The Legbar arose from cross-breeding of Plymouth Rock birds with brown Leghorns, which at that time were two of the principal egg-laying breeds. As with the Cambar, they set out to breed a bird that would both have brown down and carry the barred gene (B), so that chicks would have sex-linked plumage differences that could easily be distinguished.[9]: 53 [8]: 317 Standards for the gold and silver colour varieties were drawn up in 1945 and 1951 respectively.[12]
The cream Legbar was created by chance. Through cross-breeding of gold Legbars with white Leghorn stock, Pease had obtained some cream-coloured birds; their eggs were white, and they had no crest. An experimental crossing of these with some cream-coloured Araucanas from Punnett's laboratory led to the creation of the cream Legbar, a crested layer of coloured eggs for which a standard was drawn up in 1958.[9]: 53 [4][13]: 193 Within a short time it became very rare, but has since recovered.[4] It is treated by the Poultry Club of Great Britain as a colour variety of the Legbar,[9]: 53 but is considered by the Rare Breed Survival Trust to be a separate breed.[4] Both the Legbar and the Cream Legbar are listed among the UK breeds on the watchlist of the trust; neither is considered "priority".[14]
Characteristics
A 7-week-old cream pullet
The Legbar has three colour varieties: gold, silver and cream.[15] The cream variant has a crest and lays blue, olive or green eggs.[11]: 53 The Legbar is considered a rare breed by the Poultry Club of Great Britain and, until the Autosexing Breeds Association was re-formed, fell under the Rare Poultry Society.[9]: 60 [16]
Use
The Legbar was bred as an auto-sexing layer breed. Hens may give 180 eggs or more per year.[12]