AUSTRALIAN POULTRY FORUM™

Can I ask what colour should the legs be of 3 month old barnevelders both pullets and cockerels.

MuzRoos,
As with most yellow legged breeds (using RIR as an example), diet and genetics are the key factors in determining the leg colour. Generally the chickens should have yellowish coloured legs by this age. However this can influenced by the diet. If they are only being fed a commercial ratio and kept in a pen with no access to the dirt or green food, then their legs could be light in colour almost white. Having access to greens and a little corn will generally yellow up the legs, also consider giving then lucern chaff.
I know a fellow breeder down south (NSW) that struggles to get his birds legs yellow. I have hatched eggs from these birds and they have as much yellow pigment as my own line as the chicks have grown. We put it down to the soil types of the areas, and the impact on the grasses growing in the area.

Rhode Red

Thanks for the quick reply I have just purchased 4 3 pullets and 1 cock and they are supposed to be show quality but all the legs and virtually white not yellow so I was first thinking I had been had but now reading your reply it may very well be just their previous diet as my friend picked them up for me and he said he only saw lay pellets as I just asked him after reading your reply. So will the leg colour change to yellow now they are here and on the right sort of diet?

This will depend on a couple of factors. The male will probably be the first to show a change in his leg colour, as he does not produce eggs. The eggs take a lot of energy and nutrients to produce.
If the pullets are laying, the first differences in a diet change will be egg shell colour and yolk colour. I consider that my hens get plenty of greens, however when I feed them a cabbage head (normally when in season and cheap - $1-2 each), it is suprising the in the eggs shell colour.
If all they have been getting was pellets then I suspect the yolks will be fairly light in colour. The legs and skin act as a storage unit for the excess carotene (coming from the greens and corn etc.), so you may see some improvement but generally the girls will be putting as much goodness into their eggs as possible. The better layers will generally have the lighter coloured legs due to the amount of eggs they are laying and energy required. If the pullets are not laying yet or a poor layer, you should start to see a difference over the next few weeks.

Good luck, have a play with your feeds, and eventually you get a system that works for you.

Rhode Red.

I have found the cockerels legs colour is about 4 weeks ahead of the pullets and they always remain darker than the pullets even after maturity so the diet and egg laying factor would be logical but I have never stoped to consider until now. Thanks for interesting reading

Thank you I will alter their diet and see how the leg colour is after a few more months. I hope they do colour properly as I payed for show quality so I hope that is what I have.
I appreciate your advice and help thanks again I will let you know what happens