The world of chickens has just been conquered by the Sapphire Gem Chicken! The Sapphire Gem bird is ideal if you enjoy having low-maintenance hens and would like to have fresh eggs. This is primarily due to their gorgeous beauty. These hens have feathers that are blue and lavender in color, and a pattern of gray or gold around their necks that resembles a string of diamonds. These are the perfect hens for someone wishing to establish or expand a mixed flock, if you can locate Sapphire Gems for purchase. They can be a bit difficult to come by in many places. See below for additional information about these laid-back hens and roosters.
Sapphire Gem Chicken Overview
Originating in the Czech Republic, the Sapphire Gem chicken is a mix between the Blue and Barred Plymouth Rocks. You may also see it referred to as the Blue Sapphire, the Sapphire Blue Plymouth Rock, or other names that are similar because Hoover’s Hatchery has trademarked the name “Sapphire Gem” despite the breed’s formal lack of acceptance by the American Poultry Association.
Because of their exceptional egg-laying skills and gorgeous light blue feathers, sapphire gem chickens are highly sought after. One of the most productive kinds of hens, these chicks can lay up to 300 eggs annually, which is comparable to the 250 eggs laid by Rhode Island Reds.
The History of the Sapphire Gem Breed
The true origin of sapphire gems is unknown, although they can be traced back to the Czech Republic. To be perfectly honest, there are a lot of hypotheses, but certain things in life will never be fully understandable. One of them might have to be this.
The Blue Plymouth Rock (a cross between a native Andalusian male and a Plymouth Barred Rock female) and the heritage Barred Plymouth Rock (a heritage chicken) are supposed to have crossed to form the breed. Their appearance is unmistakably that of the Old Andalusians. Sapphire Gems are ultimately a hybrid bird that was bred for both its stunning color and its ability to lay eggs. It is known that these are fancy breed chickens, marketed as specialty items. Even if the actual date of their breed’s introduction is unknown, it is known that they have grown incredibly popular and become a new favorite in recent years. You will quickly understand why.
Appearance
The Sapphire Gem Chicken is well known for its eye-catching beauty. Its brilliant blue feathers capture the attention of everyone who happens to glance at them. Its feathers have an iridescent sheen that gives them a striking and distinctive appearance. The Sapphire Gem Chicken is a remarkably captivating and attractive addition to any flock or poultry enthusiast’s collection due to its unique appearance and elegant stature.
Size and Weight
- This breed is of medium size.
- Even though they are large enough to be meat birds, their distinctive appearance and ability to lay eggs are the main reasons they are retained.
- The weight of a cock is approximately seven pounds, while the females are roughly six pounds.
Personality
The Sapphire Gem chicken has a charming and endearing attitude that makes anyone who comes into contact with it fall in love. These endearing birds are great additions to both small home flocks and large farm contexts because of their calm and amiable disposition. They are inquisitive animals that frequently want to explore their surroundings and engage with the people who look after them. This curiosity also makes rearing these birds more enjoyable because they frequently participate in hilarious acts that make you grin for a long time. Sapphire Gem hens are also excellent at adjusting to new situations and getting along with various breeds, which makes them ideal for maintaining a peaceful coop environment.
Food and Feeding
Feed only age-appropriate, high-quality food that comes from a reliable source to your birds. For example, chicks shouldn’t be fed the same diet as laying hens. For a novice chickenkeeper, all of this may seem a little overwhelming and complex, but your neighborhood feed store will be pleased to assist you. For more assistance, you may also read our piece on feeding hens.
Temperament and Behavior
The ideal option for anyone searching for chickens that can both lay eggs and serve as pets is the sapphire gem chicken. These stunning birds display distinct, lively personalities full of charm. In general, they are charming, amiable, inquisitive, and submissive. They enjoy spending time with their humans and exploring their surroundings.
In addition to being extremely adaptive, sapphire diamond hens get along well with both other breeds and those of their own. They need regular human contact to stay healthy and happy, though, and should never be kept as solitary birds due to their high level of socialization.
How noisy are sapphire gems?
sapphire gem In general, hens are thought to be a more subdued and peaceful breed than certain other sorts. Although every bird is different, Sapphire Gems don’t usually make a lot of noise or have a lot of vocalizations. This makes them a good option for people who want to raise hens in quieter or more residential settings. It’s crucial to remember that every chicken has a unique personality; therefore, there might be some variation in the breed’s noise tolerance.
Are sapphire gems good for kids?
