California Greys???

[Bullitt]

I bought my CG pullets at Tractor Supply. They lay light brown/dark cream colored eggs. I am not happy about it. Either the hatchery or TSC screwed up, I don't know which one.

Can you post a picture of your chickens?

Do they look like they are supposed to?

 

[Michael Apple]

I bought my CG pullets at Tractor Supply. They lay light brown/dark cream colored eggs. I am not happy about it. Either the hatchery or TSC screwed up, I don't know which one.

Those aren't California Grays then. They may be great laying birds though. CA Grays lay a snow white egg.

 

[tommysgirl]

I bought my CG pullets at Tractor Supply. They lay light brown/dark cream colored eggs. I am not happy about it. Either the hatchery or TSC screwed up, I don't know which one.

sounda like you got barred rocks or Dominiques. ooops. Probably a hatchery issue since TSC just places the order and the hatchery is supposed to fill it. Hope you like em anyway.

 

[Michael Apple]

You can see in the pictures below, that CA Gray pullets develop a fan tail like Leghorns. They develop white earlobes, some sooner than others, and lay a white egg. They are generally darker than cockerels too.


Some say they appear more mottled than the cockerels.



Here's a cockerel at about 25 weeks.

 

[Bullitt]

sounda like you got barred rocks or Dominiques. ooops. Probably a hatchery issue since TSC just places the order and the hatchery is supposed to fill it. Hope you like em anyway.

Those are both great breeds, but I guess a person wouldn't be happy when they were expecting another breed.

 

[Bullitt]

You can see in the pictures below, that CA Gray pullets develop a fan tail like Leghorns. They develop white earlobes, some sooner than others, and lay a white egg. They are generally darker than cockerels too.


Some say they appear more mottled than the cockerels.



Here's a cockerel at about 25 weeks.

They look great. I really like the look of the rooster.

I'd still like to see them next to Privett's Barred Leghorns to see if they look any different.

 

[Michael Apple]

They look great. I really like the look of the rooster.

I'd still like to see them next to Privett's Barred Leghorns to see if they look any different.

Thanks Bullitt. From what I've been observing they are quite different. Here's a few threads with pics of Barred Leghorns:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/23920/barred-leghorn-pic

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/710896/my-rooster

 

[Bullitt]

Thanks Bullitt. From what I've been observing they are quite different. Here's a few threads with pics of Barred Leghorns:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/23920/barred-leghorn-pic

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/710896/my-rooster

I would like to know if Privett is selling one breed under two names or not.

I took a look at the links. The chicken in that first link looks too big. The rooster in the second link might be a Barred Leghorn, but its legs look orange and not yellow.

I think the pictures from feathersite.com within the second thread are better examples.

 

[oldtimeway]

Michael,

I really doubt you can surmise and accomplish all the work that Horrace and James Dreydon did in devoloping the Calfornia Grey by that si.mple cross. In fact, I know you can't. You will be just producing the hy-brid cross like some hatcheries sell as a Production Black. THIS IS NOT THE CALIFORNIA GREY.

I am passionate about this as there is so much misinformation out there. There are so many unscrupulous hatcheries that will tell you anything to sell you a chick. I know of one hatchery that only hatches hy-lines for their white egg chickens but they sell a Hy-line, a white leghorn, a "blanK" Hatchery # and they put in their own number and also sells a California White but you will get Hy-Lines for all of them and she admitted it to me.

The California Grey is a distinct breed, the life work of the Dreydons. For a farm flock they are unsurpassed. We've had thousands and if I was out for the most eggs and the best feed conversion with an egg size that will produce the most large double A eggs, then I will raise Hy-Lines. I have had thousands of them and maintain the White Hy-Line is the finest bird ever developed but she's a commercial bird and you have to have a warm chicken house as she's a better warm weather layer than a cold.

Since I live in the frigid north, I found that the Cal WHite and the Cal Grey are better winter layers. The problem with the Cal White is that once again, many hatc and heries are dishonest sell you an Austrawhite instead of a Cal. White. Then you start getting tinted eggs like you get with your wonder cross, Michael.

I can not sell a tinted egg to those I sell eggs to so enter the true Cal Grey. I hope we can get enough people interested in saving this bird from extinction with only one hatchery still hatching them. We won't be able to replicate. Dreydon's work in a single generation by making a simple cross.

 

[oldtimeway]

The Calif. Grey will never be recognized by APA. No, thank God! Horrace and James never wanted them to be recogized as James saw the APA as "feathers and fluff" which is true. He was breeding for utility and not looks.

Many for years have been trying to get a "barred leghorn" to add to the APA list. It is my understanding and Privetts can correct me if I'm wrong, but I know years ago there was a hatchery in OK that crossed Cal Greys back on Cal Whites producing a number of grey fowl and some white ones of course. By then keeping the barred stock, they produced a barred bird they called a barred leghorn.

However a barred leghorn and a Cal Grey are not the same. Hope that helps answer your question. You can accomplish the same yourself in a couple generations and see what you get if you're interested in that sort of thing. Again, I am so glad the Grey isn't APA approved or she'd be as poor of a layer as so many of these other birds are.