The Legbar Thread!

[Thespoiledchicken]

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.

I hatched 3 of them and there was an obvious distinction between the two sexes. In a few months I will know for sure if I am right but I think I have 2 girls and a boy. The boy had a very large and noticeable spot on his head (at hatch) compared to the girls. If I only hatched one sex it might not be real noticeable and would take a trained eye.

The chicks are about 2 1/2 weeks old now and I noticed the crests on the girls a few days ago. The "boy" is smaller and so far has no crest.

Trish

 

[Wolf-Kim]

Awesome. Thanks! They are beautiful!

 

[madamwlf]

Not offend at all.

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.

 

[Flaming Chicken]

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.

From the pictures of these chicks it seems like you can still see the chipmunk stripes on the pullets and white spot on the cockerel. It might take some careful looking but I think it is easier than trying to check the vent of a day old chick!

 

[GaryDean26]

I love the Cream Legbars. My list of advantages dwarf the draw backs. I think that are a realy pretty bird, but feared that I may get bord with them becuase they only come in one color. I personally don't think I will keep a white flock (don't have the room or time to breed another line), but am glad that some people are working on this project so give people a 2nd choice in color in a couple of years. I am sure that after a few hatches they will be able to sex the birds and pass the knowlege on to those who buy them too. My 2 year old may not be able to do it like with our current legbars, but it has got to be easier than other breeds.

 

[Johnn]

Just thaught of this now, is there a bantam version of cream legbars?!

 

[flyingmonkeypoop]

Just thaught of this now, is there a bantam version of cream legbars?!

I hear there are over in Australia. The birds I got at the show this weekend will be the base to make bantam cream legbars. I almost thought about using dutch bantams since they already come in cream light brown but figured the leg color would be too much of a hassle right away. In addition to trying to transfer the blue eggs, crest, and color, you'd add the skin color on top of that. That is why I am using light brown leghorns.

 

[GaryDean26]

I communicated with Rob Patterson in Austrelia about 2 months ago. He is trying to recreate Cream Legbars from scratch. He was jeolouse that we had UK lines imported to the US by Greenfire. He has done hundres of hours of research on the breed and was in the process of trying to find an Austrlian line of Aracauna's with the cream color gene to create his Cream Legbar line with. I may be missing something, but was guessing that he was starting this project becuase there weren't any Cream Legbars in the Down Under.

 

[ChicKat]

It seems that we are VERY lucky. Last w/e we went to a nearby pet shop (England) to choose our hens. The Cream Legbar cost us £12. I feel very privileged. Shall I post pictures to this thread as she is getting older?

That would be excellent. IMO the UK cream legbars are a slight bit different from the majority of ones in the USA and it will be sooo interesting to watch your hen grow. Thanks!

 

[ChicKat]

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

Hi Trish---

they are pretty and look really healthy. Nice bright eyes. ALSO-- I think that the crest on my cockerel was slower to appear, and it is smaller and less noticable than the one on my pullet.