The Legbar Thread!

[harriedhomemaker]

I would say they are a pretty docile breed. I have one hen who will come close to you but does not really want to be picked up. On the other end I have a hen who will come and jump in your lap. The others are somewhere in between. The roosters seem pretty well behaved, though mine will sometimes puff up his feathers when he thinks you might be up to something.

I can handle that kind of behavior. Thank you!

 

[GaryDean26]

I like the heavier birds too. After a some great feed back on my Marans I have been more motivated to determine what the idea body type is for the Legbar should be. I studied some photos of Leghorns and Plymouth's.

It could just be the photos, but this Legbar hen looks to have the Plymouth Rock body type. Interesting. I haven't seem many Legbars with the Plymouth body type. Thanks for sharing photos Laincroft. I was wondering if their were any Plymouth body types in the GFF Legbars.

The Leghorns has a long downward sloping back with a long tail. The Plymouth has a shorter upward sloping back with shorter tail (like this Legbar Pullet appears to have)

I am going to breed for heavier birds that are not leggy, downward sloping backs, prominent breast with broad shoulders and a gentle taper narrowing to the hips, and moderately long arched tails on the boys.

P.S. My dark hen in a few post back has a very small crest (she has the Cr genes, but they don't display much of a crest at all). All of her offspring are very nicely crested.

Note: Heavier breeds tend to be more broody. Those breeding for eggs only tend to select for light birds and those breeding for heritage type birds tend to select for the heavier birds.

 

[CarolJ]

I am mid-hatch with my first cream legbars. I've got the hatch spread out over a week since I put eggs in the bator as they were laid. Three chicks so far - and all three are boys!

 

[redchicken9]

Harriedhomemaker, I like your duck photo! Wanted to say I'm completely happy with my cream legbars. However, I did have one aggressive rooster that started going after my son when it was a 3-4 mos. juvenile (gone now). I've also had 3 roos completely fine with children, but still watchful. The pullets range from extremely docile, follow at your heels, to yes I know your around, when there's food. They all seem to be OK when picked up. I don't handle mine as often as some would pets. One group free ranges during the day. The other has a movable coop and electric fence. Traits include blending well with vegetation (low predation) thriftiness (good foragers), desire to hide eggs (garage, under shrubs), and not involved in conflict (my other hens squawk and discuss their issues, whatever hen issues are, cream legbars overall seem quieter than say cuckoo marans or barred rocks). Because of the hidden egg facet, more electric fence is on the porch, just have to plan where and which of the free rangers are going to be fenced. One other trait, my electric fence group will attempt, at night, to roost on low tree branches in the orchard or the coop roof.

Yesterday my electric fence was off. I pulled a wire on the clip and didn't get around to fixing it. I came home from a school movie and DH hadn't done shut down on the coops. So we head out, he's with me to fix the clip. At the electric fence coop, I reach up for the lone CL pullet who waits on the roof for me to tuck her in. AS I'm a reaching down to tuck her in, out hops a skunk!! This is from inside the coop, where there are 5 other chickens. None are squawking! I'm not sure if it was there for the opportunity of taking eggs or had been under the coop and jumped in to hide. Very close call, but strange experience. Lucky no spraying!

 

[redchicken9]

GaryDean,
I have hens that are wedding vase shaped like Laingcroft. Ever see the native American two spouted vases with the handle in the middle. To me, Wyandottes have this look, some say like a circle, balanced front and back. A few of my are like this. The pullet in the photo is quite fluffed in the tail feathers. When mine do this, it's similar, however most of the time this is not their natural pose, ie. she is showing off.

 

[harriedhomemaker]

Harriedhomemaker, I like your duck photo! Wanted to say I'm completely happy with my cream legbars. However, I did have one aggressive rooster that started going after my son when it was a 3-4 mos. juvenile (gone now). I've also had 3 roos completely fine with children, but still watchful. The pullets range from extremely docile, follow at your heels, to yes I know your around, when there's food. They all seem to be OK when picked up. I don't handle mine as often as some would pets. One group free ranges during the day. The other has a movable coop and electric fence. Traits include blending well with vegetation (low predation) thriftiness (good foragers), desire to hide eggs (garage, under shrubs), and not involved in conflict (my other hens squawk and discuss their issues, whatever hen issues are, cream legbars overall seem quieter than say cuckoo marans or barred rocks). Because of the hidden egg facet, more electric fence is on the porch, just have to plan where and which of the free rangers are going to be fenced. One other trait, my electric fence group will attempt, at night, to roost on low tree branches in the orchard or the coop roof.

Yesterday my electric fence was off. I pulled a wire on the clip and didn't get around to fixing it. I came home from a school movie and DH hadn't done shut down on the coops. So we head out, he's with me to fix the clip. At the electric fence coop, I reach up for the lone CL pullet who waits on the roof for me to tuck her in. AS I'm a reaching down to tuck her in, out hops a skunk!! This is from inside the coop, where there are 5 other chickens. None are squawking! I'm not sure if it was there for the opportunity of taking eggs or had been under the coop and jumped in to hide. Very close call, but strange experience. Lucky no spraying!

