Blue Egg Layers from University of Arkansas

[Chris09]

They are just mutts; Cross-breeds, hybrids. Looks like more Production birds..... maybe Productions Blues now.

The one line sounds a lot like a Cream Legbar (with out the barring gene) The Cream Legbar is basically a Araucana[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif], Brown Leghorn, Barred Rock cross.[/FONT]


[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Chris[/FONT]

 

[checoukan]

So how would a poultry project leader be able to get some of the eggs to hatch and then disperse to the 4H kids to show at the local county fair?
I have been running my incubator close to a month now for the children who do not have the means of buying birds, to show. I would like to buy some eggs to hatch for them if possible.

 

[Goose and Fig]

Sorry, but I wouldn't buy eggs from birds that lived in conditions like that. I would be embarrassed to even post those pictures. JMO.

Also- why would you encourage 4H kids to show production hybrids anyway?

Poor kids don't deserve pure bred birds?

 

[HallFamilyFarm]

I would LOVE to see a photo of the other "L" marked pen's birds. (The brown colored blue egg layers.) I'm working on a pet project (Alohas) to develop a colorful dual purpose backyard chicken with flashy color. (Basically, an American version of the "Swedish Flower Hen.") Got the colors down, now the work is improving body type and egg laying ability.

A friend wanted to introduce the blue-egg gene, but these are supposed to be single-combed and yellow-legged, without muffs. When I tried introducing EE'er, it just added too many unwanted traits. By the time I bred out the muffs, pea combs, the blue egg color was totally lost - and I'm still trying to breed out the EE'er gray legs! LOL.

Something that looked like a brown leghorn and bred like a brown leghorn, but laid a blue egg, would be PERFECT for this program. (Specifically the single-combed ones.) Would love to see pics of that group . . . is there a way to get a photo of those, too? And do they share eggs from that group with folks? I wanted to introduce Production Red bloodlines anyway, to improve egg laying abilities. To add in blue egg genes on top of that would be icing on the cake! Wow.

Dr. Bramwell DOES NOT ship eggs. However, he does give them to 4H and FFA clubs. He does not allow these to be used for profit.


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[hippiehen]

if a Blue egg layer could produce like a commercial leghorn or Bovan Brown, why wouldn't it be possible to sell the blue eggs in say...Wal-Mart? Perhaps CCFBrands would consider the idea?

CCFBrands http://www.ccfbrands.com/ produces the Farmers Market brand eggs and sell them at Wal-Mart in many states.

I kind of hope not... because then the eggs I sell would quit being unique!!

 

[checoukan]

I do not sell any of the chicks that I hatch to the 4H kids. I hatch eggs that I am able to aquire and when the chicks are 3 to 5 days old, I allow the kids to pick out the chicks they want. No money ever changes hands. A lot of these kids have absolutely nothing, and it is my way to give the kids something to look foward to during the summer. They are so proud when they bring their birds to the fair, they are just beaming with pride.

As for bad condition, I have seen first hand, so called "Poultry Breeders", that the conditions are so bad, disease, mites, dirty overcrowded outside pens, no clean water and feed. Ive seen dead birds, birds totally covered in mud, just awful, the only thing those people are after is the almighty dollar, and that is it.... They care nothing about the birds. This looks like something really unique, and I think my 4H kids would be proud to raise birds like this. Then they can take them home and have eggs for breakfast!!!!

 

[HallFamilyFarm]

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You can contact Dr. Bramwell at http://poultryscience.uark.edu/4633.htm He does not ship eggs, so you would have tos end someone to Fayettville, Arkansas.




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DR. Bramwell has one of, if not the best, facilities and flocks for exhibition SOP quality in many breeds. He provides these exhibition to Arkansas 4H/FFA. His offspring has done very well at shows! These Blue egg layers are just a fun project he and a friend were working on. The commercial industry provides research grants, but some of his students actually work with these exhibition SOP quality. His breeders have ample room, are well fed and cared for.

Our 4H club exhibits top line exhibition birds. These are just some of the lines our kids have. Some of our club members won Best of Breed at Crossroads!

Poor kids deserve the best and since they have no money, Dr. Bramwell gives them the eggs, with some minor restrictions. they can not sell the eggs or chicks. They must raise them as a project. Now what they do after the State Fair is their own business. Most continue to breed their own.

Dr. Bramwell and I have not always agreed on some things, but I admire his dedication to the youth. He gets paid nothing extra to judge county fairs, over see the State Fair poultry show, conduct free seminars at our meetups etc. He has proven to be a friend of 4H and for that I appreciate him! He attended Crossroads and the Ohio Nationals. He attends many poultry shows across the country. He is always promoting the UA, poultry and 4H.


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[alohachickens]

Dr. Bramwell DOES NOT ship eggs. However, he does give them to 4H and FFA clubs. He does not allow these to be used for profit.

I haven't been creating the Aloha breed for any kind of profit. I've given away countless dozens of eggs and birds totally free! It's a labor of love and I don't intend to ever see a dime for it. But, I'm not in 4-H or the FFA because I'm an adult, ha ha. (Though I was in 4-H for six years, when I was a kid.) So I guess I'm disqualified.

Does a program where I give stock away or at cost, still count as "for profit"? Or the fact that I'm not charging for my stock right now, just make me a really poor business person? ROFL!

Of course that doesn't do anything to help the shipped egg thing, since I'm not anywhere near AR. I do understand that rule, however. I've wasted so many eggs shipping them with dismal hatch rates on the other end, with the USPS, that I finally gave up and found out how to ship Live chicks instead. So many unhatched eggs wasted!!! I felt like shipping them was akin to dumping the embryos right in the toilet, ha ha.

Could I possibly purchase live birds from a enterprising 4-H student in the future, or does that go against the program rules as well? Will be neat to see what develops with this line.

 

[checoukan]

Happy mtn---Why would I go out and get purebred eggs to hatch and give to kids to raise that do not meet the SOP???? You can't tell me that what you have in your backyard has not been crossed with something in the past to come up with what you have!!!! When you get right down to it, most chicken breed have been crossed with something else to become what they are today. So someone is wanting to help the kids. Why make such a big deal of it. You say Poor kids. That is right., most can not afford to buy a chicken, so why not let them raise something that will help them eat. Sounds like you have a problem with someone trying to help people!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Kwartel]

Hey Jim, any idea how long it will be before those of us who are too old for 4H can get our hands on some of these for our backyards?