Cream legbar crossed Goldline, thoughts and experiences?

[nadrojsack]

great thats not too far away then. Yeah i was a bit hasty getting just one. i dont really want to get a pure cream legbar hen due to egg production. hmm know of any breeds that cross well with cream legbars?

 

[chicken pickin]

great thats not too far away then. Yeah i was a bit hasty getting just one. i dont really want to get a pure cream legbar hen due to egg production. hmm know of any breeds that cross well with cream legbars?

Many of my Cream Legbar hens are pretty good layers. I don't know if your familiar with Jill Rees out your way but I have 2 pullets from her line and they lay an egg nearly every day. My other CL hens lay about 4 a week.

I cross my CL cock to Cochin, Spitzhauben, Marans, Olive Eggers, Barred Rocks, I have also done Wyandottes. They are all cute chicks

If you use a Silver based hen like a Silver laced Cochin or Silver Laced Wyandotte, those will produce Red Sexlinks so you can sex them at hatch and all offspring lay really pretty green eggs. Other Silver based hens would work too, I just hatched CL X Silver Spangled Appenzeller Spitzhauben and they all hatch black with white head spots but some have reddish brown faces, I am expecting those to be females, though Im not 100%. The CL X Spitz cross should give you all blue egg layers. Marans wont be sex linked but you should get Olive Eggers from that cross.

 

[nadrojsack]

Wow, great information!
the Spitzhauben is a breed that i cant get in my area NE England, which is a shame! Id love to find a companion for my wee rooster. He chirps alot despite.my efforts to entertain him in his current residence.

in what way will his being alone effect him? what benefits would a friend be?

any thoughts on his outward turning toes?

 

[rebrascora]

My legbars are good egg layers, so I'm not sure why you have reservations about them. They are never going to be quite as good as a hybrid of course but I get between 5 and 6 a week average.

The concern for your chicken being on his own is that he may suffer stress and depression which can lead to health issues (poor appetite and growth, weak immune system leaving him vulnerable to viruses etc), but he will also not learn how to interact with other chickens, so basically he will not learn how to be a chicken himself.... ie understand pecking order, how to socialise etc. He may have difficulty adjusting to other chickens when you introduce him and may get badly beaten up because he doesn't understand their body language and behaviour. Chickens are social creatures. Their everyday interactions tell you a lot about their status, health and wellbeing. He will be missing out on a big chunk of life experience, growing up on his own. It's just not natural for a chicken. At least get him a mirror and..... I know it sounds a bit soft..... but a small cuddly toy may help. Something to snuggle up to, as this is what his hatch mates and or broody mother would do.

His toes don't look too bad to me. I'm sure he will learn to overcome whatever minor disability they cause him.

 

[chicken pickin]

My legbars are good egg layers, so I'm not sure why you have reservations about them. They are never going to be quite as good as a hybrid of course but I get between 5 and 6 a week average.

The concern for your chicken being on his own is that he may suffer stress and depression which can lead to health issues (poor appetite and growth, weak immune system leaving him vulnerable to viruses etc), but he will also not learn how to interact with other chickens, so basically he will not learn how to be a chicken himself.... ie understand pecking order, how to socialise etc. He may have difficulty adjusting to other chickens when you introduce him and may get badly beaten up because he doesn't understand their body language and behaviour. Chickens are social creatures. Their everyday interactions tell you a lot about their status, health and wellbeing. He will be missing out on a big chunk of life experience, growing up on his own. It's just not natural for a chicken. At least get him a mirror and..... I know it sounds a bit soft..... but a small cuddly toy may help. Something to snuggle up to, as this is what his hatch mates and or broody mother would do.

His toes don't look too bad to me. I'm sure he will learn to overcome whatever minor disability they cause him.

X2

This was well said.

 

[nadrojsack]

it was well said, and so ive found a CL hen the same age im getting on tuesday this should be good company while he matures and give me those sought after blue eggs sooner than i had imagined.

i may have to start breeding chickens instead of quail.

 

[nadrojsack]

Would i be right in saying the female cream legbars have a darkspot or are darker at this early stage? Any other pointers to look for in a hen cream legbar. The advice on the indicators are vauge at best. Ill post pictures to compare this afternoon. Providing i do get a hen that is.

 

[chicken pickin]

Would i be right in saying the female cream legbars have a darkspot or are darker at this early stage? Any other pointers to look for in a hen cream legbar. The advice on the indicators are vauge at best. Ill post pictures to compare this afternoon. Providing i do get a hen that is.

What age is the chick? She will be very obviously different than the male chick you have. I can post examples if you would like.

 

[nadrojsack]

Examples would be brilliant. She will be 3 weeks old.

 

[nadrojsack]

my new hen, or what i think is a hen