yellow color. It is NOT brown. The Shoulder of the cockerel is the same as the hackle but with darker grey and chestnut is permissible. The color of the Cockerels were discussed in deatail in a presetation I did at a Cream Legbar Club meeting a few years ago. One of our members in Austrelia was given permission to use the information from that meeting on a website there to promote the breed. You can see slides from the meeting on that website HERE or look up the past club meeting on the member's "Cream Legbar Club Clubhouse" google group.

Thank you for posting this. I'll use this information when I choose my keepers. Can you critique my potential keepers from this year and my current boy. I'm just going to quote the post that I had put up before for you to look at.

I finally managed to get some pictures taken so I could post them for opinions. This is my current boy, Sunny The next pictures are potential keepers from this spring's hatch. It's the same 2-3 boys in all the pictures. I just couldn't get any perfect shots of them lol This little one is still young and small but he has the straightest comb of all of them and not bad barring so I'll be watching him but the other two are the main ones I'm keeping an eye on. This boy here was my "double cream". His barring is very washed out unfortunately so he's not a contender. so, Sorry for so many pictures but please give me your opinions on all the boys I posted. Even Sunny, if you think I should keep or replace him and what you think of the other boys so far. I have a lot more boys that I didn't even bother to take pictures of. Either their combs are WAY too wavy or their barring is too fuzzy (most of them).

 

[mellcrowl]

Hello, so I am looking for a difinitive answer on what the correct color is for a male Crested Cream Legbar. I have looked them up on this page and all over the internet even on Cream legbar sites/clubs pages and I see MANY different looking colorations for the roosters. Most have quite a bit of light brown on their hackel freathers, wings and saddle feathers. Others are very black and white without much color. I dont know what is right. The standards page say it MAY have some light brown but doesnt say what is preeferred. Here is my only CCLB Rooster that is about 2 years old is mainly black and white...just a little brown sprinkled in. He is the only rooster I have and father to all the other males you see below. His sons from January have much more brown and looking really nice, to me they look much more attractive than just a black and white barred rooster but I dont know what is preferred. I know tail angle is key, decent crest, full white ear loabes and the straightest comb possible (tough on legbars) is preferred but I just dont know about color. Here are his sons. Here you can see the difference from Dad to Son. I can try to get some better pictures but this gives you a pretty good idea of their color. So, the only real question: Who do I want for my main breeder rooster? 2 year old rooster with almost NO brown, all black and white or one of his 3 sons with MUCH more brown? What color is preferred in a Crested Cream Legbar Roo? thanks

I personally prefer roos with minimal chestnut, but I'd say the incomplete barring on your boy is a bit extreme. I however, love the color of his 2nd son you have pictured. Not too much chestnut, but still nice barring and no all white feathers. I didn't look to closely at his comb and you can't really seal tail angle in that photo, but he looks like a nice bird. I think I'd keep him and continue breeding with him

 

[MarshallPrime]

thanks for the response, so this is the one I believe you are referring to. It has great all white lobes and some light brown on wings and back. good barring, solid crest, comb is ok but from what Ive heard you want smaller crests on the roos because a large crest will lead to very crooked combs. He has been my favorite just because of his color and very white lobes.

If you are talking about a different pic, let me know
Anyone else weigh in on the best to keep as my main breeder? I will go get better pics of tail angle of the boys now. Dad will need a new home I guess...they arent the best for butchering, not a lot of meat on Legbars, one of the draw backs.

i do have 2 good cockerels if anyone out there needs one, i am in northern Indiana. The 3rd has ZERO white on his lobes. 4th brother is also pretty solid.

