California Greys???

[oldtimeway]

Thank you, my feelings exactly.

 

[oldtimeway]

Absolutely, but two more generations removed, you can get a "production black" or a "barred leghorn"

 

[oldtimeway]

You do not have a California Grey then! If you did, the eggs would be pure white. Production blacks will throw those tinted eggs if they crossing is hastily done and the tinted egg trait not bred out. But please don't blame it on the Cal Grey, their eggs are white.

 

[tommysgirl]

You do not have a California Grey then! If you did, the eggs would be pure white. Production blacks will throw those tinted eggs if they crossing is hastily done and the tinted egg trait not bred out. But please don't blame it on the Cal Grey, their eggs are white.

@oldtimeway I was hoping you would find your way over to this thread. Do you sell hatching eggs? I have a single CG pullet from Privett hatchery. Went to them because I read somewhere on here that they have Dryden lines. Anyway. She is the best. I want more but would rather get them from a breeder than from a hatchery.

Thanks

 

[oldtimeway]

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.

Stromberg is not a hatchery but a clearing house actually just brokering chicks from other hatcheries. The only true California Greys in the whole US are at Privett and his descend from Dryden stock so you don't have to be concerned there. For many years there were two lines of Dryden stock in the US in two closed flocks, the Colonial line and the Welp line. Welp sold out years ago to Campbell Soup. You will see a "Welp Hatchery" but Welp only hatches broilers all other birds through them are brokered like Stromberg. Colonial went out of business. I know Privett has crossed the Colonials with the Welps.

 

[Bullitt]

Stromberg is not a hatchery but a clearing house actually just brokering chicks from other hatcheries. The only true California Greys in the whole US are at Privett and his descend from Dryden stock so you don't have to be concerned there. For many years there were two lines of Dryden stock in the US in two closed flocks, the Colonial line and the Welp line. Welp sold out years ago to Campbell Soup. You will see a "Welp Hatchery" but Welp only hatches broilers all other birds through them are brokered like Stromberg. Colonial went out of business. I know Privett has crossed the Colonials with the Welps.

Thank you for the information. I was concerned about Privett because they had the same picture for Barred Leghorn and California Gray.

By the way, I thought the name was California Gray with an A.
http://www.feathersite.com/Poultry/CGA/CalGray/BRKCalGray.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California_Gray


Also, I found this concerning Barred Leghorns:
"Both the American Poultry Association and the American Bantam Association (ABA) recognize a number of Leghorn varieties including white, red, black-tailed red, light brown, dark brown, black, buff, Columbian, buff Columbian, barred, and silver."

 

[Michael Apple]

Wow. The misinformation took off on this thread. I never said I bought CA Gray chicks from Stromberg. Mine came from Privett. I appreciate the reference to James Dryden, as I have old articles by him in the Pacific Poultrycraft magazines I collected. Based on every type I've ever seen and described, I have no doubt what I possess are California Grays. They lay a snow white egg, not a tinted egg. They are certainly not Barred Leghorns as I've seen the type and compared them. There's always something to learn, and misinformation spreads fast (just look around the forums). Besides that, my aim is not to show birds, but raise birds for health and egg production most of all. I'm very pleased with these chicks from Privett, and there has been no drop in egg production during this cold season. They are an attractive breed that I will look forward to keeping in the future.

 

[Michael Apple]

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.

I appreciate what you stated. The APA leaves much to be desired in my opinion. I once thought the CA Grey was merely a cross between a Barred Plymouth Rock and a white Leghorn. The more I researched, which much info is unavailable, I found that these will breed true, and that Barred Rocks and Leghorns were just in the original ancestry. I'm not a breeder, but would like to see this breed survive. If preserving the breed requires me to take action, I'd be happy to learn what is required to do it. Have a happy and safe New Year.

 

[oldtimeway]

No, since hatching eggs really should be sold only under NPIA rules and regs and I'm not registered with them. I am deathly afraid of buying birds or chicks from hatcheries that are not certified and would warn others to do the same. Talk to Privett. I believe they may sell eggs. Their lines are the same as what I have. A cross of the Welp and Colonial strain. I once had a true Colonial flock and wish I would have left it so, just so it would have been the only such flock left. I found the Colonial birds to have better more true coloring and also were a little bit heavier. The Welp coloring is sometimes a bit wild or weird with a pure white feather or something. I am working to breed that out, though it has nothing to do with how well they lay.

 

[oldtimeway]

I appreciate what you stated. The APA leaves much to be desired in my opinion. I once thought the CA Grey was merely a cross between a Barred Plymouth Rock and a white Leghorn. The more I researched, which much info is unavailable, I found that these will breed true, and that Barred Rocks and Leghorns were just in the original ancestry. I'm not a breeder, but would like to see this breed survive. If preserving the breed requires me to take action, I'd be happy to learn what is required to do it. Have a happy and safe New Year. I am so encouraged to hear that. Please order some from Privett. If anything happens to their flock, Horrace Dryden's introduction to the poultry world is lost. His father's work still affects many but Horrace gave us the Cal Grey more than anyone else.