Sapphire Gem thread!!!!

[Rangergord]

Hoover's hatchery, TSC, The Chick Hatchery, and Rural King sells them I got mine at TSC. I think also Mt. Healthy has them?? They are not always listed under the name Sapphire gem, however, I believe they are also called blue rocks?? I think they are the same

Hey there talkin, Good News you can easily get Hoover Hatchery chicks including sapphire gems in Canada now. Now moving here won’t be so traumatic for you! LOL!
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/canada-peavey-mart-chickdays.1649567/#post-28308460

 

[ChickyWhicky]

1. How long have you been owning sapphire gems for?
Going on year 3

2. What would you rate them on a scale through 1-10 and why?
10! Reliable egg layer, easy going, beautiful.

3. What's your favorite "trait" of your sapphire gem(s)? (e.g. their egg laying, their temperament, etc.)
Temperament. Super friendly, easy going, inquisitive.

4. What do you keep them for? Dual-purpose? Eggs? Meat? Pets? For pets and eggs?
Eggs.

5. Would you recommend this breed to other chicken keepers?
Yes! Lovely breed, no fuss. Good egg layer. Beautiful color!

6. How many sapphire gems do you have?
Just one.

7. Would you consider getting more in the future? Why or why not?
Yes! Nice addition to my mixed flock and one of my favorite hens!

I adore my saphire gem hen! She is one of the best hens I have had. Super friendly, always the first to say hello and come see what is going on. Very inquisitive and brave. I would consider her a head hen, she is not necessarily bossy but she gets what she wants and nobody messes with her. She is gorgeous and I loooove their color! I will add more saphys to my flock this year!

 

[Vicker]

I added 4 SG to my flock when I came across them for the first time. They grew to be so friendly and beautiful that I wanted more and more. I didn't know then that they were a hybrid that wouldn't breed true. I also didn't know that I'd lose 3 of them when they started laying due to reproductive problems. My remaining hen bred with a beautiful Blue Ameraucana. The offspring look just like SG, except they have the cute little fluffy cheeks of an Ameraucana.

 

[talkinboutchickens]

Hey there talkin, Good News you can easily get Hoover Hatchery chicks including sapphire gems in Canada now. Now moving here won’t be so traumatic for you! LOL!
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/canada-peavey-mart-chickdays.1649567/#post-28308460

Hi!! Oh I'm so glad that they have Sapphire gems! They are great birds. You will no regret getting some SG's. Send some pics when you do!

 

[talkinboutchickens]

1. How long have you been owning sapphire gems for?
Going on year 3

2. What would you rate them on a scale through 1-10 and why?
10! Reliable egg layer, easy going, beautiful.

3. What's your favorite "trait" of your sapphire gem(s)? (e.g. their egg laying, their temperament, etc.)
Temperament. Super friendly, easy going, inquisitive.

4. What do you keep them for? Dual-purpose? Eggs? Meat? Pets? For pets and eggs?
Eggs.

5. Would you recommend this breed to other chicken keepers?
Yes! Lovely breed, no fuss. Good egg layer. Beautiful color!

6. How many sapphire gems do you have?
Just one.

7. Would you consider getting more in the future? Why or why not?
Yes! Nice addition to my mixed flock and one of my favorite hens!

I adore my saphire gem hen! She is one of the best hens I have had. Super friendly, always the first to say hello and come see what is going on. Very inquisitive and brave. I would consider her a head hen, she is not necessarily bossy but she gets what she wants and nobody messes with her. She is gorgeous and I loooove their color! I will add more saphys to my flock this year!
View attachment 4024574View attachment 4024576View attachment 4024575View attachment 4024577

OMG! Your girl is a beauty! Her eyes are stunning. Her personality seems like my SG Gert's personality! She is pretty bossy, doesn't get pecked on much herself and she gets what she wants lol. My Gert gets in fights pretty often with my Easter egger Flo! I have no idea why she hates Flo more than everyone else. She seems to like the older girls and does not like the 1 yr olds

 

[talkinboutchickens]

I added 4 SG to my flock when I came across them for the first time. They grew to be so friendly and beautiful that I wanted more and more. I didn't know then that they were a hybrid that wouldn't breed true. I also didn't know that I'd lose 3 of them when they started laying due to reproductive problems.

Oh no I'm so sorry about your Sapphire gems! I think they are def susceptible to egg-laying issues and a lot of other problems especially because they are very large, stocky hens. One of my Sapphire gem hens, Gert, she lays giant eggs, sometimes double yolkers, so she could get egg bound at any point in the future sadly That's probably the only bad thing about the breed in my opinion.

 

[talkinboutchickens]

I looked at my original post, and realized that I never included pics of my own SG's! Well, here they are!

Gert, 2 years old

Ledo, 2 years old

Opal, 1 yr old

Once she molted, Opal grew in darker gray feathers that are a completely different color to her original brownish-gray feathers

 

[alinas2010]

I looked at my original post, and realized that I never included pics of my own SG's! Well, here they are!

Gert, 2 years old
View attachment 4025222

Ledo, 2 years old
View attachment 4025223

Opal, 1 yr old
View attachment 4025224
Once she molted, Opal grew in darker gray feathers that are a completely different color to her original brownish-gray feathers

Opals comb is amazing!! Such a beautiful looking flock

 

[talkinboutchickens]

Opals comb is amazing!! Such a beautiful looking flock

Aww, TYSM @alinas2010!! I'm hoping to get a few more chicks this year! I haven't bought any in 2 years. In 2023 and last year, we let the hens hatch chicks and we are officially deciding that we are not gonna let them do it again Because their chicks always turn out to be mean and we never get to hold them and bond with them. Anyway, I think I want to get a salmon faverolles, an SLW, maybe a maran and something with a pattern/color we don't have in our flock already

 

[alinas2010]

Aww, TYSM @alinas2010!! I'm hoping to get a few more chicks this year! I haven't bought any in 2 years. In 2023 and last year, we let the hens hatch chicks and we are officially deciding that we are not gonna let them do it again Because their chicks always turn out to be mean and we never get to hold them and bond with them. Anyway, I think I want to get a salmon faverolles, an SLW, maybe a maran and something with a pattern/color we don't have in our flock already

Oh yea you’d better get some this year! We just lost our first then this year, right before Xmas and now we only have 4 left. I’m wanting more also, as we only have 3 our original flock (2022) plus Ravioli, but better half says we can’t get more until we figure out if we’re moving or not all those breeds are on my wish list, too, though! I keep telling myself to be patient and I’ll be able to buy a lot when we move, but it’s hard.