Blue Egg Layers from University of Arkansas

[Sonoran Silkies]

Quote: The tufted gene is lethal in homozygous dose. Sometimes even when heterozygous. If the araucana has tufts, than a lethal gene may have been passed to the offspring, even though the leghorn did not provide a copy. Rumplessness has nothing to do with it, although rumplessness can make fertility an issue. For both these reasons, araucana breeders typically use both non-tufted and tailed birds in their breeding programs. You just don't (usually) see them in the show hall.

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

I would vote against calling them U of A Blues. Makes them sound like they come from Tucson, Arizona, not from Arkansas. Or maybe somewhere in Alaska, lol!

 

[HallFamilyFarm]

There are only FIVE universities left with a poultry science program. The University of Arkansas (or U of A as we call it in Razorback country) is considered by the commercial poultry industry as the #1 program.

There is a watermelon variety, the AU Producer. It is a Crimson Sweet type variety developed by ..... Auburn University. There is no confusion to those who raise watermelons.

Since we are not this new breed's developer, we bow to its developer for a name. Until then, this thread was started with referring to them as U/A Blue. But at this point, lets not disagree on the names or how to create this in Alaska or New York. Not everyone is blessed to have gotten these hatching eggs; however, most of us will probaly make them available in about 5 months when they start laying.

I have requested that Dr. Bramwell and his friend provide us a name. Until then, lets stay on topic and discuss this new breed.

 

[Bentley]

I would vote against calling them U of A Blues. Makes them sound like they come from Tucson, Arizona, not from Arkansas. Or maybe somewhere in Alaska, lol!

Haha, having originated from Arizona every time I would hear the U of A I always thought it was University of Arizona. Having been gone from there for 20+years when I hear the U of A now they cold be referring to U of Arkansas, or U of Alabama. Interesting you say that. USC used to make me think of Southern Cal, but in Georgia it refers to U of South Carolina. The real kicker was someone talking about going to L A. After wonder why they were going from Georgia to Los Angelos for the weekend I found out they were going to Lower Alabama. It all depends upon where you live.

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

There are only FIVE universities left with a poultry science program. The University of Arkansas (or U of A as we call it in Razorback country) is considered by the commercial poultry industry as the #1 program.

There is a watermelon variety, the AU Producer. It is a Crimson Sweet type variety developed by ..... Auburn University. There is no confusion to those who raise watermelons.

Since we are not this new breed's developer, we bow to its developer for a name. Until then, this thread was started with referring to them as U/A Blue. But at this point, lets not disagree on the names or how to create this in Alaska or New York. Not everyone is blessed to have gotten these hatching eggs; however, most of us will probaly make them available in about 5 months when they start laying.

I have requested that Dr. Bramwell and his friend provide us a name. Until then, lets stay on topic and discuss this new breed.

My point is that "U of A" means many things to different people, and not everyone who is interested in or reading this thread is completely up to date on Poultry Science education and which universities offer a major or have an entire department. There was no need to be snooty about it. The thread title says "University of Arkansas" not "U of A." Of course the developer is the one who would name the breed. I cannot imagine that anyone else would have that right. But most people do not do things in a vacuum.

 

[hipeatall]

I read all of this and have been lurking for a bit now. I just love this project.
I was telling my son about it and he would love to hatch some as a 4H project if they become available in Texas in the future. I will keep watching

 

[nicalandia]

not trying to cause an augment but about 4 years ago i looked into getting the parent stock for broilers and laying hens to start my own hatchery... now understand these are the male and female line F1 crosses so even if u bred these u wont have the same hybrid vigor as in the parents... before they will even talk to you you have to put up a 25,000$ bond and sign a confidentiality agreement... so if you can get some of them go for it because i gave up lol...

I´m in Nicaragua, and in here you can find spent layers(production type white leghorns, ISA Browns, parent stock) and even spent broiler breeders in the local meat marker..! they go as cheap meat. nobody knows what they trully are...

 

[Bentley]

I´m in Nicaragua, and in here you can find spent layers(production type white leghorns, ISA Browns, parent stock) and even spent broiler breeders in the local meat marker..! they go as cheap meat. nobody knows what they trully are...

Still, those would be parent stock breeders designed to produce the final product either egg for the table egg market or broiler for meat. None of those would aver be truly used in a commercial breeder program. However, they still carry good genetics, just not what the genetic companies actually use for their production purposes. Its sort of a 'terminal cross' in an animal industry sort of way.

 

[nicalandia]

Still, those would be parent stock breeders designed to produce the final product either egg for the table egg market or broiler for meat. None of those would aver be truly used in a commercial breeder program. However, they still carry good genetics, just not what the genetic companies actually use for their production purposes. Its sort of a 'terminal cross' in an animal industry sort of way.

True..

 

[Arielle]

Didn't mean to offend anyone with playing with a name for the birds. If we are to discuss this breed, yet no one has any but few people . . . what is there to discuss. I attended UMO long ago; only took 1 poultry class. Only remember a few things; the prof was interesting. Maine is a big egg producing state. Is it one of the 5 you mentioned?? Probably not. I just assumed every university had a poultry department. LOL