Thank you, redchicken! Your reply is very helpful indeed. I will definitely get some CLs in early 2013. Now I have to decide if I want to hatch them or buy chicks and also pick who to get them from. Luckily there are lots of great people I learned about on this thread.

I'm so glad that everyone survived their close encounter with a skunk. That is super scary!

 

[Laingcroft]

I like the heavier birds too. After a some great feed back on my Marans I have been more motivated to determine what the idea body type is for the Legbar should be. I studied some photos of Leghorns and Plymouth's.

It could just be the photos, but this Legbar hen looks to have the Plymouth Rock body type. Interesting. I haven't seem many Legbars with the Plymouth body type. Thanks for sharing photos Laincroft. I was wondering if their were any Plymouth body types in the GFF Legbars.

The Leghorns has a long downward sloping back with a long tail. The Plymouth has a shorter upward sloping back with shorter tail (like this Legbar Pullet appears to have)

I am going to breed for heavier birds that are not leggy, downward sloping backs, prominent breast with broad shoulders and a gentle taper narrowing to the hips, and moderately long arched tails on the boys.

P.S. My dark hen in a few post back has a very small crest (she has the Cr genes, but they don't display much of a crest at all). All of her offspring are very nicely crested.

Note: Heavier breeds tend to be more broody. Those breeding for eggs only tend to select for light birds and those breeding for heritage type birds tend to select for the heavier birds.

Hey Gary: She is heavier and "rounder" than a leghorn, but not as much as a rock. Remember, in this picture she is slightly puffed to "defend" her chicks which are under the "ramp" to the dog crate nest area. Never once attached, but boy, could she puff those feathers in an instant.

Can't wait to hatch some chicks from one of the other (crested) lines to see how they compare.

 

[Dirt Farmer]

Here's an update on my hatch. At last report I had hatched 3/13 eggs. One source half way across the country had resulted in two cockerels from five eggs. Another source a couple hours from me had hatched out one pullet from eight pullet eggs. Both were shipped.
Over the past week I hatched 5/20 of the remaining eggs. The same far away source hatched another cockerel from five eggs. And a source also a couple hours away but different than the first setting hatched two pullets and two cockerels from 15 pullet eggs. Again all were shipped eggs.
In total I spent $254 to buy and ship the eggs. I got essentially 3 pair for $84.50 per pair, with two free spare cockerels. This compares with the started stock that I purchased earlier this year. I paid $156.50 for two pair including shipping, or $79.50 per pair. I only throw that out for those who are considering hatching egg vs chicks/started.
Buying chicks/started is less of a gamble, and you know the sex up front. If you get a good hatch rate, say 50%, then eggs are cheaper, and I think its a little easier to collect unrelated stock.
In the second hatch all hatched at days 19-20. I have two mercury thermometers that I place top and bottom of the cabinate. The average temperature I would estimate ran 99 3/4 F. I did not measure humidity but used the same combination of water pail, pad/pads and ventilation that I've used in the past (as I mentioned last time I hatched 11/17 of the non CL breeds at the same time which were local but shipped). I think the biggest issue was that these were mostly pullet eggs, and the nice sized eggs were shipped long distance.
This time two chicks were initially difficult to sex, but became fairly clear at 3 or 4 days old.

 

[Hangtown Farms]

Here's an update on my hatch. At last report I had hatched 3/13 eggs. One source half way across the country had resulted in two cockerels from five eggs. Another source a couple hours from me had hatched out one pullet from eight pullet eggs. Both were shipped.
Over the past week I hatched 5/20 of the remaining eggs. The same far away source hatched another cockerel from five eggs. And a source also a couple hours away but different than the first setting hatched two pullets and two cockerels from 15 pullet eggs. Again all were shipped eggs.
In total I spent $254 to buy and ship the eggs. I got essentially 3 pair for $84.50 per pair, with two free spare cockerels. This compares with the started stock that I purchased earlier this year. I paid $156.50 for two pair including shipping, or $79.50 per pair. I only throw that out for those who are considering hatching egg vs chicks/started.
Buying chicks/started is less of a gamble, and you know the sex up front. If you get a good hatch rate, say 50%, then eggs are cheaper, and I think its a little easier to collect unrelated stock.
In the second hatch all hatched at days 19-20. I have two mercury thermometers that I place top and bottom of the cabinate. The average temperature I would estimate ran 99 3/4 F. I did not measure humidity but used the same combination of water pail, pad/pads and ventilation that I've used in the past (as I mentioned last time I hatched 11/17 of the non CL breeds at the same time which were local but shipped). I think the biggest issue was that these were mostly pullet eggs, and the nice sized eggs were shipped long distance.
This time two chicks were initially difficult to sex, but became fairly clear at 3 or 4 days old.

I agree. I wanted some Empordanesa hatching eggs however ended up with a breeding trio. was pricy but cheaper in the long run

 

[ChicKat]

Thanks for the good information everyone.

Dirt Farmer - it is good to know those baselines and the economics. BTW, I think that at MyPetChicken the Cream Legbar eggs are $10.00 ea.