Sapphire Gem mixed with Barred Rock?

[Abbie_Riot]

I bought Speedwagon as a chick from the Atwood’s and he was labeled as a sapphire gem but I think he’s mixed with barred rock. Or maybe a different breed entirely? He’s about two feet tall. Very large. Thoughts and opinions?

Sorry for the lack of pictures, he’s very shy, but he’s the big grey one of course. He’s beside my dark Brahma Bantam, Wamuu, for size reference. Chick pics too if they help.

 

[theoldchick]

Sapphire Gem cockerels are barred. This is a hybrid and you will have some variations in individuals.

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

Yup, as the previous poster said, 'Sapphire Gems' are not an actual breed but a sexlinked crossbreed, which does include Barred Rocks as one component of the cross. Because of how barring is inherited, male Sapphire Gems have that spot of white on the backs of their heads as chicks and grow up to be barred blue adults, while females don't have the spot and are just blue without barring as adults.

 

[Painted Calls]

He is a Sapphire Gem.

 

[theoldchick]

Just have to add yours is very handsome!

 

[McAvoy Lane]

Yup, as the previous poster said, 'Sapphire Gems' are not an actual breed but a sexlinked crossbreed, which does include Barred Rocks as one component of the cross. Because of how barring is inherited, male Sapphire Gems have that spot of white on the backs of their heads as chicks and grow up to be barred blue adults, while females don't have the spot and are just blue without barring as adults.

Curious any ability to sex barred rock roo crossed with sapphire gem hen; all chicks should have barring but I wonder if the males will have a white spot on the head versus females not? So far of this hatch we have black chicks with a bit of yellow around the throat and at wing tops and rump, one with head spot, one with none… pic of suspected girl attached!

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

A pure Barred Rock rooster will pass barring to both males and females. He will not make barred sexlink chicks. Males pass sexlinked genes like barring indiscriminately to both sons and daughters. Hens, however, only pass sexlinked genes to their sons and not to their daughters. That is how barred sexlink chicks are made, by crossing a non-barred rooster to a barred hen so that only male chicks inherit barring.

The white spot on the head does not indicate male or female, it indicates that a chick has inherited barring. Female Barred Rocks have a white spot on their heads as well when they hatch. So if your rooster is the barred one and some of the chicks don't have a head spot indicating that they've inherited barring, that calls into question whether he's pure for the gene or not. Do you have pictures of your Barred Rock rooster? Are there any other roosters that could be fathering some of the chicks, even one belonging to a neighbor? When they've fluffed and dried is there any spot at all on the head, maybe not obviously white but just paler? I have a Barred Rock hen who hatched with one such spot, I'll attach a picture of her as a chick for you to see here. You can see that there isn't an obvious white spot on her head, just a patch where the fluff is lighter:

 

[McAvoy Lane]

A pure Barred Rock rooster will pass barring to both males and females. He will not make barred sexlink chicks. Males pass sexlinked genes like barring indiscriminately to both sons and daughters. Hens, however, only pass sexlinked genes to their sons and not to their daughters. That is how barred sexlink chicks are made, by crossing a non-barred rooster to a barred hen so that only male chicks inherit barring.

The white spot on the head does not indicate male or female, it indicates that a chick has inherited barring. Female Barred Rocks have a white spot on their heads as well when they hatch. So if your rooster is the barred one and some of the chicks don't have a head spot indicating that they've inherited barring, that calls into question whether he's pure for the gene or not. Do you have pictures of your Barred Rock rooster? Are there any other roosters that could be fathering some of the chicks, even one belonging to a neighbor? When they've fluffed and dried is there any spot at all on the head, maybe not obviously white but just paler? I have a Barred Rock hen who hatched with one such spot, I'll attach a picture of her as a chick for you to see here. You can see that there isn't an obvious white spot on her head, just a patch where the fluff is lighter:

View attachment 3590474

She has a few white hairs, so technically not all black though seems as barely spottish or less than yours; thank you! Here’s a picture several hours later

 

[McAvoy Lane]

She has a few white hairs, so technically not all black though seems as barely spottish or less than yours; thank you! Here’s a picture several hours later

And no other roosters - two pure Barred Rock that were 2/4 roos that came in my allegedly dozen pullet order from Hoover’s. I do have Rhode Island Reds and other Barred Rock hens, but their eggs are darker than the two these hatched from…