The Legbar Thread!

[racinchickins]

@ HaplessRunner My male chicks have a very specific color that lets me know if they are going to be colored correctly. All gray or dark gray mean too much color for me. I look at the British chicks and they are quite often way lighter than what I see in my brooder. I do wonder if this is flock dependent at this time or if there is a consensus down color. From your photos, if they were mine I would have predicted them as too colorful. I agree with Rinda it really seems up in the air at this point and photos do not really show the true colors I find.

Has anyone used one of those drill attachments for de-feathering their birds. I've read the reviews and wonder if it's worth it. I have too few to take to a processor and really would prefer to do it myself but not sure I want to do all that plucking in this weather. It's not that much $ so I'll probably give it a try but wanted to see if anyone here had tried one? Going to finally purchase a killing cone.

I have one. Several things to note.
1. It does go faster and can do a good job. You will probably still need to do wings and tail by hand.
2. A corded powerful drill is needed. And it needs to be solidly attached. I built a frame that is clamped to a table.
3. Feathers go Everywhere!!!
4. Those rubber picker fingers are painful when they hit human fingers. Especially cold human fingers.

 

[normanack]

Is it possible to pull the skin off bringing the feathers with it? Just wondering. (No actual clue.)

 

[lonnyandrinda]

Is it possible to pull the skin off bringing the feathers with it? Just wondering. (No actual clue.)

Yes. That would be my preference- skinning is MUCH easier than plucking. But my hubby is partial to the skin on a cooked bird...

 

[HaplessRunner]

@Blackbirds13, thank you for the feedback on the down colors and results. What specific clues do you use to give you insights as how their colors will develop? Would you be able to elaborate on the not all gray or dark gray further?

LOL, it appears the thread took off on a plucking and skinning tangent afterwards.

 

[tdhenson86]

Now note pictures of these at four months of age:

The female from above is on the far right in the pullet picture below. Her cold, dark tones translated into a much darker pullet with a dark crest. The cockerel, to me, appears to have some cream coloring in his hackles but his saddle appears to be gold. This certainly not what I hoped for when I acquired a very light color down chick. He does have the best crest of any CLB roo that I have.

Where did you get that gorgeous hen on the far left?

 

[CibolaChooks]

I hope blackbirds tells us her secret. I know which male chick down i wouldnt trust but ive got a cream rooster from a chick as dark as the female you posted a pic of happless.

I think the color of chick down should probably be as close to the what the UK people pick for color as possible. Right down to females with a light head spot

 

[tdhenson86]

Everyone keeps talking about the UK chick down color. Does anyone have pictures of an example of the colors they look for in male and female chicks in the UK?

 

[KPenley]

This is just one breeder, but she has some lovely pictures, http://www.jillscreamlegbars.co.uk/gallery/4573536975

 

[nicalandia]

I hope blackbirds tells us her secret. I know which male chick down i wouldnt trust but ive got a cream rooster from a chick as dark as the female you posted a pic of happless.

Steen, this is what I am thinking, the darker the chick down could only relate to the dark barring on the males grey barring areas, but it will not affect the gold tones of the bird.. can you confirm this, are the darker males you hatch turn out to be darker once mature on the breast area?

for example this male of yours shows about the best barring I have seen on a CL Male as of today.. its Dark and well defined. do you remember how he looked at hatch? Dark or Light?

 

[CibolaChooks]

Everyone keeps talking about the UK chick down color. Does anyone have pictures of an example of the colors they look for in male and female chicks in the UK?

The males should be very light grey with an almost yellowish cream head spot. I think the females having the light head spot is important too for correct colored crest