The Legbar Thread!

[HorseChick21]

Hello! I'm new to CCLs, I just received my shipment of day old 8 pullets and 2 cockerels this morning, but surprise surprise I got two cockerels and a pullet as extras. Bought from Justin Smithey. I have a question, some of the pullets have dark, brown/black markings while others have more dark brown, both markings very visible and defined, just curious if it's a genetic difference, or if it's considered a fault to most. ( I know there is a lot of controversy about what the SOP should be)

[/IMG]

 

[Bush84]

Hello all. I posted a recent thread and was advised to ask my questions here. I'll paste my original questions below and hopefully you guys can give me some insight. Thanks in advance!

Hello all. I have been researching crested cream legbars recently. I see that they do have a following but are rare birds. I have read all of the physical details about the breed but I am looking for some other details about the breed. I'll be honest that I originally wanted them for their blue eggs, but find them much more beautiful than the other blue laying breeds. So here are some questions for those with experience with the CCL.

1. Personal experience with them?

2. I have young children. I absolutely will not tolerate a mean bird. I also mostly keep buff orps and I am also worried about them getting bullied. Any experience about their temperament? Are they friendly, cautious, or mean?

3. I have read that they are cold hardy but notice they have large combs. It's cold in Minnesota. Any experience with the breed in cold weather?

4. I have also read that they tend not to go broody often. Has anybody had one go broody?

5. With a leghorn as a one of the original cross birds are they good foragers? I free range my chickens but I do have lots of predators around so a good free range bird would be nice.

Any other tips or advice? Thinking about buying hatching eggs this spring. So I have lots of time to research.

 

[stryker]

2. I have young children. I absolutely will not tolerate a mean bird. I also mostly keep buff orps and I am also worried about them getting bullied. Any experience about their temperament? Are they friendly, cautious, or mean?

3. I have read that they are cold hardy but notice they have large combs. It's cold in Minnesota. Any experience with the breed in cold weather?

4. I have also read that they tend not to go broody often. Has anybody had one go broody?

5. With a leghorn as a one of the original cross birds are they good foragers? I free range my chickens but I do have lots of predators around so a good free range bird would be nice.

Any other tips or advice? Thinking about buying hatching eggs this spring. So I have lots of time to research.

I live in a area that does not allow roosters at the time but with all roosters there are good ones and bad ones in ALL breeds. Just have to pick out a good one and I had chosen a nice legbar rooster that I wish I could keep. But I could not keep any at the time.

3. I live in North Dakota and the three that I have survive the winter and with the right setup, they will lay eggs all winter.
4. I currently had 3 hens that hatched out some chicks which are happier than a lark until you mess with their babies. Then dont mess with mom and babies attitude happens.
5. They don't lay around at the feed trough all day so they do scratch around for things to eat.

My advice is to keep all roosters that hatch and then slowly reduce them as they grow. Such as get rid of the ones that pick on other chickens, people, and then you will have one that you and your children will like having around. I do this will all of my breeds with roosters now. You can usually get your rooster picked out before they start crowing.

Others have more experience than I so they might pipe in.

 

[Junibutt]

Hello! I'm new to CCLs, I just received my shipment of day old 8 pullets and 2 cockerels this morning, but surprise surprise I got two cockerels and a pullet as extras. Bought from Justin Smithey. I have a question, some of the pullets have dark, brown/black markings while others have more dark brown, both markings very visible and defined, just curious if it's a genetic difference, or if it's considered a fault to most. ( I know there is a lot of controversy about what the SOP should be) [/IMG]

The down color in day old chicks has not yet been correlated with the phenotype that would result in adults. Some experienced breeders here have observed that the darker down color results in more golden vs creme adults but nothing has been documented and proven yet. It could also be the genetics of their particular flock. So you should tag them and see when they grow out if that holds true for your chicks.

 

[HorseChick21]

Oh, okay thank you how should I go about marking the chicks? I've been wondering this for a while. I use zip ties for my adults ( being careful that they don't grow in or anything)

 

[ochochicas]

Hello all. I have been researching crested cream legbars recently. I see that they do have a following but are rare birds. I have read all of the physical details about the breed but I am looking for some other details about the breed. I'll be honest that I originally wanted them for their blue eggs, but find them much more beautiful than the other blue laying breeds. So here are some questions for those with experience with the CCL.

1. Personal experience with them?
I bought a small flock of adult birds "second hand" that came from a breeder.

2. I have young children. I absolutely will not tolerate a mean bird. I also mostly keep buff orps and I am also worried about them getting bullied. Any experience about their temperament? Are they friendly, cautious, or mean? My legbar rooster was the meanest bird I've ever had. The hens are not aggressive. They prefer to be left alone. If you go up to the nest box when they are in there they will hiss and throw a fit, but they are not aggressive.

3. I have read that they are cold hardy but notice they have large combs. It's cold in Minnesota. Any experience with the breed in cold weather?
It isn't that cold here, but I have an enclosed horse stall where the chickens sleep at night. Last year it was in the teens during December and January. The hens have been fine in cold weather.

4. I have also read that they tend not to go broody often. Has anybody had one go broody?
Never had a broody one.

5. With a leghorn as a one of the original cross birds are they good foragers? I free range my chickens but I do have lots of predators around so a good free range bird would be nice.
My Legbar hens are crazy diggers, almost to the point that they are annoying. OK, I admit it, they are annoying since they usually want to dig in the gravel and they get it all over the driveway and in the lawn. They also forage all over the place. Usually they stay pretty close to the barn so I have not lost any to predators. They are the first ones to roost at night.

 

[henless]

Update: My Legbars are now 3 & 5 weeks old. They all started roosting last week, so no longer use their heating pad.

These are my two cockerels. My 3 wk old and my 5 wk old.




Some of my pullets.






The youngest ones were different colors when I first got them, but as they get older, they are all turning about the same color. Not much difference from the lighter or darker ones.

Looks like every one of them is crested. They love scrambled eggs, bananas, watermelon, apples and cabbage!

 

[Junibutt]

Oh, okay thank you

how should I go about marking the chicks? I've been wondering this for a while. I use zip ties for my adults ( being careful that they don't grow in or anything)

Different size expandable rings are available from pigeon supply stores. I buy mine from here:

http://www.foyspigeonsupplies.com/p...elastic-rings-starter-kit-size-9mm-20-of-each

7mm should be good for up to 3 weeks old and then they should be switched to 9mm rings till about 6 weeks. As with any other bands you have to be careful to switch them as soon as they start becoming snuggly

 

[ChicKat]

Update: My Legbars are now 3 & 5 weeks old. They all started roosting last week, so no longer use their heating pad.

These are my two cockerels. My 3 wk old and my 5 wk old.




Some of my pullets.






The youngest ones were different colors when I first got them, but as they get older, they are all turning about the same color. Not much difference from the lighter or darker ones.

Looks like every one of them is crested. They love scrambled eggs, bananas, watermelon, apples and cabbage!

Nice pictures, nice birds henless!

Seems like Punnett came to the same conclusion -- down colors vary -- but by the time the chicken reaches adulthood -- the variations have disappeared.

 

[ChicKat]

Different size expandable rings are available from pigeon supply stores. I buy mine from here:

http://www.foyspigeonsupplies.com/p...elastic-rings-starter-kit-size-9mm-20-of-each

7mm should be good for up to 3 weeks old and then they should be switched to 9mm rings till about 6 weeks. As with any other bands you have to be careful to switch them as soon as they start becoming snuggly

Good info Junibutt --

you are such a pro~ I use zip ties from the start (little teeny zip ties )--- and cut them off and replace them on a regular basis. Sounds like you have it down to a science.