California Greys???

[Bullitt]

Thanks alot.! A friend of mine wanted some and i misunderstood when did the research on Google so i cross B.R. with. White leghorn, and i was getting the yellow baby chicks some with black spots so i was confused. I'm going to focus on my leghorns to improve them since i got them from hatcheries. They 're good layers but i will like to take the best out of them. Thanks for the info so i can pass it on.

If you cross a Barred Plymouth Rock and a White Leghorn you will get something like this, which they call a California White. It looks like a White Leghorn with black specks.

http://www.idealpoultry.com/item.html

 

[Mr King]

If you cross a Barred Plymouth Rock and a White Leghorn you will get something like this, which they call a California White. It looks like a White Leghorn with black specks.

http://www.idealpoultry.com/item.html

Yes they came out like California white. I already have some.

 

[gootziecat]

Does any one have true California grey or Calif white eggs available? Thanks.

 

[windyridgefarm]

Does anyone know of any sources for California Greys in the New England area?

 

[Wasquechicks]

I've got 10 California Grey chicks arriving from Privett's in May. I'm very excited. My birds free range so I don't want white chickens. I need chickens that have some camouflage. I'm looking forward to adding some white eggs to my egg basket.

 

[free burd]

JUST A REMINDER

it is ordering time - if anyone would like fewer than 25 birds from Privett ask the tractor supply company TSC to ad your birds to one of their regular orders.

also, as far as i understand, strombergs and welp 'drop ship' CG from Privett (dont ask me how that works)

also, those of us on this thread have been educated that Privett is the only legitimate source of true CG from a hatchery.
others using what they say is CG for their california white breeding could be using production black from the 'ideal' hatchery line and that bird is a mystery to me - i dont recall reading a single testimonial on it or a comparison to CG. when i called ideal and ask the difference i was told they where the same by some 'stepford' operator and given ideals shady reputation overall did not look any further into it (ideal claims they created it in 1961). just be aware that there is a barred/cucoo imposter out there that may not have the calmer personality of CG.
also, earlier in this thread i noted that i have seen Privett golden campine and golden sebright in backyard flocks that eclipsed the offerings at a professional poultry show of over 1300 entries - the campine trio won best in show at the local county fair under the eye of a world class judge and the sebrights where picture perfect to my eye, so it is possible that Privett may be an exception to the commercial hatchery rule - offering the untainted CG is certainly nobile considering the value of that bird and its history.

thank you to everyone for continuing this thread...adding to the photo offerings at Feathersite.com (!!!) ...and way way back in this thread someone added CG to the breeds list at backyard chickens which i would not have known how to do and i appreciated that a lot. (add your comments to that list if you have not done so yet)

and KEEP'EM 'APA' FREE AND IN TACT ! thank you professor D.

 

[free burd]

JUST A REMINDER

it is ordering time - if anyone would like fewer than 25 birds from Privett ask the tractor supply company TSC to ad your birds to one of their regular orders.

also, as far as i understand, strombergs and welp 'drop ship' CG from Privett (dont ask me how that works)

also, those of us on this thread have been educated that Privett is the only legitimate source of true CG from a hatchery.
others using what they say is CG for their california white breeding could be using production black from the 'ideal' hatchery line and that bird is a mystery to me - i dont recall reading a single testimonial on it or a comparison to CG. when i called ideal and ask the difference i was told they where the same by some 'stepford' operator and given ideals shady reputation overall did not look any further into it (ideal claims they created it in 1961). just be aware that there is a barred/cucoo imposter out there that may not have the calmer personality of CG.
also, earlier in this thread i noted that i have seen Privett golden campine and golden sebright in backyard flocks that eclipsed the offerings at a professional poultry show of over 1300 entries - the campine trio won best in show at the local county fair under the eye of a world class judge and the sebrights where picture perfect to my eye, so it is possible that Privett may be an exception to the commercial hatchery rule - offering the untainted CG is certainly nobile considering the value of that bird and its history.

thank you to everyone for continuing this thread...adding to the photo offerings at Feathersite.com (!!!) ...and way way back in this thread someone added CG to the breeds list at backyard chickens which i would not have known how to do and i appreciated that a lot. (add your comments to that list if you have not done so yet)

and KEEP'EM 'APA' FREE AND IN TACT ! thank you professor D.

 

[Chicken116]

Well, fun to revisit this thread. And resurrect it I suppose. I posted on page 2 in 2012 . I'd found out about the California Grey specifically due to a family connection. James Dryden is a direct ancestor (once I figured out the family tree), and now that I was FINALLY in a position to have chickens...guess what I got!

Naturally I ordered from Privett, and with a 15 chick minimum I got 10 CGs and 5 EEs knowing I had to give some away (and had friends/acquaintances picked out in advance). I live in a town that allows max six hens/no roosters so my dream of having my own reproducing flock is a no go. But I do now have 5 of my own.