 

[mellcrowl]

thanks for the response, so this is the one I believe you are referring to. It has great all white lobes and some light brown on wings and back. good barring, solid crest, comb is ok but from what Ive heard you want smaller crests on the roos because a large crest will lead to very crooked combs. He has been my favorite just because of his color and very white lobes. If you are talking about a different pic, let me know Anyone else weigh in on the best to keep as my main breeder? I will go get better pics of tail angle of the boys now. Dad will need a new home I guess...they arent the best for butchering, not a lot of meat on Legbars, one of the draw backs. i do have 2 good cockerels if anyone out there needs one, i am in northern Indiana. The 3rd has ZERO white on his lobes. 4th brother is also pretty solid.

That is him I really like how deep and defined the barring is on him, especially in his tail. He just looks like a really nice bird all around. I wouldn't worry to heavily about his comb as long as he has the correct number of points, unless you are going to show him. But even then there are worse things he could get dinged for than a slightly crooked/floppy comb. I'd love to see more pics of him. He's really gorgeous!

 

[MarshallPrime]

That is him I really like how deep and defined the barring is on him, especially in his tail. He just looks like a really nice bird all around. I wouldn't worry to heavily about his comb as long as he has the correct number of points, unless you are going to show him. But even then there are worse things he could get dinged for than a slightly crooked/floppy comb.
I'd love to see more pics of him. He's really gorgeous!

Thanks for the kind words. I will try to get some more pictures up soon, its been stormy. I really like where he is headed.

How many points are correct on his comb, that is one thing I havent paid attention to yet.

He has 4 brothers and 2 of them are very similar to him and 1 other has ZERO white on his lobes and the other is younger so not sure right now about him but he looks like the others did at that age.

 

[Bantambird]

Man I have this one cockerel whose crest is getting still crazier every week. Half seems to be standing on end! Think he found a light socket?

 

[mellcrowl]

Thanks for the kind words.  I will try to get some more pictures up soon, its been stormy.  I really like where he is headed.

How many points are correct on his comb, that is one thing I havent paid attention to yet.  

He has 4 brothers and 2 of them are very similar to him and 1 other has ZERO white on his lobes and the other is younger so not sure right now about him but he looks like the others did at that age.  

I believe 6-7 points is what your wanting on these guys.

 

[GaryDean26]

I finally managed to get some pictures taken so I could post them for opinions.

This is my current boy, Sunny



[GD26] I feel that this one would be improved with a longer back that has a downward slope, and longer thighs.


The next pictures are potential keepers from this spring's hatch. It's the same 2-3 boys in all the pictures. I just couldn't get any perfect shots of them lol



[GD26] This one looks like he has good potential. He has a longer downward sloping back, and longer thighs. His color is also complete for cream which is important. The tail look thin. IT sould be a bit fuller, but it is not something of concern. The wings however are concerning. They should be held horizontal with the tips pointing to the vents, but he has then angled diagonal with the tips pointing to the ground.

This little one is still young and small but he has the straightest comb of all of them and not bad barring so I'll be watching him but the other two are the main ones I'm keeping an eye on.









[GD26] I like the full breast on this last photo. The back is great with the long length and the downward slope. The back is where the framework of the bird all starts so that is arguable the first point that should be evaluated and the most important thing to get right when you are building a breeding line. His wings are horizontal either but nealy follow the line of the back and the tips are no below the line of fluff so his winds look better than #2. The smaller crest may be an indication that he is only carrying on cresting gene and with a like hens could produce non-crested offspring, but that isn't a deal breaker if he is better than your other cockerels in other ways.

This boy here was my "double cream". His barring is very washed out unfortunately so he's not a contender.



[GD26] All "cream" is double. Sonny doesn't look like he is cream (i.e. he only has one copy of the cream gene and so he is actually gold), but #2 and #3 looks cream. #2 and #3 have much better color than double cream has. The standard calls for a dark grey barred breast, thighs, and fluff but this guy is a light grey to really faded colors which is not what you want.

so, Sorry for so many pictures but please give me your opinions on all the boys I posted. Even Sunny, if you think I should keep or replace him and what you think of the other boys so far. I have a lot more boys that I didn't even bother to take pictures of. Either their combs are WAY too wavy or their barring is too fuzzy (most of them).