Blue Egg Layers from University of Arkansas

[HallFamilyFarm]

It looks like the mature weight on these may be about 4 or 5#. Here are some of mine. We have two more pullets that are not here yet.

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Notice they all have slate blue shanks. The two Blue cockerels and the pullet has a pea comb. The Whjite has a single comb. The white is also a bit smaller. Difficult to see in the photos, but they all have teh same tail angle as the single Blue cockerel. The single Blue cockerel also has gold leakage. The other Blue does not. We plan on keeping all three males (unless someone wants the white male) and setting up 3 breeding pairs. Every few weeks we will rotate the males so that we get all the genetitcs diversity possible. This will also enable us to "trap nest" of sorts and keep an accurate count of eggs layed. We can also toe punch and know the pedigree of each chick hatched. We may discover we do not wish to breed from one or the other. If the single comb comb throws too many with a single comb or gold leakage etc.

This "breed" is in its early stages. So far we know of about 5 that have set eggs. Not sure how many actually hatched and are raising them. If these are ever to be presented for APA SOP acceptance, we will need five breeders to dedicate 5 years to them. I think once a hatchery gets some, it will deplete the bloodline and if history repeats itself, destroy the breed as it is.

They are a bit flighty compared to our juvenile Orpingtons in the same pen. Not a good comparison. Ours are now about 4 months old. So we are hoping for eggs soon. Commercial Leghorns start laying at about 4.5 months old. We will see if that trait was inherited.​

 

[heritagehabitatfarms]

looking good jim

 

[HallFamilyFarm]

New information:



Quote:

We received our first Blue egg from our Blue Egg Layers this morning. The pullet is 4.5 months old. This was a development from an unknown researcher, using a commercial strain White Leghorn and a Blue Araucana.

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[HallFamilyFarm]

Mine are several weeks from lay

Hope caj1985 does not mind me reposting her photos. She sent them to me in a PM. Thought some of you could help identify if these are pullets or cockerels. I think they are all pullets.

 

[draye]

Hope caj1985 does not mind me reposting her photos. She sent them to me in a PM. Thought some of you could help identify if these are pullets or cockerels. I think they are all pullets.

All look like pullets to me.

 

[heritagehabitatfarms]

how do you get that lucky lol??? looks like all pullets to me as well...

 

[caj1985]

how do you get that lucky lol??? looks like all pullets to me as well...

It's not that lucky. One cockerel and the rest pullets would be lucky. 6 pullets without a rooster only lay blanks.

Jim, I don't mind you re-posting. Maybe someone out there will admit to having an extra rooster I could buy or trade a Phoenix or clean-faced BBR cockerel for.

Draye,

How about it? Did you come up with any extra roos?

Crystal

 

[HallFamilyFarm]

How does everyone feel about calling these Arkansas Blue? Dr, Bramwell said it really does not matter what we call them. Plus, if and when these finally get to a hatchery, we will have a slightly different breed. We are culling for production and type (what ever that is). We have no idea where the original flock came from or who it is. With "Arkansas Blue" we honor the source of where we received our eggs from.

Or is Razorback better?

We need a name taht teh APA may accept one day, should we ever apply for acceptance.

 

[jeremy]

Quote:
How about calling them Easter Eggers?

If they are a mix of Araucana and White Leghorn, simply put, they're just EEs.

 

[HallFamilyFarm]

Easter Eggers do not breed true. These breed true. They are Blue as in the Blue Andalusian with a white sport occasionally. They are about as far away from being an Easter Egger as your Orpingtons are at being from a hatchery. There is a difference between a mix breed chicken and a scientific development of a new breed that breeds true.