Indeed, Sapphire Gem Chickens are said to be healthy for children. They are kind and submissive by nature, which makes them manageable and approachable. These chickens are often peaceful, making them an excellent option for families with young children who like to participate in the rearing and maintenance of poultry. Furthermore, children may find sapphire gems visually intriguing due to their brilliant look. As with any pet, it’s crucial to teach youngsters how to handle and take care of them properly in order to guarantee a happy and secure relationship between kids and hens.
Sapphire Gem Chicken Egg Laying
The Sapphire Gem hen is the best option if you’re looking for a chicken that will lay a good number of eggs. These birds aren’t really designed to be livestock that produce meat; instead, they were specifically bred to be good layers.
A mature, healthy Sapphire Gem hen will typically lay four to five eggs per week, or around 200 to 260 eggs in a year. When they are 18 to 24 weeks old, they will start to lay eggs.
Some people believe the Sapphire Gem breed also produces blue eggs since it is frequently confused with another breed known as “Sapphire,” which also produces blue eggs. Brown eggs are produced by the Sapphire Gem hen, in contrast to the little white Sapphire bird.
Sapphire Gem Chicken Meat Production
It is true that the Sapphire Gem chicken can be raised for meat; however, the dressed birds will be tiny and insignificant in comparison to other hybrid or dual-purpose meat birds. The primary purpose of killing Sapphire Gem hens is to eliminate unwanted roosters.
These hens grow quickly; at 20 weeks, they will be fully grown and ready for butchering. Alternatively, you might let them develop to harvest as much meat as possible and butcher them when they are 7 or 8 months old. Your birds will become less soft after about nine to ten months; at this point, stew meat or chicken stock would be the best uses for them.
Sex-Linked
Since Sapphire Gem chicks are a sex-linked chicken species, if they hatch true, figuring out their gender should be rather simple. You may check for differences in coloring between the males and females soon after they hatch.
sapphire gem Typically, female chicks are either tinged lavender or pure blue. Usually, a white patch appears on the head or on the wings of male chicks. Like other breeds, when purchasing chicks, the males will cost less than the females. The cost of unsexed hens will be moderate.
Sapphire Chicken Care Requirements
Diet
You should feed your chickens a healthy diet at every stage of their lives. More protein is required by sapphire gem baby chicks to nourish their developing bodies. Therefore, you can begin by feeding them chicken feed that contains 18% to 24% protein. You can gradually cut back on the protein as they get older.
Then, it is advised that you feed your Sapphire Gem hen an adult diet that includes a little bit more protein and calcium once she begins to lay eggs. The shells of the Sapphire chicken eggs will be robust and healthy if the hens are fed additional protein and nutrients. There are many feeds on the market designed especially for hens that lay eggs.
Feeding
For Sapphire Gem chickens, good feeding is often crucial. To encourage healthy growth, they should be fed a chick diet that has 18% to 25% protein.
A high-protein diet aids in maintaining optimum health as they get older. You can transition to a more conventional layer feed with additional protein, vitamins, and minerals during this phase.
More calcium needs to be added to the diets of laying chickens and those that are soon to begin laying eggs. Remember that this specific nutrient is essential for the development of eggshells as well as general health.
Habitat Setup
These birds need at least four square feet each in the coop. However, more space is preferable because they dislike being confined to a limited location.
When allowed the freedom to roam, these birds thrive. They will find more nutrients as they explore because they are excellent foragers. They are excellent at avoiding predators because they are more perceptive and aware than hens.
Temperature
Sapphire Gem hens are resilient and able to live in a variety of temperatures. As such, you can raise them anywhere in the country, from the coldest to the hottest.
However, it’s important to keep in mind that these chickens have single combs, which means that in colder climates, they could get frostbite. This implies that when the weather drops below freezing, they have to be kept inside.
Health Concerns
Sapphire gems are thought to be resilient birds with few health issues. Thus, just like with any other breed of chicken, their primary worries are the same. Parasites are the most frequent health issue with hens. All breeds are vulnerable to lice, mites, and worms if they are not given the necessary care. One effective approach to keeping pests away from your flock is to keep your coop clean and replace their water and food on a regular basis.
Additionally, you can shield your birds from contracting many poultry diseases by keeping the enclosure clean. If you’re not careful, your hens could contract avian influenza, coccidiosis, and poultry pox, to name a few diseases. These problems, though, are not exclusive to sapphire gems.
Lifespan
The average lifespan of sapphire gem hens is five to ten years. Naturally, this is dependent on their general quality of life and how well you take care of them. Don’t forget to provide them with all they require, including enough room, time spent outside, a nutritious diet, and socializing opportunities.