Which 2 of these 3 Cream Legbar roosters should be my breeding roosters?

[Sahraschweiss]

Based on the SOP provided these stand out:

Wings:
In the pictures, all three seem to drop their wings.

Comb:
Number 1 has a flop to the comb.
Number 2 has the best comb point definition. The point are distinct.
Number 3 points are not as defined.

Neck:
Number 3 has the better neck-- long with curve and good hackles.
Number 2 neck looks in one picture and short in another. The curve just passed the head seem harsh...angled.

Final thoughts... Re-home 1. Keep 3 as back up and use 2 as a breeder.

Please know I am a first time chicken person. I committed more to read responses to see if I understand a SOP and can transfer it to a bird.

 

[ChickenLoverz123]

Okay well it looks like I can’t post a video on here, only photos.

 

[ChickenLoverz123]

@GaryDean26 What do you think? Which 2 should I use for breeding?

 

[Sahraschweiss]

Okay well it looks like I can’t post a video on here, only photos.

I usually have to upload to YouTube and copy link.

 

[GaryDean26]

@GaryDean26 What do you think? Which 2 should I use for breeding?

The following areas should be considered in their respective order. 1) Vigor 2) Utilities 3) Type 4) Color

I. Vigor:
a) Head Points: #1's head points look better on him than #2 with the eys a little closer to the front of the skull, less sunken in, and more forward-facing. His skull also has more depth than #2. #3 is about as good as #1 with the eye placement but does not have as much depth to the skull.

b) Fleshing on breast: #1 & #2 look to have a straight line in the profile from the apex of the breast to the thighs. #3 looks to have a concave line from in the profile from the apex of the breast to the thighs. Some of the views of #2 show a slight concave too. A well-fleshed breast will have to straight line of concave lines.

c) Wing Set: #1's wings are way too loose. Birds with good vigor hold them up tight with all the tips pointing to the vents. #2 is not as loose as #1 but still doesn't have the tips pointing to the vents. #3 is about equl to #2.

There are lots of points on vigor that can not be evaluated from photos but on Head points, it would be 1,3,2. On the breast, it would be 1, 2, 3. The wings it would be 3, 2, 1. So...no clear winner can be made based on vigor.

II. Utilities - There isn't any clear conclusion that can be made from photos on utilities either so we can't use that as the tiebreaker from the dead heat on vigor.

III. Type -

Back: The backs look equal on all of these guys. They are all downwardly sloping and are all free from curves and all have good lengths.

Breast: We already look at these from a vigor standpoint and for type we are looking for the same things. They should be well rounded with no straight lines and the apex coming forward past the tip of the beak.

Tail: The tail angle of #1 looks to be about 60 degrees with the horizon which is acceptable. # 2 and #3 almost don't have enough tail to see their angles, but #2 looks light a higher angle, 75 degees(?) and #3 possibly 65 degree(?). The ideal for the breed is 45 degrees and higher angles relate to production/utility losses but we won't consider that since utilities were skipped over. White fluff at the junction of the tail and back and sharp angles at the tail and back should be avoided. All of these look to have the white fluff and all of them appear to have the angle rather than a smooth transition from the back to the tail with no sharp angles.

Earlobes: None of these have solid white ear lobes. The one with the most white is #2. #1 and #3 both have more red on the ear lobe than white. They should be pendant type ear lobes that hang down and away from the face. These look to have the correct type. Some get ear lobes that are round rather than the elongated pendant shape and some stay flat on the face rather than hanging away from the face.

Crests: The crests are not very flashy on the Legbar males and are something that needs to be improved in the breed. The goal at this point is for the crest to be highly visible. I am struggling to see the crest on all of these. It looks like they are there but laying down and getting washed in with the neck hackles. So the crests can't be evaluated from the photos either.

Combs: I think #3 has the best comb followed by #2 then #1.

Legs: The shanks all look to be about the same width, They all have good height with the thighs showing in the silhouette.

So for the type, we have 1, 3, 2 for the tail, 2, 1, 3 for the earlobes, and 3, 2, 1 for the comb.

I think I would go ahead and choose an area to work on with type and choose the one that is the best in that area and keep focusing on that area every year until it is the strength in your line rather than a weakness. Then I would go to another area and work on it for a few years doing the same thing. I think the earlobes are the place that I would start. All of these guys had red showing on the ear lobe and two of them that red is more of the ear lobe that the area that is white. If you use #2 make sure that the hens in your flock also get culled very hard for ear lobe color. You want to get to 100% white for the ear lobes and aren't going to get there if you do not breed both males and females that are at the top 10% in the flock for the most white area on the ear lobes. All of these guys have a lot of faults and you can really only work on improving one thing at a time. White ear lobes, strong wings, 45 deg tail angles with no sharp junction or white fluff showing, more visible crests, Erect bombs, well-rounded breasts, etc.

My top three to work on would be white earlobes, strong wings, and erect combs/visible crest (I put crests and combs together because they are linked together. Large crests can cause bend combs so you have to work on these two at the same time).

 

[GaryDean26]

my vote is for 3 too. He just looks better but can't put my finger on why.

It the comb.

 

[GaryDean26]

Okay, he was the one I was thinking of selling just because the way he walks he almost looks like he is slouching and it looks like he has almost no neck when he walks.

You should probably go with your gutts on that one. The way they walk is the first thing I look at to judge vigor. If they do not strutt they don't stay. A slouch shows poor vigor.

 

[ChickenLoverz123]

You should probably go with your gutts on that one. The way they walk is the first thing I look at to judge vigor. If they do not strutt they don't stay. A slouch shows poor vigor.

Okay well I don’t know if he really sloughes he just looked a little funny while he was walking. It’s like his legs are too long for his body, but after all the feedback it sounds like he is better than #1. I originally wanted to keep #1 because he was the rooster that was in my breeding pen that was giving me White Legbars.

 

[Chelsa'sChicks]

I would sell #1... He has a floppy comb and looks like he has droopy wings..

 

[ChickenLoverz123]

I would sell #1... He has a floppy comb and looks like he has droopy wings..

Yep he’s wings do definitely drop more than the others. Thanks for your input!