Interesting too - if the economic value gets written into the SOP, then that becomes part of the breed. Walt did tell us something to the effect of "
don't loose the original intent". --
I doubt that anyone raising CLs would stand for loosing autosexing... I'm wondering if a CL really can be the 'all around chicken' - That's kind of my view. Quirky enough for show, productive enough for eggs, and easy separation of males for table birds if one wants to grow them for awhile. I do think a lot of people want to see something different at a show.
By cookie cutter, I kind of meant - how to describe it here - I can tell which cattle were raised on this ranch - and which ones we purchased from elsewhere. (especially in the females which we seldom purchase) - it's the look in their eyes and the faces.... So If you decide to winter-over let's say 3-roosters and 9-10 hens every year, eventually after about 4-6 years, I think that your own flock would get a certain look. Right now - there is a big variety in the appearance of CLs. One thing coming out now is an appearance of dark edges on the female breast. Someone showed me this link to an
eBay listing --
"Check this hen out.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/15-Crested-Cream-Legbar-Legbars-Fertile-Hatching-Eggs-Rare-Imported-/151160957114?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2331e528ba#ht_498wt_1137"
Hen has some nice things going for it - and a lot of work to get it to my vision of a standard CL hen. (Thanks for the link Sherry!) I like her comb and wattles, and nice round shape, maybe good tail feathers...wonder if she has a tent in back or is more 'pinched' like a lot of CLs are...but the feathering - leaves me puzzled, and I am seeing more and more of this, that I didn't see last year. But if the picture were without color - it could be that hen has good type. Not much cream in the hackle feathers, If all your hens looked like that hen in type, except with correct coloration that would be the uniformity that I am trying to convey. I think I sort of understand now why Walt was saying something to the effect that Cream Legbars are all over the map. Last year I may have said something like 'that's not a CL' - To me they are a recognizable breed - but there is within the breed a huge variation in crests, neck hackle patterns, length of shank ...etc. etc.
Raising chickens for show and/or type (ETA meant productivity) -- I think that both can be done... Kind of gets back to the idea that double mating would produce better show quality individuals... with a breed like ours that has such sexual dimorphism, someone wanting to concentrate on showing may find that path very attractive. For someone who puts utility and economy above showing and showing is a sideline - then it would be unattractive. The latter may never get to the big time - in showing - but that doesn't mean that they cannot show their birds IMO.
Last thought. As I read more about showing - I'm seeing how much 'grooming' plays a part. So if you are on your way to your first show, and you have done everything you can to make your best CL look as good as it can, and as you take it out to put in the show cage, a
Major feather breaks Like two big tail sickle featers - should you scratch your entry because you know it won't win?? And what if you just traveled 6-7 hours to get there? Or should you exhibit your bird to have the judge evaluate it and you can learn from that experience? (just an example) - Or if you had a rooster who was fabulous in the coloration you are raising, had so many qualities that you thought were nearly meeting the SOP, Yellow legs, the right weight, loves to strike a pose... and then his comb got frostbitten.... he will never win a show - because he is very imperfect...right? (I actually don't know what happens when a comb gets frost bitten - but I think that the point dies and falls off -- anyone can enlighten me?) It would look kind of strange...but what if you wanted to know how the other qualities stacked up? Because the damaged comb isn't genetic - he won't pass it along to his chicks... Would judges be insulted that you entered a bird with obvious flaws? I think some people would say - you have enough birds with you that if you had a broken feather you would just put another bird in the show. Or you would have so many roosters equivalent to your frost bitten comb guy that you would use the one who isn't frost bitten... The idea of rubber-stamp cookie-cutter flock. BTW do you put Vaseline on the comb to protect from frost-bite and how much do you put on -- and do you reapply every night to the rooster? I guess you would have to..... here the problem is more heat related than cold related...and we're back in the 80's tomorrow...but it has gotten down to 16 around here.
