Sapphire Gem Olive Eggers

[momentspicd]

I recently purchased 5 sapphire gem Oliver egger chicks from a local hardware store. They carry “ pullets only “ from Hoover Hatchery. As I don’t know anything about these chicks breeding or what to expect, I emailed Hoover. They all look a little different color wise and I was told that they are auto sex so they were all female. Hoover told me that they are auto sex but that is not how they sex their chicks. I also asked what the cross breeds are and they said they can not disclose that. They are about 5/ 6 wks now and one is created and is a lighter gray. One of them appears to have slate legs. Does anyone have any of there chickens from Hoover and can give me any info?

 

[Pyxis]

If these are truly bred correctly - and Hoover hasn't had the best track record with breeding this breed correctly - then all chicks that are solid colored are females, and all that are barred are males.

I also think they lay brown eggs, not olive, unless they are now making even more crosses and calling them Sapphire Gems. Hoover has them listed under their Brown Egg Layer section on their website.

However looking more they seem to have "Sapphire Olive Egger" which is maybe what you got, but those would be different than the Sapphire Gems. Those do appear to be crested. If they are also a black sex link and bred the way the Sapphire Gems are, which it sounds like Hoover is saying they are by calling them "autosexing" (the correct term is sex-linked), then males would also be barred and females solid.

 

[momentspicd]

They are supposed to be olive eggers. Any idea what they might cross to get these “sapphire olive eggers” since they are crested I’m guessing a CCL but since 1 has slate legs and the rest yellow I’m confused. I don’t know much about chicken genetics. Does the crest appear at a certain age? Will make and females both have crests?

 

[hotlipshens]

Does anyone have any of there chickens from Hoover and can give me any info?[/QUOTE]

I have some from the 2/6/19 hatch - only know what is posted on their web page. Cannot wait until mine mature The 7 blue in this pic right after arrival...

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

If these are truly bred correctly - and Hoover hasn't had the best track record with breeding this breed correctly - then all chicks that are solid colored are females, and all that are barred are males.

I also think they lay brown eggs, not olive, unless they are now making even more crosses and calling them Sapphire Gems. Hoover has them listed under their Brown Egg Layer section on their website.

However looking more they seem to have "Sapphire Olive Egger" which is maybe what you got, but those would be different than the Sapphire Gems. Those do appear to be crested. If they are also a black sex link and bred the way the Sapphire Gems are, which it sounds like Hoover is saying they are by calling them "autosexing" (the correct term is sex-linked), then males would also be barred and females solid.

Two separate birds, sapphire gems (blue barred sex links, lay brown) and sapphire gem olive Eggers (lay green)

 

[Frazzemrat1]

You appear to have a mix of breeds or mix of mixed breeds in there. The barred chick looks like a hatchery barred rock. The gray birds look like they may have crests, maybe. The brown chicks.... Do they have green legs? I'm guessing easter eggers with that.

Going to the hardware store or even a feed store to buy chicks has its risks. The people who work there don't know anything about chicks or chickens. They sell a product, and probably as fast as they can to get the loud peeping and feather dust and mess out of their store.

ETA: I just went on Hoover's website. I think that the store put the Sapphire Gems and the Olive Eggers in the same bin, and called it all one name.

 

[momentspicd]

The picture with the mix of chicks is not my pic. Since posting those 2 darker ones now have a crests with black spots on their beaks. The one with black legs has a black beak.

 

[Brahma Chicken5000]

From checking out Hoover’s website I am guessing that their Sapphire Olive Eggers are Legbars crosses with Blue Copper Marans. The description does not state that they are auto sexing or even sex linked.
Hoover’s also sells 3 different types of Easter Eggers with varying degrees of misinformation.

 

[momentspicd]

I emailed Hoover’s and asked because I was told when I bought them that they were autosexed and would be pullets. Hoover’s said they are autosexed but that isn’t solely how they sex their chicks. They would not disclose the breeds they crossed. It doesn’t really matter to me, I am just curious bc they all have something different about them. Genetics is fascinating to me. I’m not going to use them as breeding stock but I hope they are hens and I get some pretty eggs. They are very pretty and friendlyand I enjoy having them.

 

[Frazzemrat1]

Depending on the breed, or hybrid, you can auto sex, sex link or have to manually by trained baby chick sexers. Or wait until they've matured enough to tell visually.

You have a couple different breeds and hybrids there, so not all should be auto sexing. Depends on what they used to make their Sapphire Gems and what they did to make their Olive Eggers.