The Cambar :
It was Professor Punnett and Mr Pease from Cambridge experimenting that has given us all the auto sexing breeds; the Cambars were the first auto sexing breed developed in 1929 between careful crosses of Barred Plymouth Rocks and Campine hens. They were then crossed back to Canadian and American utility Barred Plymouth Rocks as the British keepers had kept theirs for showing rather than utility. They are a medium, close feathered, hardy breed that are non-broody with white skin and are also utility birds. The eggs are white/tinted and they are good layers. When they are in the hands of more people they will need some Campine blood put into them to start a fresh line and protect the breed but the Campines picked must be well marked and from good utility stock so that the Cambar can continue to be known as a good utility layer. Cambar males used to weigh 8lb, so heavier than the Campines, but I haven’t weighed mine yet
Gold Cambars died out many years ago along with Silver Cambars but someone carefully recreated them a few years ago and I managed to get ½ dozen eggs and had a 6/6 hatch so they are back again.
The sex distinction on hatch is brilliant with the girls background colour being black and the boys a straw colour and with the Silver Cambars is it the same except the background colour is silver.
I have found these birds to be gentle and inquisitive, good layers, maybe a little bit flighty for a newcomer to poultry keeping though, as most light breeds are. Hopefully in the future the Silver Cambar will also be making an appearance
click any of the pictures below to see them larger ...
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