StephanieSB Posted June 28, 2008 Share Posted June 28, 2008 (edited) Well, I have been waiting for over 6 weeks, but the girls are finally here. We went to Golden Valley Poultry in Surrey first thing this moorning. I had thought I would be getting three or four Meadowsweet hybrids, and definitely a Bluebelle. I was absolutely sure about the Bluebelle... but... things changed, and the chickens kind of chose me! Golden Valley is a great place, lovely animals, and they had several more breeds than I anticipated. I helped catch them, clipped their wings myself, and when I held them, they seemed to take to me well enough (only a few attempts to remove my fingers ). When I got them home, I poppped them into the cube w/ the door closed for about 20 mins, to let them settle. Then opened the door to find them all huddling in the egg box! -- It took over two hours to get them all into the run. I had to pick up and plop two down myself, but Boudica (or "Boudica the Brave") finally came down the ladder all on her own. So anyway here they are: Boudica is a French Copper Maran, 18.5 weeks old.Cannot tell if she will be the dominant chicken just yet, but she is certainly the bravest, trying everything first (firs to take a peek out the cube, first to come down the ladder, first to drink from the glug, first to eat from the grub). Her name suits her as she is certainly a glamorous warrior woman. Phuzz is a Cream Legbar of 23 weeks old. She seemed at first the most docile. In the barn where I selected her, she seemed to be quite low on the pecking order, missing a few feathers. She and her Legbar flock had just been brought in from the field, so she had never been picked up before. She wasn't the one I was trying to get, but she kind of ran into me and the girl helping me grabbed her -- so she was the one. She looks a bit rough for wear and I was afraid if she was pecked at with her Legbar flock, she'd be pecked at by my other two, but she warmed to me and me to her. So she was coming home no matter what. It's love! The others have been pecking at her a bit, but she is standing up for herself now -- and she pushed Boudica out of the way to be the first in the dustbath -- so good for her! Her name was going to be Isis, but my son decided that because of her plucked feathered neck, it would be "Phuzz". And last, but not least: Nuit (pronounced noot) is our Speckeled hybrid, 18.5 weeks old. Absolutely the softest thing I have ever touched. She is camera shy and people shy right now, but is bold enough with her sisters. She may well be my cuddle bunny though -- because whenever I pick her up, she calms under my hand and lets me stroke her. Just lovely. She is named after the Egyptian sky goddess. Edited June 30, 2008 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xScrunchee Posted June 28, 2008 Share Posted June 28, 2008 Gorgeous girls Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eeyoreshunny Posted June 28, 2008 Share Posted June 28, 2008 ooo they're lovely have fun watching them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura&Sean Posted June 28, 2008 Share Posted June 28, 2008 Lucky you! I was doing some research earlier today on meadowsweet and came across some of your older posts. Glad you have your girls they are pretty. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christian Posted June 28, 2008 Share Posted June 28, 2008 Congratulations on your new girls. They are lovely Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chickvic Posted June 28, 2008 Share Posted June 28, 2008 They are lovely girls Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted June 28, 2008 Share Posted June 28, 2008 How lovely. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJuff Posted June 28, 2008 Share Posted June 28, 2008 Congratulations, what beautiful chooks. I just adore spekeldies, they never seem to be available when I'm looking for new girls. i can only just imagine how soft her feathers are. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egg Lou Posted June 28, 2008 Share Posted June 28, 2008 Congratulations! so pleased you have finally got your girls Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StephanieSB Posted June 28, 2008 Author Share Posted June 28, 2008 Thanks everyone -- and I just posted on another thread that Phuzz has already laid her first egg. I'm a bit confused about her, as the egg was not blue or green and we were assured she was a blue egg layer... but... it was still very exciting. First egg on the first day home! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tweety Posted June 28, 2008 Share Posted June 28, 2008 Your girls are gorgeous and congratulations on your first egg! However, I'm sorry to say that I don't think Phuzz is a cream legbar. Mine looks totally different, lighter in colour with a top-knot of feathers on her head! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ain't Nobody Here Posted June 28, 2008 Share Posted June 28, 2008 What pretty girls! Congratulations . Phuzz looks very like my Maisie who is a Columbine (Cream Legbar hybrid). Same colouring and dark tail feathers (but Maisie has a topknot too ). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NClaire Posted June 28, 2008 Share Posted June 28, 2008 Do you think she might be a Gold Legbar not a cream one? The gold ones lay cream/tinted eggs and don't have the typical crest/topknot! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StephanieSB Posted June 29, 2008 Author Share Posted June 29, 2008 Hi NClaire, Ain't "Ooops, word censored!"ody and Tweety -- thank you! Well part of the problem is that my very inexperienced self thought "Cream Legbar" was just the full name of the entire breed -- didn't think it had anything to do with colouring (silly as that sounds); you know, the way "Bluebelles" aren't actually blue or don't lay blue eggs, I thought 'cream' Legbars just must come in a variety of colours and I just got a ginger one. But... to be fair to myself... the woman at Golden Valley really did write down "Cream" Legbar herself on my receipt, so... I'm not totally potty. As for the topknot -- don't know if she had or will have one again, but that entire area of her kneck is somewhat clear of feathers at the moment. Which is strangely why my son insisted on calling her Phuzz. I was worried she was being bullied, but was told she was fine and that the feathers there would be back shortly. I don't remember any of the others in the Legbar barn having top knots, though -- is it an age thing? Do they get them when older? But anyway -- I will be just as happy with her if she turns out to be a different type of Legbar, as she seems to be. Or if she never lays blue eggs -- though Jane20 on my other thread did say that Phuzz looked a lot like her Skyline, whose first egg was beige, but who began laying blue ones the next day. We might still get lucky! