California Greys???

[Michael Apple]

I see Privett has several varieties of Leghorns. Silver Leghorns are nice looking.

I was looking at Privett Hatchery's website. I see they have California Gray and Barred Leghorn. They have the same hen pictured for both breeds.

I checked with the American Poultry Association website. Single Comb Barred Leghorns were recognized by the APA in 1995. Now I see that the California Gray will never be recognized by the APA, because they look like Barred Leghorns. They probably are the same breed. (Please tell me if I am wrong.) Either way, they at least look very similar.

It's like the APA recognized the White Java back in the 1940s, I believe, and then removed it, because the White Java looks just like the White Plymouth Rock. The funny thing is that the Java is one of the parent breeds for Plymouth Rock.

I think we have the same situation here. California Gray was created, and then the breed was recognized by the APA under a different name. At least it appears that way.

It's a crazy world.

I'll look at Privett's site again. I don't remember seeing any listings for "Barred Leghorns" last February on their site.

The problem with authority is sometimes they are wrong. I think that with all due respect to Dryden, who was working to develop the breed in Modesto, CA, the APA should retain the title he used.

 

[Michael Apple]

TO Bullitt and Michael Apple.....There seems to be some confusion here about the California Greys.....First, the male picture IS DEFINITELY a CG and NOT a Barred Rock: Look at the white earlobes and the body type......Also, Barred Leghorns and California Greys are not the same breed......Dr Horace Dryden at Oregon State Ag College developed the California Greys starting over 100 years ago with Barred Rock and White Leghorn stocks....Dr Dryden was a poultry breeding genius and helped found Dryden Farms in California...He was mainly interested in commercial egg laying strains and focused his work on White Leghorns and Barred Rocks....Haven't seen much info to indicate that the original intent was to develop a dual purpose breed..I could be wrong on this,admittedly.....Back then even White Leghorns were much larger and used for fryers....The old poultry magazines are full of ads touting Large Type English White Leghorns....Thanks for bringing this topic up...It's always interesting to read the posts that are serious and not just OOH OOGH HOW CUTE YOUR CHICKEN IS..And WHAT IS HER HIS NAME!...Take care Always.

Bill. The wikipedia article Clint posted earlier shows a picture of a bird which is certainly not a CA Gray. This is the article: http: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California_Gray

I don't see why the CA Gray couldn't be a good fryer just like the Leghorn, but egg production was important considering the CA Gray. I appreciate your comments though. With all the misinformation out there these days, one really has to wade through it to find the truth.

 

[Bullitt]

TO Bullitt and Michael Apple.....There seems to be some confusion here about the California Greys.....First, the male picture IS DEFINITELY a CG and NOT a Barred Rock: Look at the white earlobes and the body type......Also, Barred Leghorns and California Greys are not the same breed......Dr Horace Dryden at Oregon State Ag College developed the California Greys starting over 100 years ago with Barred Rock and White Leghorn stocks....Dr Dryden was a poultry breeding genius and helped found Dryden Farms in California...He was mainly interested in commercial egg laying strains and focused his work on White Leghorns and Barred Rocks....Haven't seen much info to indicate that the original intent was to develop a dual purpose breed..I could be wrong on this,admittedly.....Back then even White Leghorns were much larger and used for fryers....The old poultry magazines are full of ads touting Large Type English White Leghorns....Thanks for bringing this topic up...It's always interesting to read the posts that are serious and not just OOH OOGH HOW CUTE YOUR CHICKEN IS..And WHAT IS HER HIS NAME!...Take care Always.

This is the article in question with a picture. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California_Gray
In that picture the hen may have a small white earlobe. But it doesn't look like California Grays I have seen elsewhere.

The California Gray was developed as a dual-purpose chicken that was larger than the Leghorn.

http://www.feathersite.com/Poultry/CGA/CalGray/BRKCalGray.html
"The California Gray was developed around 1930 by Professor James Dryden. The goal was a dual purpose breed that laid large white eggs, as that was what the market wanted at that time."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California_Gray
"It was originally conceived as a male line to be crossed with females of other breeds for increased egg and meat production and has evolved into a modern grand-parent line for present day commercial laying hens."

The body of the California Gray seems to be smaller now than it was in the past.

 

[Bullitt]

I'll look at Privett's site again. I don't remember seeing any listings for "Barred Leghorns" last February on their site.

The problem with authority is sometimes they are wrong. I think that with all due respect to Dryden, who was working to develop the breed in Modesto, CA, the APA should retain the title he used.

