Whiting True Blues (and greens)

[Gallinarium]

I'm ordering three Whiting True Blues with a batch of fifteen from Murray McMurray hatchery. I've read some places that they aren't at all hardy, and are a poor choice. Well, I'm kind of looking forward to them, so what are other experiences with this breed? How hardy are they? I'm also wondering how productive they are. I MAY have had a Whiting True Green in my last flock. Does anyone know whether the chicken below is one? Apostrophe laid olive colored eggs, and was pretty hardy and productive, if a bit snobby.

 

[MountainWoman73]

Apostrophe doesn't look like a Whiting True Green. The ones I've seen are red with white around the collar, kind of like an ISA brown, and a more slender neck/body type. The Whiting true blues can be any color. Apostrophe looks like an ameraucana/easter egger mix.

I don't know much about hardiness. I kept two Whiting true blues last year. One never laid any eggs (in 10 months),and was incredibly stupid about sleeping on the roof instead of inside. She got eaten by a hawk. The other laid very pretty eggs but seems to have quit over the winter. I'm trying them again this year. I have 2 WTG and 2 WTB coming from McMurray this week.

 

[Gallinarium]

Apostrophe doesn't look like a Whiting True Green. The ones I've seen are red with white around the collar, kind of like an ISA brown, and a more slender neck/body type. The Whiting true blues can be any color. Apostrophe looks like an ameraucana/easter egger mix.

I don't know much about hardiness. I kept two Whiting true blues last year. One never laid any eggs (in 10 months),and was incredibly stupid about sleeping on the roof instead of inside. She got eaten by a hawk. The other laid very pretty eggs but seems to have quit over the winter. I'm trying them again this year. I have 2 WTG and 2 WTB coming from McMurray this week.

Thanks, let me know how those turn out.

 

[Gallinarium]

Any other experiences?

 

[Old-clucker-55]

I have a true blue in the brooder now. True green will be coming the week of the 18th in may.

 

[MountainWoman73]

I kept two Whiting true blues last year. One never laid any eggs (in 10 months),and was incredibly stupid about sleeping on the roof instead of inside. She got eaten by a hawk. The other laid very pretty eggs but seems to have quit over the winter. I'm trying them again this year. I have 2 WTG and 2 WTB coming from McMurray this week.

So, today I discovered an interesting mistake, and I need to ammend my previous post. The past two days, I have gotten one white egg... but I don't have a white egg layer. ?!?

Turns out, I only ever had ONE whiting true blue. (The one that got eaten). She was the one laying the pretty blue eggs. The other one who I thought was a whiting true blue, who is white with blue legs and earlobes, is an Andalusian! She must have been my free mystery chick from McMurray (I thought the free mystery chick had died), and SHE was the one who had never laid an egg. This makes sense, because Andalusians aren't terribly cold hardy. So now that it's spring and she's a year old, she's decided to start!

So, long story short, I don't have a WTB that quit laying in the winter. The one I had was a faithful layer through the winter, until she died.

Oy. I THINK I am sure of which two are WTB in this year's batch of chicks. This year the free mystery chick is a polish, so s(he) is was easy to identify!

 

[jolenesdad]

I actually think they’re pretty hardy. They’re Ameraucana/Leghorn crosses that were then bred back to each other and bred until they were sure to have isolated the birds with two blue genes.

I did have one 7-8 week old pullet slip a tendon this year. :-( I’ve never had that from an egg laying bird, but I’m pretty sure she got stuck under something in the coop, probably getting chased around by the older hens.

 

[Gallinarium]

Thanks for the responses. Still counting down! I'm hoping the WTBs will be friendly, as most of the breeds I ordered are generally pretty snooty. Guess I'll have to wait and see.

 

[PRobb01234]

They are in fact a hardy, productive bird. Both the Dr. Whiting Greens and Blues can have any feather pattern, it is impossible to ID them from feather. I currently have 5 Blues and 3 Greens. Great layers, friendly, hardy birds. I will buy more for my colored egg needs in the future. I bought my current Greens and Blues from McMurray - July 2019.

 

[Gallinarium]

They are in fact a hardy, productive bird. Both the Dr. Whiting Greens and Blues can have any feather pattern, it is impossible to ID them from feather. I currently have 5 Blues and 3 Greens. Great layers, friendly, hardy birds. I will buy more for my colored egg needs in the future. I bought my current Greens and Blues from McMurray - July 2019.

Excellent, that's exactly what I want to hear. Though I thought that the Greens were all reddish?
Nice to hear that they're friendly. Something to look forward to in a coop otherwise full of Leghorns and Minorcas.