Should I keep a Cream Legbar roo or Bielefelder in my mixed flock?

[chicklets81]

When I first started my flock last spring, I didn't give much thought to which kind of rooster I'd have...but knew I wanted a large fowl cochin hen to be included.

In getting my cochin hen, I've "accidentally" gotten a bantam cochin rooster. But now hes the only rooster.

And I don't want all of the chicks I get to be bantam. I prefer larger eggs over smaller ones.

Trying to decide on which type of rooster to keep, and I've run into 2 gorgeous breeds. The Cream Legbar, and the Bielefelder. And the ironic thing about these chickens is the roosters look very similar.

Does anyone have any knowledge of these 2 breeds and any opinions of which one is better to keep?

I have already : 2 RIR
3 Barred Rock
2 Buff O
2 Appen. Spitz
2 Black Astro
4 Ameraucanas

Any opinions about whether a bielfelder roo or cream legbar would be better?

 

[SunHwaKwon]

I've never had any cream legbar, but my Bielefelder was quite a good rooster. I ended up selling him as part of a pair, but it was through no fault of his own, I just changed my mind about breeding them and didn't have room. He was a friendly (though not lap friendly) bird but also not very assertive. I'm not sure how he would have been in a predator situation (ie would he alert or just hide) or with helping to raise chicks (I expect he would have done well with that). Are you going to breed? If so, what are you going to do with excess roosters? If you're going to eat them, I would go with the bielefelder, as they will have a bit more size. If not, though, I think I would go with the legbar, especially if i you are looking for a good forager and flock guardian.

 

[chicklets81]

I intend to let the chickens breed, yes. I plan to try to list the roosters for free and find homes for them. I also wanted to try and cross a roo with a hen to make a cool speckled egg. I have a batch of chicks I just hatched that include baby copper marans and legbars. So if I decide on a legbar, I already have them. If I wanted to go with a bielefelder, I'd have to get rid of my legbar roos and hatch some bielefelder. Choices choices! Thanks for your thoughts.

 

[Mrs. K]

I got a pretty nice Bielefelder. A near by breeder paid big bucks for a dozen eggs and only got roosters to hatch. Temperament, very laid back, no problem with little grandchildren. He mates hens, and eggs are fertile, but not a huge hatch rate. Just not a vigorous breed. He tends to stay pretty close to the coop when I turn them out, not a great forager. I love his coloring, but I just did not get a lot of live hens out of him. Right now, I have a single daughter in his flock, and I have had him going on 3 years. I will replace him this fall.

Might be just him, might be the breed - there is a thread on this breed, or was on the old page. You might check those out.

Mrs k

 

[Ridgerunner]

I haven't had either breed but in general I'm not a big believer that breed determines the behavior of the individual rooster as much as many people give it credit for. I've had roosters of other breeds, some were jerks and some were great. There are breed tendencies but you have to have enough for the averages to mean much. I would not base my decision on what his personality might be like.

I don't know all your goals, but you mentioned giving the roosters away. If it is a pure legbar the chicks will all be Easter Eggers. Any of his daughters will lay blue or green eggs. His sons will all carry one copy of the blue egg gene. I don't know if that will help you get rid of the cockerels or not, but the colored eggs might appeal to you.

If you were going to eat them (I don't think that is in your plans) the Bielefelder roosters should weight a pound or more than the Legbar. Bielefelder are supposed to lay a fairly large egg and a lot of them. Legbars compare favorably in that regard, I don't see a lot of difference.

Those are the only real differences I can see in the breeds. Unless you have some goals you are not mentioning, since you already have the legbar I'd go that way. I just don't see that much difference in them.

 

[TinyBirds]

I have both but if I had to choose I would pick legbar for the colorful eggs. If you want spotted eggs I recommend welsummer.

 

[iambebabeba]

I have a Bielefelder rooster and he has the best disposition I have ever seen in a rooster. I think he is so beautiful and his offspring (I have pure marans hens) are vigorous large little things. They are very hardy but my babies are all 1/2 Bielefelder x 1/2 marans. I think he is wonderful. I have a female also so eventually I would like to slowly grow my flock with pure Bielefelders. They are large and fairly quiet . He has a deep crow ( not shrieking)Obviously I'm a big fan of the breed.

 

[renk777]

I have a Bielefelder rooster and he has the best disposition I have ever seen in a rooster. I think he is so beautiful and his offspring (I have pure marans hens) are vigorous large little things. They are very hardy but my babies are all 1/2 Bielefelder x 1/2 marans. I think he is wonderful. I have a female also so eventually I would like to slowly grow my flock with pure Bielefelders. They are large and fairly quiet . He has a deep crow ( not shrieking)Obviously I'm a big fan of the breed.

Do you have a photo of your Biele x Marans crosses? Would love to see! That's a cross I was considering