Privett Hatchery has Barred Leghorns. http://www.privetthatchery.com/Home/prdDetails.aspx?id=BRLS

Notice the picture of the hen is the same as for the California Gray. http://www.privetthatchery.com/Home/prdDetails.aspx?id=CGS

Are Barred Leghorns the same breed as California Grays? It seems so.

You are right. And White Javas should be recognized by the APA, but they are not. That's why I said it is a crazy world.

 

[Michael Apple]

Privett Hatchery has Barred Leghorns. http://www.privetthatchery.com/Home/prdDetails.aspx?id=BRLS

Notice the picture of the hen is the same as for the California Gray. http://www.privetthatchery.com/Home/prdDetails.aspx?id=CGS

Are Barred Leghorns the same breed as California Grays? It seems so.

You are right. And White Javas should be recognized by the APA, but they are not. That's why I said it is a crazy world.

Very odd. Like I said, I never saw that on their site this last Spring. I believe I'll have to contact Privett and ask them why they are advertizing the same pictured birds as two different breeds.

 

[Bill Matthews]

TO Bullitt....Thanks for the post...The Wikepedia article was a good read....That picture of a hen IS DEFINITELY a Barred Rock....I was referring to the picture of the Rooster in the cage, apparently at a show......Wasn't really certain about the dual purpose breeding goal of Dr. Dryden until reading your post...Thanks again to you Bullitt, Michael Apple, and everyone for this info...I really enjoy thoughtful discussion and knowledgeable information....Take care always..

 

[tommysgirl]

Very odd. Like I said, I never saw that on their site this last Spring. I believe I'll have to contact Privett and ask them why they are advertizing the same pictured birds as two different breeds.

Good call. Let us know what you find out.

I think it was in the Wikipedia article but somewhere they said that Welp hatchery ended up with Dryden stock. Welp just uses CGs now to get their CA whites as far as I can tell but they apparently sold a bunch of birds to Privett who sold some to Stromberg. Both of those hatcheries are supposed to have the original Dryden lines but who knows? I will post a pic of my girl later she is way more streamlined than the rocks around here and she is cuckoo not barred. Her name is Blanche and from the start she was one of the most curious and friendly. Laid her first egg... a double yolker.. a week ago but I haven't seen another from her since.

I am putting her with my NH rooster this spring in hopes of getting a different kind of black sex link.

 

[Bullitt]

TO Bullitt....Thanks for the post...The Wikepedia article was a good read....That picture of a hen IS DEFINITELY a Barred Rock....I was referring to the picture of the Rooster in the cage, apparently at a show......Wasn't really certain about the dual purpose breeding goal of Dr. Dryden until reading your post...Thanks again to you Bullitt, Michael Apple, and everyone for this info...I really enjoy thoughtful discussion and knowledgeable information....Take care always..

You are welcome. I am learning new things every day, also.

 

[Bullitt]

Good call. Let us know what you find out.

I think it was in the Wikipedia article but somewhere they said that Welp hatchery ended up with Dryden stock. Welp just uses CGs now to get their CA whites as far as I can tell but they apparently sold a bunch of birds to Privett who sold some to Stromberg. Both of those hatcheries are supposed to have the original Dryden lines but who knows? I will post a pic of my girl later she is way more streamlined than the rocks around here and she is cuckoo not barred. Her name is Blanche and from the start she was one of the most curious and friendly. Laid her first egg... a double yolker.. a week ago but I haven't seen another from her since.

I am putting her with my NH rooster this spring in hopes of getting a different kind of black sex link.

It would be nice if Privett or Stromberg had California Grays from the Dryden line. Michael Apple said he bought his California Grays from Stromberg. He posted a picture of his rooster in this thread.

It is difficult to know exactly how they are supposed to look since California Gray is not a recognized breed. Are they supposed to be cuckoo and not barred?

What will the offspring look like from a New Hampshire rooster and a California Gray hen? I know a regular black sex link can be created using a New Hampshire rooster and a Barred Plymouth Rock hen.

 

[Michael Apple]

It would be nice if Privett or Stromberg had California Grays from the Dryden line. Michael Apple said he bought his California Grays from Stromberg. He posted a picture of his rooster in this thread.

It is difficult to know exactly how they are supposed to look since California Gray is not a recognized breed. Are they supposed to be cuckoo and not barred?

What will the offspring look like from a New Hampshire rooster and a California Gray hen? I know a regular black sex link can be created using a New Hampshire rooster and a Barred Plymouth Rock hen.

I got chicks from Privett, not Stromberg. I see a subtle barring in my birds. I think Tommysgirl got her chicks after mine, so maybe they are less defined and appear cuckoo because they are still young. The rooster's feathers tend to be more of a defined pattern than the hens. I'll try and get some pics this week and post them when I have more time.