The Legbar Thread!

[ferrperr]

Oh and I forgot to mention I hatched out project legbars as well. These are crosseed with marans.

 

[Thespoiledchicken]

So I had my first yellow chick hatch today along with a regular color male. The yellow chick is beautiful and a nice bright yellow. I will get pictures in a few days after it has time to get on it's feet.

Mine are about 2 1/2 weeks old now and have turned a beautiful snow white! Just took some new pics

Both the "girls" have crests already while the "boy" does not. The boy is very shy and sweet- and slightly smaller than the girls.


Trish

 

[Papa Brooder]

Glad to have found this thread. Found out a lot of amazing info already. I have 2 males and 4 females not about 8 weeks old I think, too tired to do the actual math right now. Will have to post some pictures when I get a chance. Thanks for the great discussions all!

 

[madamwlf]

Wow, what beautiful birds those are!

Mine are about 2 1/2 weeks old now and have turned a beautiful snow white! Just took some new pics

Both the "girls" have crests already while the "boy" does not. The boy is very shy and sweet- and slightly smaller than the girls.


Trish

 

[Wolf-Kim]

How early do the white legbars get those crests? While they are pretty, I think a disadvantage would be the loss of autosexing, or are you able to tell them apart pretty quick?

 

[madamwlf]

It takes some eye training but I believe you can still sex them. I hatched one over the weekend and I believe it is a rooster. I'll keep track of it and see if I'm right. I do believe the ones Trish hatched looked to be 2 hens and a rooster. It will take some time to see if we are right.

 

[madamwlf]

I see no disadvantage to not knowing the sex. I mean, majority of the breeds out there you don't know the sex. I don't mind raising roosters. Honestly, if you are a breeder don't you raise your chicks to a point to see which have the best characteristics for the breed???

 

[klf73]

I am so excited...I had separated my legbar girls because one got a hole in her back from overmating. I pulled both girls so she wouldn't be alone and let her heal. I set some eggs after they were separated for a couple of weeks and all were infertile. I put the roo back with them now that she is healed and I set some eggs and ALL my eggs are fertile

. I love how these girls are daily layers too.

 

[klf73]

I see no disadvantage to not knowing the sex. I mean, majority of the breeds out there you don't know the sex. I don't mind raising roosters. Honestly, if you are a breeder don't you raise your chicks to a point to see which have the best characteristics for the breed???

the only time I wouldn't want to put the expense into growing out roos is when I am happy with my current roos. I have 2 right now and don't want to grow another out yet, will wait till next year to grow out a "better" roo after I get to see what each boy has to offer...

 

[Wolf-Kim]

I mean it's not a huge disadvantage, I didn't mean to offend anyone. I just know that for "me" one of the biggest benefits of the legbars is the autosexing. One of the things that makes them that much better than another color egger breed. But that's just my personal priorities and reasons I like them a colored egger that I can tell what sex they are at the beginning. Everyone has their own opinion and focus. For me, my focus is homesteading and egg-laying. I was actually working on a project of breeding production breeds to EEs to create better colored layers. My priorities were 1. not white(for the primary free-ranging flock, my "white" poultry dissapears and I can only assume their color puts them at the disadvantage) 2. decent freerangers 3. colored layers.. It would have taken a few generations until I was satisfied and for each generation I would have had an excess amount of roosters. I only just personally discovered the legbars a couple weeks ago.. Someone has already done my breeding project for me and bested me by solving the excess rooster problem. LOL Just when you think you have a great idea and been working on it for 8 months you discover someone's already completed it! Ha!.

It does appear that by two weeks the cockerels are already showing a pretty decent comb and would make it easier to differentiate the sexes.

I think the whites are pretty(and hope to hatch some), I was just curious if they lose the autosexing.