The Legbar Thread!

[ChicKat]

I'm so sorry for all the hawk damage. Thanks for posting though - because I now have a lurking hawk...and I will keep all my chickens locked in their (covered) runs. It never ends does it?

 

[harriedhomemaker]

Check out this blog post from GFF!

http://greenfirefarms.com/2012/11/2013-cream-legbar-breeders/

Their breeders for 2013 look much more like the UK Standard.

This is great news for me since I have an order in with them for next year.

 

[lonnyandrinda]

Awesome, I'm glad to see it! They have worked really hard with what they have but I think it's great that now that they have seen where the US market wants them to head they are going there. Kudos to them. And lucky you to be set up for next year- hopefully you'll get some of their new line!

ETA: on closer inspection of the photos, here's what I see: of the birds they photographed, females have much larger, creamier crests. Males have less chestnut but are still quite dark compared to UK birds. Both seem to have the correct cream hackles. The hens still have the horn color beak versus the yellow. Granted I know they have much more breeding stock than just the few pictured in the blog. But definitely some improvement over their old stock.

 

[redchicken9]

Check out this blog post from GFF!

http://greenfirefarms.com/2012/11/2013-cream-legbar-breeders/

Their breeders for 2013 look much more like the UK Standard.

This is great news for me since I have an order in with them for next year.

Yes, I like seeing this too!!

 

[blackbirds13]

That Greenfire female does look really good. I wonder what the ratio is that they are hatching those out at? I may need to think about adding a couple girls next year if they'll look like that. The rooster is still too colorful for me but his hackles look like they're getting there, albeit still a bit of gold in there, and the saddle needs more work but this is wonderful news.

 

[Flaming Chicken]

Said hawk will actually sit on the top rail of the chain link kennel panels that my birds are penned in until he hears us at the door or window. When a section of the netting in the back fell in I found him sitting in the back behind the coop just chomping away at my darkest laying BCM early this spring. They made a nest in the border area between my and my neighbors house this year and my husband thinks they may have had at least 2 young ones this year. They are beautiful birds but can wreak havoc on your flock...keeping my fingers crossed this year can get everyone throug to spring.

I just got word that the Cream Legbar rooster that I sold last summer was taken by an Eagle. I sold the owner some chicks a few weeks ago, so he has replacements. We are all sad about the end of Peeta the rooster but I am glad he had a great home for a while.

 

[Flaming Chicken]

Check out this blog post from GFF!

http://greenfirefarms.com/2012/11/2013-cream-legbar-breeders/

Their breeders for 2013 look much more like the UK Standard.

This is great news for me since I have an order in with them for next year.

That girl is gorgeous! I think I just made up my mind for my spring chicks too. They changed their picture to her on their breed information page too.

 

[Flaming Chicken]

That Greenfire female does look really good. I wonder what the ratio is that they are hatching those out at? I may need to think about adding a couple girls next year if they'll look like that. The rooster is still too colorful for me but his hackles look like they're getting there, albeit still a bit of gold in there, and the saddle needs more work but this is wonderful news.

I think that rooster is the one they imported last spring. I wonder what his male offspring look like.

 

[redchicken9]

That Greenfire female does look really good. I wonder what the ratio is that they are hatching those out at? I may need to think about adding a couple girls next year if they'll look like that. The rooster is still too colorful for me but his hackles look like they're getting there, albeit still a bit of gold in there, and the saddle needs more work but this is wonderful news.

Thank-you to Amanda Rowe, as the owner, and Lonnyandrina, as the bringer, of the below cream Legbar photos to BYC. I'm re-posting them below as pictures for thought to compare with the site link http://greenfirefarms.com/2012/11/2013-cream-legbar-breeders/.

Here I agree with what blackbirds said on the GFF girl. She is nice in color! What do people think about her shape or type? I don't think I have eyes for this yet, but not bad. She could even be quite good. I just don't have enough experience to know, but I'm learning . What does a good crest looks like? The female's crest in the bottom photo got comments that it looks like a toupee! So what do you think? We'll need to have language to describe this for the American Standard of Perfection. The GFF male, hmm, still a lot of gold in neck and saddle hackles, the color is more cream and grey (see roo below).

For those that might be interested, language is being drafted for the American Standard of Perfection. After converting the British Poultry Standards, we are working on the format and language for the cream legbar: male shape (language 425) (reviews 451, 474, 488, 492, 495); female shape (language 496)(reviews 544, 545, 581, 584); male color (language 617) (reviews 620, 654, 666, 680); and female color (language 692) (reviews 693, 701). Participation creates a good product. You are invited to come and give your review! https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...group-standard-of-perfection/700#post_9965581

Originally Posted by lonnyandrinda

Found someone willing to share more photos for us to look at, Amanda Rowe gave permission for me to share these. She lives in the UK.

 

[GaryDean26]

Quote:

Thank-you to Amanda Rowe, as the owner, and Lonnyandrina, as the bringer, of the below cream Legbar photos to BYC. I'm re-posting them below as pictures for thought to compare with the site link http://greenfirefarms.com/2012/11/2013-cream-legbar-breeders/.

Here I agree with what blackbirds said on the GFF girl. She is nice in color! What do people think about her shape or type?

Yep...I agree. Nice Color!

When I sent photos of Marans Cockerels to a mentor/friend in another state this year there were no clear winners. Every single one of those boys had a blaring weakness. My friend/mentor told me that at shows they always take a bird for color and a bird for body type. They way depending on how the judging is done you have your bases covered (I must be working I thing they have taken Best of Breed at every show they have been to in the past three years). I decided that it might best to do the same thing in selecting breeders. Pick the one that is the best color wise (with out any blaring weaknesses) and likewise the one one that is the best in shape or type.

I would love to have that GFF bird for my "Color Girl", but NOT for my "Shape or Type Girl". I am not seeing a downward slope to the back or a prominent breast (i.e. breast extending past the beak).

She looks to still be a young pullet though (no waddles yet, and no bright red face, etc) so lots of changes could still be seen in that bird. This is encouraging though. Many people expressed discouragment in their first year of breeding CLBs wondering if they would ever be able to get to where they wanted their birds to be. In just a little under two years with the CLB in the USA we are already seeing progress.