Description
Cream Legbar chickens are a unique and popular breed known for their striking appearance, friendly demeanor, and blue eggs. Here’s what you need to know about them:
1. Appearance
- Plumage: Cream Legbars have soft, cream-colored feathers with gray and gold markings. Roosters are particularly beautiful with cream and gray barring and an elegant crest on their head. Hens also have a distinct crest but are more subtly marked.
- Crested Head: Both hens and roosters sport a unique crest of feathers on their heads, which adds to their distinctive look.
- Size: Cream Legbars are a medium-sized breed. Roosters typically weigh around 6-7 pounds, while hens weigh about 5-6 pounds.
- Comb and Wattles: They have a single red comb and matching wattles, which can be prone to frostbite in colder weather.
2. Egg Production
- Egg Color: One of the most famous traits of Cream Legbars is their production of pastel blue eggs. The unique egg color adds visual variety to egg collections and is a selling point for many backyard flocks.
- Egg Quantity: Cream Legbars are reliable layers, producing around 180-220 eggs per year. This makes them good egg producers, though not as prolific as some of the more common hybrid breeds.
- Egg Size: Eggs from Cream Legbars are generally medium to large in size.
3. Temperament
- Friendly and Social: Cream Legbars are known for their friendly and social nature. They are generally docile, making them a good choice for families and small farms.
- Curious and Active: These chickens are active and enjoy foraging. They love exploring their environment and are well-suited for free-range setups where they can roam and hunt for insects.
- Good with People: While they are friendly, they may not be as cuddly as some breeds, but they are still approachable and can be handled with relative ease.
4. Care Requirements
- Coop and Space: Like most chickens, they require adequate space in the coop to prevent overcrowding. A minimum of 4 square feet per bird in the coop and 10 square feet in the run is recommended.
- Diet: A standard poultry feed with added calcium for laying hens is ideal. Supplemental treats like leafy greens, mealworms, and grains can help keep them healthy and active.
- Climate Adaptability: Cream Legbars are relatively hardy birds and can handle a range of climates. However, their combs can be susceptible to frostbite in extremely cold weather, so precautions should be taken in colder months.
5. Health and Maintenance
- Overall Health: Cream Legbars are considered a healthy breed with good resistance to common chicken ailments. Routine health checks for lice, mites, and internal parasites are still necessary.
- Crest Care: The crests can sometimes make them more prone to mites and lice, so regular grooming and inspection are beneficial.
- Vaccinations and Worming: Regular vaccinations and worming schedules help ensure their long-term health.
6. Breeding and Sex-Link Traits
- Autosexing Breed: One of the most notable features of Cream Legbars is that they are an autosexing breed. This means that the chicks can be sexed at hatch based on their feather patterns: males have a light-colored stripe down their backs, while females have a more defined, darker stripe.
- Heritage: The breed was developed in the 1930s in Britain by crossing several breeds, including the Barred Plymouth Rock, Brown Leghorn, and Araucana, to create a chicken that lays blue eggs and can be easily sexed at hatch.
7. Behavior and Training
- Easy to Train: They are intelligent birds and can learn routines and respond well to consistent training, such as learning to return to the coop at night.
- Social Interaction: Cream Legbars enjoy interacting with other chickens and people, making them a fun and lively addition to a mixed flock.
8. Interesting Facts
- Unique Eggs: The blue eggs of Cream Legbars are often a highlight for those interested in farm-fresh eggs with a twist. The color of their eggs can range from pale blue to a slightly deeper shade.
- Breeding Popularity: Due to their unique features and autosexing ability, they have become a popular breed among hobbyists and breeders.
- Origin: The breed was developed at Cambridge University by Professor Reginald Punnett and Michael Pease, who sought to create a reliable autosexing chicken breed.
Cream Legbar chickens are a great choice for backyard chicken enthusiasts looking for a friendly, attractive breed that lays unique blue eggs. Their combination of beauty, practicality, and autosexing ability makes them a standout addition to any flock.
