~The Sapphire Gem~ A Breed's Chat Thread

[Mama_in_the_Dell]

Week 5View attachment 1722151

Looks like cockerels for sure to me. The rings around the eyes are lighter and I have found that seems to be a early sexting sign from the baring gene. Also you will notice their beak and legs lightening up to more yellow while pullets willdarket up to black as they get closer to laying age.

 

[Ghosty]

I have no clue whats up with the white ridge down the back.

Could be rural king is selling a different version of the SG. I notice Hoover has added TM to the Sapphire Gem name.

 

[Newyorkrita]

Seems to me that they might be the same thing as Jenks Hatchery is selling as Blue Sapphire Plymouth Rock.

https://jenks-hatchery-inc.myshopify.com/pages/egg-layers-z1-gr-2019

 

[Ghosty]

Might as well call them all blue sex links. They are not Blue Plymouth Rocks. It is kind of annoying that they are falsely leading people to this assumption. All the hatcheries are trying to cash in on this blue hybrid thing without directly infringing on the Sapphire Gem name. It is annoying to me, because now it is more difficult to find info online about Blue Plymouth Rocks without getting pages of these hatchery blue sex links instead. Now, we will have a lot of people thinking their blue sex links are Blue Plymouth Rocks and things will get even more difficult.

 

[ChickenChickie13]

A better pic of our SG, Silvry, and her biggest fan.View attachment 1510908

Hi!
I know this picture is from last year, but I just had to say something about it! What a little cutie and how sweet is Silvrey

This is our first year with chickens. It’s been “interesting”, but so much fun! We have 6 total, but my 2 SG’s are my girls! They’re the most quiet, gentle, patient, trainable chicks. Well, they’re almost 12 weeks now so they look more like chickens! But to me they’ll always be my big babies! Vivien has ALWAYS just wanted to be held.... but only by me. Haha

The first picture is Vivien when she was a few weeks old vs this week in the 2nd pic!

3rd is her “sister”, our lookout chicken, Violet

 

[Ghosty]

Hi!
I know this picture is from last year, but I just had to say something about it! What a little cutie and how sweet is Silvrey

This is our first year with chickens. It’s been “interesting”, but so much fun! We have 6 total, but my 2 SG’s are my girls! They’re the most quiet, gentle, patient, trainable chicks. Well, they’re almost 12 weeks now so they look more like chickens! But to me they’ll always be my big babies! Vivien has ALWAYS just wanted to be held.... but only by me. Haha

The first picture is Vivien when she was a few weeks old vs this week in the 2nd pic!

3rd is her “sister”, our lookout chicken, Violet

View attachment 1775234 View attachment 1775246 View attachment 1775247

Thanks so much! You have some cuties there, too! I hope you enjoy your SG's as much as I have. I have 15 of them, lol. They are very sweet chickens. Here is another SG of mine. She comes up and sits in my lap and loves to swing on the porch swing. I took this pic just now, on the upswing. I need to give her a name. How about, Polly?

 

[ChickenChickie13]

Thanks so much! You have some cuties there, too! I hope you enjoy your SG's as much as I have. I have 15 of them, lol. They are very sweet chickens. Here is another SG of mine. She comes up and sits in my lap and loves to swing on the porch swing. I took this pic just now, on the upswing. I need to give her a name. How about, Polly?
View attachment 1775819

Oh, she’s gorgeous! That’s a cute name! Is she from one of your hens? Where are you located? Did any of your girls start laying early? Do SG go broody often? Are you blessed enough to have the property to let them free range? We have too much open space and LOTS of low flying hawks Maybe one day! My husband just said today, “Well, I know you aren’t going to stop buying chickens. So I might as well plan ahead as to where I plan on expanding!” Wooohoooo!!!! As least he’s knows me well! He’s the best!

Glad I know who to “call” if I have a Gem questions!

Xoxo
Chaunte’

 

[DoeAndGander]

Thanks so much! You have some cuties there, too! I hope you enjoy your SG's as much as I have. I have 15 of them, lol. They are very sweet chickens. Here is another SG of mine. She comes up and sits in my lap and loves to swing on the porch swing. I took this pic just now, on the upswing. I need to give her a name. How about, Polly?
View attachment 1775819

Does she have tan in her feathers?! Or is that just the sunlight? I’d love to see more pics of how your 15 SG’s are maturing. Thinking about getting a few more myself!

 

[Ghosty]

Oh, she’s gorgeous! That’s a cute name! Is she from one of your hens? Where are you located? Did any of your girls start laying early? Do SG go broody often? Are you blessed enough to have the property to let them free range? We have too much open space and LOTS of low flying hawks Maybe one day! My husband just said today, “Well, I know you aren’t going to stop buying chickens. So I might as well plan ahead as to where I plan on expanding!” Wooohoooo!!!! As least he’s knows me well! He’s the best!

Glad I know who to “call” if I have a Gem questions!

Xoxo
Chaunte’

Thanks! I let them free range everyday, but I have been lucky, and they have lots of shelter. Also, there are other houses with dogs around, and I have 3 dogs, it helps. I have had two hawk attacks, lost a spangled stag to a red tail. I'm in sw MO. Woods surround the yard and house, so I don't have as many field predators hunting here. The hawks usually just move on, only had attacks when the leaves were off.
SG's will lay around 16 weeks. Silvery started then, but my other SG's were from last year, September hatch, so didn't lay till February. They lay some monster pullet eggs!
Some of the lighter blues do get a light tan in their hackles as they mature. I have a lot of darker SG's though, too. Silvery went from dark hackles, to light hackles with tan as she got older. She is the only one I've had troubles with. She got raised leg scales, and an infection. I applied vaseline and ointment and she got rid of the infection but she lost some weight. The other SG's are quite robust and healthy. I got Silvery off of Craigslist at 12 weeks, the others I got direct from Hoover. I'll add some pics as I can.

 

[Ghosty]

Does she have tan in her feathers?! Or is that just the sunlight? I’d love to see more pics of how your 15 SG’s are maturing. Thinking about getting a few more myself!

She does have a little tan in her hackles. The lighter blues do. Silvery has the most tan in her hackles, now. Here are a few pics.