~The Sapphire Gem~ A Breed's Chat Thread

[Ghosty]

Poppy came to visit me today. One of my prettiest girls.

 

[wyoDreamer]

I recently lost 2 of my Sapphire Gems. They recently started laying too.

The first one that died I think is the one that snuck out of the pen when I was feeding them in the morning and spent the day wandering the inside of the barn with the 5 "kittens" (they are 8-months old and pretty good hunters). I had put her back in the pen and never noticed anything wrong until a week later she was standing there making a soft weird noise - kind like she had something in her throat and couldn't cackle. They all tend do that a lot since they are piggies and tend to eat as fast as they can when I feed them in the morning. They get the pellets stuck in their throats. (they ususally have feed left in their feeder, so I don't know why they always act like they are starving.)

By the time I got home from work, she was down on the floor flopping around. When I picked her up, she didn't have the strength or co-ordination to even lift her head. She flopped once and died in my arms. She had no weight to her- so I think she ate something that she shouldn't have (steel wool laying on the floor) and starved for a week. I didn't notice that she wasn't eating like the rest of them when I put food down in the mornings.

The second one died 2 days later. I noticed that she was standing off to the side that morning when I fed them, not running to the feeder like the rest. But by the time I left the barn, she was pecking at the feed. When I got home from work, she was snuggled up in a corner out of the way with her head tucked down by her side and dead.

Does anyone else find these to be a fragile breed? Seeing as they are a hybrid, I figured they would have hybrid-vigor and be a stronger bird.

 

[fawnda]

Does anyone else find these to be a fragile breed? Seeing as they are a hybrid, I figured they would have hybrid-vigor and be a stronger bird.

No, my two have always been very hardy. One if very independent, always flying out of the penned area to forage on her own.
Chickens are all of the same species, originally the Red Junglefowl, so they're really not a true "hybrid". The various breeds have been bred to a certain standard and those strains have been bred back to each other to get true to standard chickens, but essentially, they're all just tweaked Red Junglefowl.

 

[jlwquilter]

I’m sorry for your loss. It always hurts.

My two are not quite a year old I think. Both are doing very well and haven’t caught the fowl pox yet that’s been slowly working thru my flock. I get a double yoked egg every so often from one of them. And the other is very friendly. I’d definitely get more when the time comes.

 

[Ghosty]

I recently lost 2 of my Sapphire Gems. They recently started laying too.

The first one that died I think is the one that snuck out of the pen when I was feeding them in the morning and spent the day wandering the inside of the barn with the 5 "kittens" (they are 8-months old and pretty good hunters). I had put her back in the pen and never noticed anything wrong until a week later she was standing there making a soft weird noise - kind like she had something in her throat and couldn't cackle. They all tend do that a lot since they are piggies and tend to eat as fast as they can when I feed them in the morning. They get the pellets stuck in their throats. (they ususally have feed left in their feeder, so I don't know why they always act like they are starving.)

By the time I got home from work, she was down on the floor flopping around. When I picked her up, she didn't have the strength or co-ordination to even lift her head. She flopped once and died in my arms. She had no weight to her- so I think she ate something that she shouldn't have (steel wool laying on the floor) and starved for a week. I didn't notice that she wasn't eating like the rest of them when I put food down in the mornings.

The second one died 2 days later. I noticed that she was standing off to the side that morning when I fed them, not running to the feeder like the rest. But by the time I left the barn, she was pecking at the feed. When I got home from work, she was snuggled up in a corner out of the way with her head tucked down by her side and dead.

Does anyone else find these to be a fragile breed? Seeing as they are a hybrid, I figured they would have hybrid-vigor and be a stronger bird.

I've lost 4 out of 15 of my Sapphire Gems to illness. They are nearing a year and a half. I've found that I need to deworm every season this year because of all the wet ground we have had. I lost 3 of my 4 Brahmas from Cackle Hatchery. The fourth is still going strong at 1 1/2 years, she had an early fall molt and looks gorgeous. I lost both of my Welsummers pretty early. One at point of lay. I did get 5 SLBW this year from the farm store, so I assume Cackle. All 5 are doing well and laying all through this winter, but I am disappointed in the size of the eggs.
I would say I ended up with some hardy Gems, but there will be weaker or unlucky ones in the bunch. They do also lay alot of huge eggs and that can take a toll. Malnourishment will have a large effect on them. I have been forgoing light in the coop, and feed 16% protein to discourage too much laying during the winter.

 

[jlwquilter]

What is cackle please?

I lost both my light Brahmans early on. They didn’t lay much and although pretty birds, I’d probably not get them again. I am beginning to think different breeds really do do better in some environments vs others.

 

[Ghosty]

What is cackle please?

I lost both my light Brahmans early on. They didn’t lay much and although pretty birds, I’d probably not get them again. I am beginning to think different breeds really do do better in some environments vs others.

Cackle Hatchery. I live 40 minutes from Cackle, I'm pretty certain the farm store near me carries their chicks. I ordered 7 guineas and 3 Brahmas, picked up in person. They gave me an extra Brahma for some confusion. The guineas did great, but 3 of the 4 Brahmas died. I can't say I would ever get them again either. I like the one I have, but they eat a lot considering their low egg production. Lack of hardiness did seem to be a factor. I know illnesses and parasites can be an issue, some succumb, others don't.

 

[jlwquilter]

I thought it was the hatchery but how I read your post it sounded like a disease - lol!

I got my Sapphire gems along with 3 black australorps from a backyard breeder near where we happened to be vacationing. All are doing well. It was an interesting drive home with a bunch of pullets piled in amongst the luggage - lol! Smelly too!!

 

[Ghosty]

A few of my menagerie.

 

[Ghosty]

I thought it was the hatchery but how I read your post it sounded like a disease - lol!

I got my Sapphire gems along with 3 black australorps from a backyard breeder near where we happened to be vacationing. All are doing well. It was an interesting drive home with a bunch of pullets piled in amongst the luggage - lol! Smelly too!!

Lol!