Opal legbar rooster?

[ColoradoChicken89]

Cream legbars are sexable at hatch so I assume that opal legbars are as well. In cream legbars the males are much lighter because they are double barred. Even though opals are lighter, the difference is probably visible as chicks (never seen them as little chicks so I am guessing.)

It is strange that they don’t sell opal roos though. I have heard that opal pullets are one of their more expensive chicks, maybe they don’t want to be selling males because then there will be lots more breeders and they won’t be as rare or unique anymore? No idea I am probably way off!

That does make sense that they would have to be easily sexed really young to know... because I am assuming it would be about 50/50 every hatch for males/females that it would almost be impossible to not accidently sell roosters if they couldn't easily sex them at a day old.

And yeah, I just find it strange to not sell the roos... I would assume at some point they would have a lot of roosters that go to waste. The rarity part makes sense, cause like I have an opal legbar hen with a EE rooster, so I of course would NOT be getting opal legbars in eggs if I were to hatch her eggs... lol. They would just be an even more unique cross than the EE hens eggs. But I can't help but imagine how much waste that is... Maybe I'm wrong though.

 

[Melscags38]

That does make sense that they would have to be easily sexed really young to know... because I am assuming it would be about 50/50 every hatch for males/females that it would almost be impossible to not accidently sell roosters if they couldn't easily sex them at a day old.

And yeah, I just find it strange to not sell the roos... I would assume at some point they would have a lot of roosters that go to waste. The rarity part makes sense, cause like I have an opal legbar hen with a EE rooster, so I of course would NOT be getting opal legbars in eggs if I were to hatch her eggs... lol. They would just be an even more unique cross than the EE hens eggs. But I can't help but imagine how much waste that is... Maybe I'm wrong though.

I have a 12 week Opal Legbar roo that I also got as the free “meal maker” chicken they give out with every order. I was also surprised they don’t sell the Roos and that they’d give such a pricey roo out for free. My assumption is that they don’t want the breed to become too common. Sind they give out a free meal maker with pretty much every order and sell dozens of different breeds, this allows them to cull the extra roos without putting them down as your average chicken keeper is unlikely to breed and sell or have Opal pullets as the free chick is a surprise.

 

[Slothinc]

I have a 12 week Opal Legbar roo that I also got as the free “meal maker” chicken they give out with every order. I was also surprised they don’t sell the Roos and that they’d give such a pricey roo out for free. My assumption is that they don’t want the breed to become too common. Sind they give out a free meal maker with pretty much every order and sell dozens of different breeds, this allows them to cull the extra roos without putting them down as your average chicken keeper is unlikely to breed and sell or have Opal pullets as the free chick is a surprise.

That is exactly what my thinking is too. If they are sending the opal boys out as a bonus chick, most people aren’t buying opal legbar pullets (and if they are, they probably include a different type of chick for their free one) thus making it more difficult for the breed to become commonplace. When they become more common the hatchery would probably have to reduce prices on the pullets.

 

[McChooky]

I got two freebie roosters from Meyer hatchery earlier this year. One is a rhode island red and the other is a mystery. His coloring looks a lot like their opal legbars, but they only sell hens of that breed. What do you all think?

He looks like a lighter version of a cream legbar rooster so he'd be an Opal legbar rooster. I bought my rooster at Murray McMurray in 2023

 

[McChooky]

Many of the hatcheries who sell legbars won't sell you a roosters.They don't want us breeding them ourselves so we'll keep coming back for more

 

[ColoradoChicken89]

Many of the hatcheries who sell legbars won't sell you a roosters.They don't want us breeding them ourselves so we'll keep coming back for more

This does make sense. I guess I didn't realize they were $68 through meyer hatchery... LOL. I got mine as a "meal maker" hen from them a few months ago.

 

[McChooky]

This does make sense. I guess I didn't realize they were $68 through meyer hatchery... LOL. I got mine as a "meal maker" hen from them a few months ago.

THe only reason I bought my legbar cockerels from Murrays was they'll sell you both but the sexed females are sold out by January unless you'll take a ship date in hot weather which I refuse to do

 

[NatJ]

THe only reason I bought my legbar cockerels from Murrays was they'll sell you both but the sexed females are sold out by January unless you'll take a ship date in hot weather which I refuse to do

I don't see Opal Legbars at very many hatcheries, but I saw a number of places that had Cream Legbars, and every one of them listed both males and females.
https://www.mcmurrayhatchery.com/cream_legbars.html
https://www.idealpoultry.com/items/cream-legbar/colored-egg-layers
https://hoovershatchery.com/cream-legbar
https://www.dunlaphatcherypoultry.com/product/cream-legbar/

Even Meyer was offering both sexes on the Cream Legbars and the White Legbars.
https://meyerhatchery.com/products/cream-legbar-day-old-chicks
https://meyerhatchery.com/products/frost-white-legbar-day-old-chicks

Maybe the lack of Opal Legbar males will turn out to be a temporary thing? It might go away in a few years, as more Opal Legbars get bred.

In the meanwhile, if anyone wants to breed more Opal Legbars, I think that can be done by crossing Opal to Cream Legbar, then breeding chicks back to Opal or to each other. So anyone who got just one Opal Legbar male could put him with Cream Legbar hens, then breed the daughters back to him, and get about 50% Opal chicks in that backcross generation. It also works the other direction, using an Opal Legbar hen. (I wonder if Meyer is doing something like that? It would be a good reason for them to keep every male for a few years, while selling the females for high prices as long as the scarcity lasts.)

 

[McChooky]

Thanks but I don't need any pullets now.I've decided not to use the rooster I have now or buy any chicks after finding a breeder who'll ship CL hatching eggs when I'm ready (no Opals) I've still got a couple catios I need to finish before winter so I can start on a coop

Maybe the lack of Opal Legbar males will turn out to be a temporary thing? It might go away in a few years, as more Opal Legbars get bred.

In the meanwhile, if anyone wants to breed more Opal Legbars, I think that can be done by crossing Opal to Cream Legbar, then breeding chicks back to Opal or to each other. So anyone who got just one Opal Legbar male could put him with Cream Legbar hens, then breed the daughters back to him, and get about 50% Opal chicks in that backcross generation. It also works the other direction, using an Opal Legbar hen. (I wonder if Meyer is doing something like that? It would be a good reason for them to keep every male for a few years, while selling the females for high prices as long as the scarcity lasts.)