What is a sapphire gem?

[Spartan22]

I got 4 Sapphire Gems from last spring chicks that now lives w/ a black Copper Marans roo, they are extremely friendly and lays large eggs. I’ve noticed their feathers are a little unkempt @DoeAndGander, I was thinking cause of the rooster but BCMs and the RIR’s feathers were all nice and intact. Now that you mentioned about it, it could be that SGs feathers are like that.

 

[BarnGems]

Hoover's is now this year selling Andalusians so I believe they did use these to create the Sapphire Gems. I am breeding my SGs to a pure breed Barnevelder rooster I'll know by the middle of March how much Andalusian v/s Barred Rock is in them by the chicks. SGs seem to be very busy/active.

Do sapphires have a lavender gene? My Lavender Orps all have pretty fragile feathers.

The SG's breed like a true blue only half the chicks are blue. Lavender orps breed true (all chicks are lavender) as different genes are responsible for lavender versus those for true blue.

 

[Mama_in_the_Dell]

I got 4 Sapphire Gems from last spring chicks that now lives w/ a black Copper Marans roo, they are extremely friendly and lays large eggs. I’ve noticed their feathers are a little unkempt @DoeAndGander, I was thinking cause of the rooster but BCMs and the RIR’s feathers were all nice and intact. Now that you mentioned about it, it could be that SGs feathers are like that.

I had 3 gems all different shades. A hawk got my darkest one just after they started laying. Of the two I have left one is very fluffy and well kept and the other looks a little scraggly.

 

[BarnGems]

I had 3 gems all different shades. A hawk got my darkest one just after they started laying. Of the two I have left one is very fluffy and well kept and the other looks a little scraggly.

So sorry to hear you lost one of yours. For mine it seems like it depends on the day (wet/dry) some days they look darker to me.

 

[JenRice0424]

Note..the pic of them in the box...obviously the little chick up front is one of the roos...the little black head to his left is the 1st pullet I posted...my son's favorite. She looked like a penguin...you can see how dark she is. The one directly above him is the one we call one-spot for now because she has one spot on the left side of her beak and we'd kind of like to wait to name them. She's the second to last one I posted. And the chic in the far upper right corner is the last one I posted so that you can get an idea of what they looked like on arrival compared to now As I've said before, based on what I received, the 2 silvery grey chicks with no contrast between heads and body and no dark markings on legs are roos. The rest, all varied from medium to dark grey with varying degrees of contrast between head and body and varying and inconsistent light markings around eyes, and dark markings on beak and legs....all pullets. When they were just starting to feather out, it appeared both males and females had a striped pattern on the wings. I'm new to chickens so I don't know if that's an indication of barring down the road but my girls and boys both had it. So I don't think that's the indication for barring. I believe I read somewhere that barred birds have a white spot on their head when little? But my roos did not. So I'm at a loss. If I were to walk into a TSC tomorrow to pick out SG chicks on my own, if I was looking for pullets, I'd stay away from any light grey birds with no contrast between head and body, and that had light beaks and legs....

None of mine had spots or bars, still dont at about 4 weeks. That being said, 2 or 3 have larger combs, the start of wattle, and they spar A LOT. I'm not going to be happy if half of them are cockerels from a bin of sex linked pullets. Pics are

when we first got them.

Then again, this year, one store sold my husband "silkies" that were porcelain d'uccles and all died within 24 hours. Another store sold him "buff orpington pullets" that are actually straight run Cornish cross. I'm the chicken person in our house so it isn't his fault that he was misinformed.

 

[JenRice0424]

I concur...when in doubt, the darker the better and if there is a dark wash on the beaks legs, even better still!

All 6 of mine have a dark wash at least on the legs and most on the feet as well. They all have at least a bit of dark wash on their beaks. At 4 weeks, I'm still pretty sure at least 2 are roos. I can't believe a sex linked breed is this confusing.

 

[BarnGems]

Here are a couple pics of my adult SGs. This first one is the lightest color.

All but one of my 11 have black legs/feet. Its clear now these are definitely closely related to the Andalusian blue and not Rocks. I think the body type and combs are more like Andalusian. I just can't decide if this is blue lacing on a blue bird or not lacing at all?

 

[RustyBucketFarmGirl]

Are the a friendly breed? Someone described them as being like a blue Andalusian and i have been told those can be mean.

I am intrigued by this Breed but with small girls who help with chores i must have friendly birds!

 

[Mama_in_the_Dell]

Are the a friendly breed? Someone described them as being like a blue Andalusian and i have been told those can be mean.

I am intrigued by this Breed but with small girls who help with chores i must have friendly birds!

Mine have been the friendliest breed I’ve owned so far.

 

[BarnGems]

My crossing of these with pure Barnevelder has produced some interesting chicks.

Are the a friendly breed? Someone described them as being like a blue Andalusian and i have been told those can be mean.

I am intrigued by this Breed but with small girls who help with chores i must have friendly birds!

I have only had the hens. All of mine are curious and eat grass from our hands but I do have a few that are flighty (which could startle/scare a child). None are aggressive towards us but they surely won't let you walk up and take eggs out from under them. I have found the SG's to be more active and a little bit more flighty than my Barnevelders. You may want to consider a true pure breed so you can be a bit more certain of what you will get. As a not yet finished breed this type has a large variety of behaviors in it.

It kinda depends too if you want a 'pet' chicken for your child to handle or just birds they can throw scratch to. Mine get pushy when they think you have something they want (grass, treats, scratch) and don't have a problem jumping up to grab it out of my hands whether I am ready or not. lol