What is a sapphire gem?

[Thomas Lamprogiorgos]

Our SGs in the US are not coming from dominant CZ.
At this time our hatcheries are maintaining their own flocks so what applies there doesn't necessarily apply here.
They aren't using rhodebars but maybe a similar type hybrid.

I am 100% sure that they use the strain of the dominant cz!!! The company has agents in the States. Most of the sex links, leghorns, easter eggers and olive eggers sold in the US are officially bred from lines of dominant CZ.

And the mother hens are barred rocks and rhodebars. But, the rhodebars of dominant CZ are selected for small size and feed conversion, not for the official standards. They may also cross their rhodebars to the rhode island reds. In both the crosses, the males are splash Plymouth rocks.

I trust hy-line, cobb, dominant cz and tetra for many years. I can "feel" their strains. I have raised millions of their blue sex links. Only dominant cz offer these strains worldwide.

Dominant CZ also offers strains of leghorns. White, brown, mille fleur and light Columbian. I sold 80 brown leghorns of their strain the last year. I had them for 4 years and they were laying and laying and laying enormous chalky eggs.

I want you to giveme some advice on breeding the german italiener strain of leghornsfor utility purposes. I want to create my own parental stock, bred for the outdoors and for balanced traits, not only for layer feed conversion.

 

[lsmontgomery76]

Kylie and Houdini purchased Valentines 2020. Steady layer, so far daily. He is a diligent protector and breeder, but not aggressive or mean. Began trying to crow right before hens began laying at 18-20 weeks. I have 2 hens, both easy going moochers, but do not like new comers and can be bullies to them for several weeks. Even Roos! Very group oriented, lke to stay with their peeps, so they can be nosy and watch for good food yo steal Like to cuss at us if we come outside but don't bring treats. Or if we head to the car instead of the coop.

 

[DoeAndGander]

Curious how other older Gems have been doing? I lost my girl this eve. She was spring of 2017 hatch. Amazing temperament and production. Unfortunately, I think those big eggs did her in. So bummed! I’m pretty sure it was reproductive infection of some sort.

 

[Thomas Lamprogiorgos]

Curious how other older Gems have been doing? I lost my girl this eve. She was spring of 2017 hatch. Amazing temperament and production. Unfortunately, I think those big eggs did her in. So bummed! I’m pretty sure it was reproductive infection of some sort.

I repeat. They are not designed for reproduction. They have the bigger needs of the hybrid layers, like the legendary hy-line layers, but have less stress burn out later and utilize pasture much better than the layers of other companies.

If bummed, you need to provide oyster shell.

 

[DoeAndGander]

I repeat. They are not designed for reproduction. They have the bigger needs of the hybrid layers, like the legendary hy-line layers, but have less stress burn out later and utilize pasture much better than the layers of other companies.

If bummed, you need to provide oyster shell.

I must have missed a post of yours being you feel the need to “repeat”. What exactly are those bigger needs? She was provided oyster shell since her first egg and a higher protein as well.

I’m trying to learn all I can about the breed and chickens in general as I’d like another but feel like I failed her.

 

[DoeAndGander]

I repeat. They are not designed for reproduction. They have the bigger needs of the hybrid layers, like the legendary hy-line layers, but have less stress burn out later and utilize pasture much better than the layers of other companies.

If bummed, you need to provide oyster shell.

Never mind. I see your post now. Unfortunately I had an egg eater and had to collect my eggs multiple times a day. Just to be clear, you’re telling me, she would’ve lived a long happy life if I would’ve not collected eggs as often? I’m far from experienced but I find that hard to believe as she laid enormous eggs regularly. That can not be healthy for any hen. Thanks for your help, I appreciate your input.

 

[Thomas Lamprogiorgos]

I must have missed a post of yours being you feel the need to “repeat”. What exactly are those bigger needs? She was provided oyster shell since her first egg and a higher protein as well.

I’m trying to learn all I can about the breed and chickens in general as I’d like another but feel like I failed her.

You have a passion for poultry and you care about your girls. This means you are a great keeper and breeder.

Sapphire gems are actually blue sex linked hybrids of dominant CZ. They are heavier than other commercial hybrids. This means that they are adaptable to poor feeding systems and farm density rations applied in different countries and especially in third world countries. They show an 100% livability even when fed only chicken scratch, while hybrid layers of bigger companies express cannibalism, feather picking and suffer from stress when fed something so poor and low in nutrients. Their eggs are big, but their larger mature body weight helps them handle the enormous egg size and avoid egg binding problems.

The best feed for their overall health is a layer with protein from 14 % to 15 %, lower energy levels (in comparison with a light weighted hybrid layer), lower fats (less than 4,5%) and a balanced calcium level. Oyster shell provided, grit provided, fodder provided and a lot of pasture room helps them.

If you see that they produce odd shaped eggs, this means their bodies need some rest. Apply feed reastriction for ten days and put some fake eggs in their nests. This will help them stop laying and rest. The best period for this is the molting period, when they loose their feathers.

Dominant CZ hybrid layers are bred for not showing cannibalism and are adaptable to stress caused by a feed restriction method. Bear in mind that the molting period is a REBIRTH period for a layer. Molting means resting.

I am using hy-line layers and dominant CZ layers for many many years. Trust me.

 

[clickchicks]

What is the mature weight of these birds?

I only have one, but was told they stay small (around 4 lbs). Mine is 6months old and 3 lbs. After a health scare with a different bird, I've been weighing them monthly and she has always gained at about the same rate as the other birds, so I don't think its failure to thrive. She's just tiny and has a lean body type. She also hasn't laid yet.

Very active and a great forager, though. I watched her catch and eat a snake that was as long as she is.

 

[Thomas Lamprogiorgos]

What is the mature weight of these birds?

I only have one, but was told they stay small (around 4 lbs). Mine is 6months old and 3 lbs. After a health scare with a different bird, I've been weighing them monthly and she has always gained at about the same rate as the other birds, so I don't think its failure to thrive. She's just tiny and has a lean body type. She also hasn't laid yet.

Very active and a great forager, though. I watched her catch and eat a snake that was as long as she is.

You can see more information on the official sites.

https://dominant-cz.cz/programy/

A healthy sapphire gem must be between 2,15 to 2,35 at the end of her laying period, which is 100+ weeks after the first egg of lay. Of course if fed layer feed.

If you feed them justscratch the body weight will be higher, but the eggb production will be lower.

 

[JadeFarms]

So if I do blue roo over sapphire gem hen it will produce blue, black or splash right?