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ange1 Posted June 29, 2008 Share Posted June 29, 2008 Wow! Boudica has just the biggest eyes! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StephanieSB Posted June 29, 2008 Author Share Posted June 29, 2008 Wow! Boudica has just the biggest eyes! Doesn't she just, though -- thanks. And what is funny, is that Phuzz is the one who looks the most glamorous in person (her carriage is so regal; she fans her tail and looks like a peacock) and Boudica is the photogenic one, who poses for the camera at every opportunity, with her feathers glistening green as soon as the flash goes! It's so funny how they are so different in person than in their photographs. As for Nuit -- I've yet to see a Speckeldy photograph as gorgeous as they look in person! But I'm biased, of course Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrs chook Posted June 29, 2008 Share Posted June 29, 2008 What a beautiful bunch of girles, well done , I hope you'll all be very happy together Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted June 29, 2008 Share Posted June 29, 2008 Found this on 'tinterweb whilst idly googling cream legbars. The Cream Legbar originated as a cross between Brown Leghorns and Barred Rock with a bit of Araucana blood in them, shown in the crest and the blue eggs they lay. We now have a small breeding group from one of the best breeders. Other Legbars are the gold and silver.Egg colour : Blue - although some will give olive Origin : Developed in the 1930's but the number of breeders of true Cream Legbars has declined recently so getting true cream legbars is difficult. Our foundation birds come from some of the best breeders with a great track record. We have high hopes for the future. Unique characteristics: A firm and muscular bird with an alert and perky carriage, a wedge shaped body, broad at the shoulders tapering to the rear. A long flat back, prominent breast with straight keel, the wings are large carried close to the body. The tail is held at 45� from the line of the back and is moderately furnished. The head is fine with a strong beak and large single comb, straight and erect, five to seven even spikes with broad bases. Smooth face, well developed pendant ear-lobes, long and thin wattles. Long well feathered neck. Strong clean and round shanks, four toes evenly spaced Male - Cream slightly barred neck hackles, saddle hackles cream barred with dark grey tipped with cream. Back & shoulders cream, barred dark grey. The wings have dark grey barred primaries and secondaries, grey barred coverts with cream tips. The breast is barred dark grey as is the tail but with paler sickles some white is allowed. The crest is cream and grey. Female - Neck hackles cream with soft grey barring. Salmon coloured breast, silver-grey body with broad indistinct barring. Wings, primaries peppered grey, secondaries lightly barred, coverts silver grey as is the tail with light barring Both - Yellow beak, legs and feet. Red face, comb and wattles. Ear-lobes white or cream Just thought I'd mention it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Couperwife Posted June 29, 2008 Share Posted June 29, 2008 gorgeous girls cathy x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gamebird Posted June 29, 2008 Share Posted June 29, 2008 What a lovely mixture. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickenlass Posted June 29, 2008 Share Posted June 29, 2008 Stunning girls...you lucky thing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valkyrie Posted June 29, 2008 Share Posted June 29, 2008 Pretty ladies, I tried to post this earlier but the Broadband was up the creek - again! Love Boudica's lacing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StephanieSB Posted June 29, 2008 Author Share Posted June 29, 2008 Thanks so much again... I have set up the cube in front of the window of my home office, so I can watch them while I work. All day the cube has been inching closer and closer to my window, and I have gotten less and less work done. Finally, I just gave up and gave in, propped my feet up on a box, and leaned back in my chair with a cuppa to watch out the window as if I was watching TV. I am lost cause Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Helen&Lee Posted June 29, 2008 Share Posted June 29, 2008 Hi Stephanie, Lovely chooks I bet you had a great, relaxing day chook watching! Here is a picture of my Cream Legbar when she was young... Helen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StephanieSB Posted June 30, 2008 Author Share Posted June 30, 2008 Thank you everyone for all of your help and info with Cream Legbars. I have become fanatical about properly identifying our Phuzz... not because we will ever return her or complain, but because I am Freudianly anal retentive about things like proper names and labels and can become like a dog with a bone until I find the right answer... so for anyone who still wants to know... here goes... I called Golden Valley. They got my email over the weekend with the same photo I posted here and my query about Phuzz's breed. They were concerned that, because they had some less experienced help on a busy Saturday, a bird might have gotten mixed in with the Legbar flock incorrectly. But after seeing Phuzz's photo and telling me that the woman who helped me is one of their most experienced people, that Phuzz is the type of bird they call Cream Legbar. I was told their Cream Legbars range in hues (though, she did sound a bit worried when she asked, "Just how ginger is she?"). That their Cream Legbars are noted for their large, red, floppy combs -- she wanted me to tell her how floppy Phuzz's comb seemed to me. And she said (as others here on the forum have told me) -- Phuzz may well begin to lay blue eggs in a couple of weeks time. Now, they are not trying to have one on -- they have offered to replace her now or in a few weeks, if we are unhappy. So I trust that they are honourable and good people -- but I do know from all I have been told and read here and read on the web, the breed titled "Cream Legbar" is used to cover a lot of birds. That people use the term loosely. That there are "Cream Crested Legbars," "Cotswold Legbars," "Legbar Crosses" etc etc etc.... So -- for now, I will simply refer to Phuzz as the great "Golden Valley Creamy-Egged Legbar" !! -- well... at least it covers all the bases Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
