The Legbar Thread!

[HardizzlesFlock]

I hatched them out myself. I bought them as eggs from Papa's Poultry aka Jeff in California

 

[enola]

I got my first pair of CCL Saturday! They are 16 weeks old. I also picked up 6 of the prettiest blue eggs. I joined the Easter Hatchalong........

 

[GaryDean26]

My recommendation we be to hold off on offering CLB eggs until they are at least 55 grams in weight and until you have hatched at least one set of eggs so that you can confirm that they are hatchable and free from physical defect to prove them before offering them for sale.


Yes there is a market for them, but it is going to be low when compared to the demand for hen eggs.

People have been telling me for 3 years to only hatch from hens because they will produce stronger chicks. My first pullet eggs were an average of 40 grams (+/- 5g). After the they increased in size by about 10 grams I went ahead and started hatching eggs. They fertility was good and the chicks didn't have any defects and were very active so I wasn't really clear on why older hens should be used other than the fact that it gave me time to see who my best layers were and after the mature molt at 18 months I could evaluate colors more accurately than I could at 7-8 months, but just this weekend learned something new that has helped me understand why hens eggs are better for hatching.

I took some hens to the "Chickens at the Library" day in Austin, TX. It was an event where they have a children's story time with chickens books then have members of the Austin Backyard Poultry Meetup group exhibit chickens so the kids can see a lot of different breeds. They got to pet the Silkies and Show Girls, touch the crests on the Legbar hens, see the long legs of the modern game, the size of a Sebright Banty next to a Buff Orp hen, the feathers of a Frizzle Cochin etc. The owner of the Russian Orloff that was next to me told me that a pullet with Lukosis has a 95% chance of passing it to their offspring through their eggs before their first adult molt. After the first molt he said the chances dropped significantly (to like 20% ????). He said after the 2nd adult molt that the chances dropped again (to like 2% ???). So I think I am now understanding what they mean when they say hen produce stronger chicks.

So, yes there is a demand for CLB pullet eggs, but people will probably expect them to be at least 50 grams and proven, so proceed accordingly.

P.S. I put 11 eggs under a broody hen on Saturday for an Easter Hatch. Does that count for the Easter hatch along?

 

[chicken pickin]

My recommendation we be to hold off on offering CLB eggs until they are at least 55 grams in weight and until you have hatched at least one set of eggs so that you can confirm that they are hatchable and free from physical defect to prove them before offering them for sale.


Yes there is a market for them, but it is going to be low when compared to the demand for hen eggs.

People have been telling me for 3 years to only hatch from hens because they will produce stronger chicks. My first pullet eggs were an average of 40 grams (+/- 5g). After the they increased in size by about 10 grams I went ahead and started hatching eggs. They fertility was good and the chicks didn't have any defects and were very active so I wasn't really clear on why older hens should be used other than the fact that it gave me time to see who my best layers were and after the mature molt at 18 months I could evaluate colors more accurately than I could at 7-8 months, but just this weekend learned something new that has helped me understand why hens eggs are better for hatching.

I took some hens to the "Chickens at the Library" day in Austin, TX. It was an event where they have a children's story time with chickens books then have members of the Austin Backyard Poultry Meetup group exhibit chickens so the kids can see a lot of different breeds. They got to pet the Silkies and Show Girls, touch the crests on the Legbar hens, see the long legs of the modern game, the size of a Sebright Banty next to a Buff Orp hen, the feathers of a Frizzle Cochin etc. The owner of the Russian Orloff that was next to me told me that a pullet with Lukosis has a 95% chance of passing it to their offspring through their eggs before their first adult molt. After the first molt he said the chances dropped significantly (to like 20% ????). He said after the 2nd adult molt that the chances dropped again (to like 2% ???). So I think I am now understanding what they mean when they say hen produce stronger chicks.

So, yes there is a demand for CLB pullet eggs, but people will probably expect them to be at least 50 grams and proven, so proceed accordingly.

P.S. I put 11 eggs under a broody hen on Saturday for an Easter Hatch. Does that count for the Easter hatch along?

Yes it does count! You should post it on the hatch along thread to add to the numbers of eggs set lol.

 

[chicken pickin]

I got my first pair of CCL Saturday! They are 16 weeks old. I also picked up 6 of the prettiest blue eggs. I joined the Easter Hatchalong........

Congrats on getting your first pair? Do you have pics of them?

 

[enola]

No pictures yet.......coming soon

 

[CibolaChooks]

Never mind its probably just our little girls

 

[ChicKat]

Interesting information GaryDean26. It makes me wonder if any hen that had Lukosis would have died before the 2nd Molt.

Grant Brereton is a poultry genetics expert and he advises waiting until the hen is 2-years old more for the true determination of what she will be, and for the fact that you are selecting for long-lived and productive into the later-years hen genetics, rather than a hen that dies at 1 1/2 years, and to avoid passing along some of the genetic characteristics that do not show up until later.... for example, there is on called 'green-eye' - It is a dulling of the red/orange iris color that a hen wouldn't show until much later. As far as I know this trait is very esoteric and would only matter in high-level showing and not many other places.

When eager young breeders with very young flocks hatch eggs from very young hens - then they don't really know all the genetics and how they will develop -- Just 2-cents more to add to the pot.
Most folks can't or won't wait until 2-year old hens... I know I didn't/couldn't....

To do this would take someone who had been raising the breed for awhile, but the long life, and long productivity are traits I value. For people looking to get breeding stock - you may want to add some longevity into your checklist of selection criteria. We have done this with our cattle, you can select for females that are still producing when others have retired.

 

[GaryDean26]

The man at the Library said that Leucosis is a disease that effects older birds. I guess I should have looked up more information before sharing (still need to do that), but does show one instant that would make a big difference in the age of the birds.

With the Cream Legbars I couldn't wait either. I start hatching as soon as I could. My breeding pen is now made up entirely of hens that are in their 2nd and 3rd laying season.

 

[flyingmonkeypoop]

There is now another breeder of rose comb legbars out there! I just sold a pair (rose comb male with single comb female) to a lady who hates the huge floppy combs like I do. My first batch of pure rose comb legbar chicks will be hatching this coming week, pretty excited.
I also finally started a thread just for the rose combed legbars since this one can get confusing at times.