What is a sapphire gem?

[PachecoPeeps]

X2
Had to laugh at the extras issue......I have two more coming in two weeks that are intended as brooder mates for some polish that will arrive with them(brooding those for my sister) and being sold at coop ready stage..... must remain committed to the plan.....

Latest pic, from today, a few days shy of 8weeks now
View attachment 1330211

She is so cute and fluffy

 

[renk777]

X2
Had to laugh at the extras issue......I have two more coming in two weeks that are intended as brooder mates for some polish that will arrive with them(brooding those for my sister) and being sold at coop ready stage..... must remain committed to the plan.....

Latest pic, from today, a few days shy of 8weeks now
View attachment 1330211

Chicken Math trumps every plan hahaha She's beautiful <3

 

[RingoldChick]

I bought 2 Sapphire Gems 3 weeks ago. Here's the only pic I taken when I got them.

Here's what the look like today.
The one with the black beak has a bigger comb and it's pink, no waddles. The yellow beak one has a smaller yellow comb... but I just noticed "his" waddles. But I don't see barring on either chick.

 

[renk777]

Based on my newbiness and limited experience, in the first pic of them when you first got them, I'd guess either both pullets or that the yellow beak MIGHT be a roo. Not because of color as much as the amount of feathers in the wings. Wings are hardly the best way to judge pullet/cockerel but I've found that the ones with more/longer feathers on wings (combined with tail feathers early on) are typically girls. Especially if they stand with a downward slope to the topline going into the tail. If the wing feathers are much shorter and held higher and the tail feathers are delayed in emerging, in my experience, that's probably a roo...especially if tail juts up at a 40 degree angle when excited. Now seasoned chickeners might have a hundred and one examples of this not being the case but so far, it's worked for me in one hatch and also worked with my SGs. Aside from color, the roos just feathered out slower, stood different, and acted different...often charging my hand when I placed it in the brooder. Based on your 3 week photos, I'm inclined to believe they're both pullets based on combs because the combs are smaller than my boys' at that age and I can't see the wattle area. Though combs are a horrible way to predict. I prefer wattles. At 3 weeks, my boys definitely had visible wattles emerging...and they were a much darker pink. Can you get a photo of the underside of their throats? If not, I'd say wait until they're about 7 weeks and you should be able to see some barred feathers coming in (albeit really light) as I'm observing in my roos...if either of yours is a roo.

 

[renk777]

I bought 2 Sapphire Gems 3 weeks ago. Here's the only pic I taken when I got them.View attachment 1330932

Here's what the look like today.
The one with the black beak has a bigger comb and it's pink, no waddles. The yellow beak one has a smaller yellow comb... but I just noticed "his" waddles. But I don't see barring on either chick.

So I had a chance to go back to your pics and blow them up on my screen and I see the wattles you spoke of on yellow beak chick. Based on 'his' initial wing feathers being a little slower to emerge in first photo, the lighter beak (which we know isn't conclusive ), the noticeably pink emerging wattles, I'm leaning more toward that one being a roo. Can you do me a favor and really examine the feathers where the wing meets the shoulders? That's where I see my boys' barred feathers coming in but there are some really washed out barred feathers there as well. You have to part the top feathers to expose them. Perhaps your 'boy' has some there as well and they're just not visible unless exposed? If you go to page 4 of this thread, you can see a few pics I posted of my boys and 2 pullets at 3 weeks. No visible barring on boys but they did stand different...wondering how your boy compares? AND if the barred feathers were present even back then and I just didn't know it?

 

[The Moonshiner]

Found a member @Thomas Lamprogiorgos
That is over in Greece and has experience with Dominant CZ the company that originated the sapphire gems.
He has some experience and knowledge of the original hybrid.
I invited him over so maybe he can share what he knows.

 

[The Moonshiner]

Found a member @Thomas Lamprogiorgos
That is over in Greece and has experience with Dominant CZ the company that originated the sapphire gems.
He has some experience and knowledge of the original hybrid.
I invited him over so maybe he can share what he knows.

 

[renk777]

Found a member @Thomas Lamprogiorgos
That is over in Greece and has experience with Dominant CZ the company that originated the sapphire gems.
He has some experience and knowledge of the original hybrid.
I invited him over so maybe he can share what he knows.

Moonshiner, you're awesome! Thank you!

 

[RingoldChick]

Ok, here are the pics underneath their throats.

And here's the one we think might be a "he" under layer of feathers

Not sure I see a barring.

 

[renk777]

Ok, here are the pics underneath their throats.

View attachment 1331424 View attachment 1331426
And here's the one we think might be a "he" under layer of feathersView attachment 1331429
Not sure I see a barring.

Can't wait for Moonshiner's connection to chime in. Until then, it looks as though your lighter SG has more developed wattle skin that's darker pink. The darker bird's seem less prominent and paler in color. Unless the pics arent true to life...your darker bird is a pullet and there's a good chance the lighter is a roo. I don't see any barring either but mine didnt start exhibiting those feathers until 7 weeks....