Arkansas Blue egg layers

[Sierra987]

Is that bird on the far right bearded? Pretty birds, they must have bred splash to black to get all blue offspring? Or did you get to pick out blue only?

I didn't buy anyy of these. They come in a variety odd colors, BBS and then the chipmunk ones. I own a blue, bearded hen (my avatar pic) and another that must have been chipmunk colored when a chick. They lay nice large, light blue eggs.

 

[Sierra987]

Did they come from there? There was definitely some disagreement about the origins on the previous thread about who actually did the breeding/development. 

Jim Hall was pretty set that these were a different line from the Whiting blues being that they don't hatch out chipmunk colored but instead are mostly BBS. 

The Whiting Blues come in both so they must keep both lines going. It's easy enough to distinguish the different kinds of chicks in the Whiting Blue Egg layer bin.

 

[draye]

I contacted Mr. Whiting and he verified it. He is a friend to Professor Bramwell, the person that runs the program at the U of Arkansas.

They came from Whiting Farms and were improved by a grad student as a masters or phd project. They were not a breed then but there where some that look close to ours.

I was there with Jim when Dr. Bramwell told us how they were developed.
Unless Whiting Farms bought the line from UA @ Fayetteville those aren't the same birds.

Note: not trying to start any arguments but I was at the meeting where Dr. Bramwell spoke. I also hatched some of the first eggs that were released from them. I decided not to pursue them they were totally to flighty for me.

 

[ronott1]

I was there with Jim when Dr. Bramwell told us how they were developed.
Unless Whiting Farms bought the line from UA @ Fayetteville those aren't the same birds.

Note: not trying to start any arguments but I was at the meeting where Dr. Bramwell spoke. I also hatched some of the first eggs that were released from them. I decided not to pursue them they were totally to flighty for me.

What did Dr. Bramwell say?

Do you still have them?

 

[cupofJoelene]

Joining in to learn what I can now before adding some CLs to my flock after winter. Looking forward to having some fun and mixing with blue layers!

And since it looks like I'm exactly where I should be to ask, lol... Does anyone in the River Valley hatch quality Cream Legbars?

 

[Manningjw]

What did Dr. Bramwell say?

Do you still have them?

I did some digging through the old thread, found this supposedly an assistant to Dr. Bramwell?:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...from-university-of-arkansas/520#post_10286799

Then:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...from-university-of-arkansas/800#post_12152391

 

[ronott1]

I did some digging through the old thread, found this supposedly an assistant to Dr. Bramwell?:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...from-university-of-arkansas/520#post_10286799

Then:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...from-university-of-arkansas/800#post_12152391

Yes!

Quote: The friend was Mr. Whiting.

I do not want to argue either but I think the conversation at the show might have been about one of their other projects.

 

[Manningjw]

Yes!

The friend was Mr. Whiting.

I do not want to argue either but I think the conversation at the show might have been about one of their other projects.

I don't have a clue, I kept running across the same thing from Jim saying that Dr. Bramwell wouldn't disclose where/who he got the eggs from, lots of dead ends. It really doesn't matter all that much to be honest where, the important part to me is how it came about and what went into the pot. It sounds like the 'development' phase of the original stock was pretty short thus far which explains the variation that still remains from the Leghorn side of the cross. Aside of course from the work you and other hobby breeders have put into your own lines to guide them to what you want.

I noticed the picture of the "Whiting blue" or whatever we would call it has darker shanks (my personal preference). I know that there was enough variation in "U of A" blues that people weren't yet decided on what 'standard' should be. For me, I want dark/slate shanks if I can get them and large blue eggs

.

 

[ronott1]

I don't have a clue, I kept running across the same thing from Jim saying that Dr. Bramwell wouldn't disclose where/who he got the eggs from, lots of dead ends. It really doesn't matter all that much to be honest where, the important part to me is how it came about and what went into the pot. It sounds like the 'development' phase of the original stock was pretty short thus far which explains the variation that still remains from the Leghorn side of the cross. Aside of course from the work you and other hobby breeders have put into your own lines to guide them to what you want.

I noticed the picture of the "Whiting blue" or whatever we would call it has darker shanks (my personal preference). I know that there was enough variation in "U of A" blues that people weren't yet decided on what 'standard' should be. For me, I want dark/slate shanks if I can get them and large blue eggs

.

Yes!

I like the dark shanks too.

 

[draye]

No, I do not have them anymore. The last of my survivors went to Jim.

Per the conversation with Dr. Bramwell:
He said that there was a student that work for a poultry house that had the Commercial Flocks of the original White Leghorns. He (student) got a hold to some eggs and hatched them ( some kind of legal thing or something). And crossed those with Araucana ( he did tell us not confuse with Ameraucana).
The beard gene was never introduced to these birds.

They had started a line of these from the Brown Leghorn also but did not pursue them. I honk some hatching eggs got out to some folks but no one knows where they are at.

At the time we aquired our hatching eggs he said they (U of A) were they only place to get eggs for hatching.

When I saw Dr. Bramwell later I tried to get more information from him in the birds, that was when he told me that they had discontinued them and (sold tremendously out), but wouldn't reveal who bought them.

I had heard that Whiting Farms were the ones who acquired them but later found out he had these ( his birds) for awhile. So there is not anyway that they could be the same. I'm nit saying that he hasn't done the same cross but that I don't think his birds are the sane line as the U of A birds. I've also been told that his wee crossed with Ameraucanas and not Araucana's ( again the beard gene was not introduced to the U of A's.

Through all this though I hope some of you folks continue to work with them and improve them. I also hope if you ( all that are breeding them) try to improve them do not ruin them by using the Legbars. I feel that they would change the U of A into an I entirely different breed. The most improvement I'd like to see is the comb fixed, it is way too big and floppy on mist of the U of A's I've seen.

Adding to the above when I got my eggs they were pretty small and when I asked Dr.Branwell about them he said they were just pullet eggs. I thought they may have been bantams. He said they weren't bantams.