And, pulling from the family tree I have Dorothy, Leone, Alice, Mary, and Grace. One has a deviated beak and yes, I had to traveling poultry vet out and she is now on a beak trimming (dremel) program. And oddly enough, she does look a tad like my Great Aunt Leone who used to hold her mouth a certain way with her dentures (the things we remember from childhood).

I can't really comment on how flighty they are, or their eggs yet, but so far they are sweet birds. Two of the EE chicks were more aggressive about sitting on my lap, but with them gone I now have two CGs who will hop on. They startle at scary things but don't freak. First time one accidentally went on the basement floor after she missed the side of their dog crate brooder she ran to my feet and waited for me to rescue her.

But they are personable and amusing. And pretty. I had planned to keep only 4 plus an EE but when it came time to send away the last three, it was the EEs who all left. My friend can have the color eggs.

6 weeks and 2 days hanging at my feet. When they had their whole coop available.

In digging up more on James Dryden, it was fun to read how he was so much of a forward thinker even CONSIDERING mixing breeds to improve production (meat or eggs). I even saw a comment that someone was threatening the funding at what is now Oregon State over his ideas. His ideas on poultry management including breeding landed him in the Poultry HoF, and he is the only poultryman in the Agricultural HoF (in 1991).

In the end he left, went to California (Modesto), and set up shop. Despite the cavalier description by Privett and other sources, they are more than a mere cross of a Barred Rock and a White Leghorn (though they are in the mix) and the breed was established when he was a private businessman.

Despite no APA recognition, they breed true. Are autosexing. Lay copious amounts of white eggs (boring to some) which was popular back in the 1930s-1940s. I would dearly love to see some of the poultry sales flyers from back in the day where Horace Dryden was selling (James died in a 1935 auto accident and Horace took over the business).

As a breed I hope they stick around.

 

[3KillerBs]

Well, fun to revisit this thread. And resurrect it I suppose. I posted on page 2 in 2012 . I'd found out about the California Grey specifically due to a family connection. James Dryden is a direct ancestor (once I figured out the family tree), and now that I was FINALLY in a position to have chickens...guess what I got!

Naturally I ordered from Privett, and with a 15 chick minimum I got 10 CGs and 5 EEs knowing I had to give some away (and had friends/acquaintances picked out in advance). I live in a town that allows max six hens/no roosters so my dream of having my own reproducing flock is a no go. But I do now have 5 of my own.

And, pulling from the family tree I have Dorothy, Leone, Alice, Mary, and Grace. One has a deviated beak and yes, I had to traveling poultry vet out and she is now on a beak trimming (dremel) program. And oddly enough, she does look a tad like my Great Aunt Leone who used to hold her mouth a certain way with her dentures (the things we remember from childhood).

I can't really comment on how flighty they are, or their eggs yet, but so far they are sweet birds. Two of the EE chicks were more aggressive about sitting on my lap, but with them gone I now have two CGs who will hop on. They startle at scary things but don't freak. First time one accidentally went on the basement floor after she missed the side of their dog crate brooder she ran to my feet and waited for me to rescue her.

But they are personable and amusing. And pretty. I had planned to keep only 4 plus an EE but when it came time to send away the last three, it was the EEs who all left. My friend can have the color eggs.

6 weeks and 2 days hanging at my feet. When they had their whole coop available.
View attachment 2743333

In digging up more on James Dryden, it was fun to read how he was so much of a forward thinker even CONSIDERING mixing breeds to improve production (meat or eggs). I even saw a comment that someone was threatening the funding at what is now Oregon State over his ideas. His ideas on poultry management including breeding landed him in the Poultry HoF, and he is the only poultryman in the Agricultural HoF (in 1991).

In the end he left, went to California (Modesto), and set up shop. Despite the cavalier description by Privett and other sources, they are more than a mere cross of a Barred Rock and a White Leghorn (though they are in the mix) and the breed was established when he was a private businessman.

Despite no APA recognition, they breed true. Are autosexing. Lay copious amounts of white eggs (boring to some) which was popular back in the 1930s-1940s. I would dearly love to see some of the poultry sales flyers from back in the day where Horace Dryden was selling (James died in a 1935 auto accident and Horace took over the business).

As a breed I hope they stick around.

I've been considering adding some to my flock next year. Are they good with heat?

 

[Chicken116]

I've been considering adding some to my flock next year. Are they good with heat?

As far as I know they should be as good as most any other. They were derived in part from Leghorns and have and the body type/combs that should do well. Mine are just six weeks old and the weather here is warm, but not extreme. They seem to be thriving since going outside a few days ago though. They also are supposed to lay well in winter.

ETA I see you are in NC. I'm in the SW part of VA so maybe our climates aren't so different.