Cream-crested Chickens Legbar, carrying eggs of an unusual blue hue, are very popular now not only in Europe, but also abroad. Gradually, they are conquering our country, conquering more and more domestic poultry farmers. These are very beautiful, calm birds of meat and egg breed.
Adult males have a gorgeous golden-straw color (due to which the breed is called cream) with pronounced brown stripes. Chickens are much darker than cockerels and the stripes on the plumage are not so clearly visible. It is possible to distinguish by color daily chickens, which is certainly very convenient for poultry farmers: you can control the livestock of the herd as needed in one direction or another.
Origin
As early as 1929, two British breeders, Messrs. Pennet and Pease, in order to create a new autosex breed of industrial chickens, began to cross striped Plymouthrock kitties with golden colors and golden Kempinsky cocks. However, the first experiment did not bring the desired result - autosex chickens did not show the expected level of egg production.
Breeders continued their experiments. This time the cockerel Leggorn's cockerel and the striped Plymouthrock chickens were taken. The resulting hybrid was again crossed with striped Leggorn. So, through a series of generations, a new egg breed appeared, which was named Legbar. Now it is practically the most popular breed of chickens in the world.
Description of breed of legbar
Chickens Legbar belong to the meat-egg breed, have a silver-gray or golden-cream color with clearer stripes in males, and less distinct in females. They have a beautiful tuft, bright comb and white "earrings". The weight of an adult rooster - 3 - 3.5 kg, chicken - 2.5 - 2.8 kg. However, in the conditions of our region they rarely reach such a weight, usually it is 2-2.5 kg.
Differ in good health, behave calmly, very light, mobile, can fly. They are able to produce chicks, the sex of which can be distinguished even at the age of one day due to the characteristic color of the plumage. Chickens begin to rush early - already at four or six months of age - and continue to delight their masters to two years.
Breeding characteristics
Keeping such chickens is a snap. They are unpretentious in the care, have a friendly disposition, but if you do not have sufficient experience, immediately acquire adult individuals. They cost more than chickens, but with less hassle. Roosters of this breed are very noble, do not give offense to their hens, vigilantly monitor them and protect if there is a threat.
Legbar is very viable. They need walking in the fresh air, these chickens are very mobile. On one bird you need to count at least 0.5 sq. M. paddock. True, it is the mobility that prevents them from hatching eggs, the incubation instinct is poorly developed in them. But this disadvantage is more than compensated by a very high egg production. Legbar cost almost without feeding, they have enough of what they get on the runs.
But in order for the bird to continue to nest intensively during the winter period, it needs a positive temperature. Therefore, it is necessary to warm the hen house and install a heater in it that is covered with a protective screen so that the bird does not contact the device. It is better not to cement the floor, but to ram the root and fill it with sawdust, otherwise the Legbar will also freeze during the cold season.
Experienced poultry farmers say this the breed especially loves the special blue food - in stores for sale is already ready. But it is necessary to pour it into the feeders in red. Blue and yellow do not like colors. This is a medium-sized, active breed, so they should not be overfed so that they feel comfortable. Chickens and roosters of this breed are prone to obesity with improper or too abundant food.
Ordinary mash, grain and feed they do not like, so it's better to still buy ready-made food - and less trouble, and the chickens will be satisfied. It is possible to add special dressings to the water so that the chickens rush better. But do not get carried away: the abuse of dressing can cause vitamin deficiency.
Photo Gallery
On the first photo a beautiful crest is a large area:
Breed cream chickens Legbarov in his house on the floor with sawdust:
And here you see individuals in the simplest house:
Handsome cock on the background of beautiful hens:
Very young chickens are trying to find something in the ground:
Here you have the outer yard of the house. Chickens were a little scared and huddled into a corner:
Productivity
In a year one cream Chicken breed Legbar able to carry up to 270 eggs - under ideal conditions and a balanced diet. This figure just shook the British researchers. However, even with standard care, they carry 200-210 eggs per year, which is also very good. In appearance, the eggs are blue, and sometimes olive-colored less white, but in fact it is not.
They simply are not elongated, but more rounded. The weight of one egg on average from 60 to 70 grams, the fertility of up to 90%. In England, eggs of this particular breed are in particular demand and are considered the benchmark.
Where can I buy in Russia?
The egg can be purchased in the gene pool - there it costs about 300 rubles. Some poultry farmers have access to Europe. If you order there, the egg will be cheaper. Private farms sell eggs already from 100 rubles apiece. Daily chicken costs from 300 rubles and more, again, depending on where to get it. An adult, healthy bird will cost about 1,500 rubles. You can purchase a bird or egg at the following addresses:
- Poultry Farm "Orlovsky Yard". Address: 1 km from Moscow Ring Road, Moscow Region Mytishchi st. Border deadlock, 4.
- Poultry farm "Polyany". Address: Moscow region Ramensky district, village Aksenovo.
Do not forget about the Internet: in numerous forums often post ads for the sale of eggs and chickens of this breed, sometimes they even give away. Please note: poultry farmers often sell whole families of adult Legbar birds. Such an acquisition would be more profitable than buying chickens by the piece. And besides, you will receive useful recommendations for first-hand care - after all, birds, like people, are all individual, have their own character and characteristics.
Analogs
An analogue is breed Araucana, individuals of which were used for crossing when breeding Legbarov. It is to them that the Legbar are obliged to the unusual turquoise color of the eggshell. Araucana has a very original look due to tufts of feathers protruding behind the earlobes, tanks and beard. And the German-type Araucans also lack the tail. The weight of an adult bird is on average 1.5-1.8 kg, up to one hundred and fifty eggs are carried annually. But just like the Legbars, the incubation instinct is very poorly developed.
Another analogue - Plymouth Rock. The breed was bred in the middle of the last century by American breeders. The most common Plymouths are striped and white in color, but there are also fawn, partridge, Colombian. An adult cockerel of this breed weighs an average of 3.5 kg, chicken - 2.8-3 kg. They begin to rush at the age of six months, about 180 eggs a year. The egg is large enough, weighing 60 grams. with a light brown shell.
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Amroki by productivity they are not inferior to our chickens - per year these chickens carry up to 220 eggs with a brown shell weighing 50-60 grams! Their color is very bright, cuckoo, females are darker than males, since the dark strip of their plumage is wider than the light one. In males stripes of equal width. Chickens of this breed grow and fledge very quickly, start to nest early. Average weight from 3 to 5 kg. Despite the mobility, temper in chickens calm.
Conclusion
Legbar - not the only breed of chickens that are able to carry colored eggs, such fashionable now in Europe. But given the high viability and egg production, they are significantly better than others. Many farmers enthusiastically start breeding this breed - and very rarely remain disappointed. In general, the Legbars are charming, hardy and prolific birds, which certainly become an ornament and pride of the chicken farm.
