What is a sapphire gem?

[RingoldChick]

Here are my two. They are now 6 weeks. (Almost)

I think they may both be pullets.

What do ya all think?

 

[Deviledeggmama]

I believe I have a roo. They are about 6 weeks. I do not recall what if any differences there were when they were chicks. Let me know what you think.

 

[PachecoPeeps]

Here are my two. They are now 6 weeks. (Almost)

I think they may both be pullets.View attachment 1353865 View attachment 1353868


View attachment 1353869What do ya all think?

They do look like they could be girls. Any comb or waddle development since you took these pictures?

 

[Deviledeggmama]

Just an update. So I know he’s a roo..he hasn’t started crowing and quite the wimp. He did bite me one day when I tried to hold a girl who didn’t like it. Could be good cuz I’ve heard a lot of stories of mean Roos. The girls are sweet still scary but warming up.

 

[PachecoPeeps]

Just an update. So I know he’s a roo..he hasn’t started crowing and quite the wimp. He did bite me one day when I tried to hold a girl who didn’t like it. Could be good cuz I’ve heard a lot of stories of mean Roos. The girls are sweet still scary but warming up.

My girls (hopefully) didn’t seem to warm up fully to me until they were out in their coop. Now they get excited when I’m outside and they will run towards me and follow me around.

 

[renk777]

Question for you peeps 1 of my sapphire girls (pictured much earlier in this thread. ..probably page 3 or 4?) was our darkest girl. Her head was black and her body the most saturated smoke blue color. She was also our smallest chick and really stood out; she was instantly my kids' favorite. As she developed, we realized she was a cross beak Initially, I tried to clip/file the lower beak every few days but I sensed it hurt her and stopped. As a result, her cross beak is really exaggerated now and has caused her skull to deform somewhat. She's smaller than the other SGs but to date, they accept her and don't bully her. She gets her fill of food. All our other SGs have greenish eyes but hers are black. She's the sweetest thing ever, though. Always pushes her way underneath the SG mob trying to get to me to get to me first. I adore her but suspect that genetically, there's more going on than just a crossed beak. Wondering if in chickens, such a concentration of pigment could be associated with defects as certain colors are associated with lethal genes in other species. Mentioning just in case someone else gets a chance to choose their chicks and is offered a super dark SG on the small side. I would love to have a house chicken and I think this is one of those cases where the animal might benefit from such an arrangement because once we integrate them into the main flock, I worry about her safety. But my husband is opposed to a HC (can't imagine why haha) so I'm hoping she continues to somehow skirt under the bully radar and find favor in the eyes of all our fluff-bottoms.

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

11/12 weeks now...

 

[PachecoPeeps]

Question for you peeps 1 of my sapphire girls (pictured much earlier in this thread. ..probably page 3 or 4?) was our darkest girl. Her head was black and her body the most saturated smoke blue color. She was also our smallest chick and really stood out; she was instantly my kids' favorite. As she developed, we realized she was a cross beak Initially, I tried to clip/file the lower beak every few days but I sensed it hurt her and stopped. As a result, her cross beak is really exaggerated now and has caused her skull to deform somewhat. She's smaller than the other SGs but to date, they accept her and don't bully her. She gets her fill of food. All our other SGs have greenish eyes but hers are black. She's the sweetest thing ever, though. Always pushes her way underneath the SG mob trying to get to me to get to me first. I adore her but suspect that genetically, there's more going on than just a crossed beak. Wondering if in chickens, such a concentration of pigment could be associated with defects as certain colors are associated with lethal genes in other species. Mentioning just in case someone else gets a chance to choose their chicks and is offered a super dark SG on the small side. I would love to have a house chicken and I think this is one of those cases where the animal might benefit from such an arrangement because once we integrate them into the main flock, I worry about her safety. But my husband is opposed to a HC (can't imagine why haha) so I'm hoping she continues to somehow skirt under the bully radar and find favor in the eyes of all our fluff-bottoms.

We have one who is very dark but so far she hasn’t had any problems. I’m sorry to hear about your little ones cross beak. I attached pictures so you can compare if she is darker or lighter.

 

[PachecoPeeps]

View attachment 1373502
11/12 weeks now...

So cute looking all grown up

 

[renk777]

We have one who is very dark but so far she hasn’t had any problems. I’m sorry to hear about your little ones cross beak. I attached pictures so you can compare if she is darker or lighter.

I think our girl is still a bit darker...and she has the black eyes. She isn't able to preen as well (if at all) so her feathers are always a bit bedraggled. I'll try to grab a pic of her...