Sapphire Gem chickens great egg layers who start laying around 18 - 24 months old. They are a sex-linked, hybrid chicken with a beautiful appearance and docile, friendly personality. They are a medium sized, productive and low maintenance breed that is just perfect for anyone's backyard!
Keep reading to learn a little more about them.
Sapphire Gem Chicken Origin
The Sapphire Gen Chicken is as mysterious as it is beautiful. It is not an approved breed according to American Poultry Association standards and there is a lot of speculation around it's breeding history.
History
A Sapphire Gem Chicken is not officially a recognized breed by the APA. They are a hybrid breed of chicken. That just means they are the result of two other breeds being crossed. However, there is MUCH speculation about exactly which two breeds are used.
One interesting fact about this style of breeding is that they do not breed true. If you're not up on your chicken lingo, that just means that if you breed two Sapphire Gem Chickens together, they will not necessarily produce another Sapphire Gem Chicken.
We do know that they originated in the Czech Republic and eventually made their way to the US. We also know that one of the breeds with which they are crossed is the Blue Plymouth Rock.
The other breeds believed to have been crossed with are the Barred Plymouth Rock or the Disallowed Plymouth Rock.
You may have also heard of them referred to as Sapphire Treasures, Saphire Blue Plymouth Rock, or just Blue Plymouth Rock. If you hear any of those names, they are most likely all referring to the same breed. Although there can be confusion with the Blue Plymouth Rock.
Sex Linked
Different chicken breeds have been bred, over time to be sex linked. (Make sure you know how chickens mate if you need more chicken breeding details.) That just means that you are able to sex the chickens pretty soon after hatch. In fact, having a sex-linked breed is one of the best ways to sex a chicken when it is young.
If the chick is a sapphire gem hen it will likely be solid blue.
If the chick is a sapphire gem rooster, it will also be solid blue with white dots on it's head or wings.
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What Do They Look Like?
Obviously, you will want to know what they look like.
Color
Hence the Sapphire part of their name, they are typically a blue color. You will also find some hints of lavender, as well.
The roosters of the breed are a little larger and are mostly blue with a white dot on their head.
The hens are also blue with a ring of gold or grey around their necks.
Size
Sapphire Gem Chickens are not a large breed. They would fall into the category of medium sized chickens. They will fit right in with your Easter Eggers, Ameraucanas, and Araucanas.
The hens generally get to be about 4 lbs while the roosters grow to around 5 lbs.
Comb
Sapphire Gem Chickens are single comb chickens. That just means their comb is a single strip that begins at the tip of their beak and runs to the top of their head. It will also sometimes have spikes or ridges that go along the full length.
What Are They Like?
Let's talk a little bit about their diet, temperament, egg production, and care.
Diet
Sapphire Gem Chickens are great foragers and love to free range. This is part of what makes them a great backyard breed. You can also feed them a supplement of standard layer feed and they will do great.
Temperament
Their temperament is pretty calm and docile so they are safe to be around small children and pets.
The only times they really get worked up is when they sense a predator is near by. Then they will squawk, flap their wings, and alert the flock to the danger.
Other than the occasional predator alarm, they are very laid back. If you want to carry your chickens around like pets, this breed is perfect for that.
Eggs
For lacking in size, they put out a LOT of eggs. And not just small, Silkie sized eggs. Sapphire Gem Chickens lay about 4-5 LARGE, brown eggs a week. That is almost 300 eggs a year!
They'll start laying eggs around 18-24 weeks old and, like most chickens, will start slowing down after year 2. How long a chicken lays eggs can vary based on their health, but a healthy chicken can continue to lay for several years after that.
Care
They do very, very well in warm climates. However, they are pretty cold hardy, as well. As with any chicken, you will want to monitor their physical appearance and behavior to make sure their environment is not negatively affecting their health.
That means, in the heat, make sure they have plenty of water, shelter, and air circulation. You can even give them a fan, frozen fruits and veggies, or a big block of ice to keep them cool.
In colder environments, make sure their coop has circulation but is mostly draft free. You will also need to make sure they have cover from rain, snow, or any other cold weather hazards.
Since they are a single comb breed, they are also susceptible to frost bite. Keep an eye on their combs and make sure they are not looking cracked or wind chilled. You can help them by adding a little non-moisturizing, wax based cream to prevent frostbite.
Common Questions
We ran across some common questions while researching this breed. Some of these we answered already, but we can do quick rapid fire answers again.
Are Sapphire Gem Chickens friendly?
Yes, sapphire gems are friendly easy going chickens.
How much are Sapphire Gem chickens worth?
Sapphire Gem chickens are worth around $4-$6 as day old chicks. Males will be on the lower end - usually $3.50 - $4. Females will be on the higher end of $5 - $6. As with most breeds, the older they get, the more they will cost.
What size eggs do sapphire gem chickens lay?
They lay a large to extra large sized egg.
What color eggs do sapphire gem chickens lay?
They lay large brown eggs. If you want chickens that lay a variety of colors, you can read about blue egg layers or green egg layers.
Are sapphire gem chickens good layers?
They are very good layers. For a medium sized chicken, they heavy a pretty heavy production schedule that does not seem to be impacted by the heat or cold. A few of these chickens can easily feed a family.
How many eggs do sapphire gem chickens lay?
They can lay between 250-300 eggs a year. That's about 4 or 5 a week.
How long do they live?
A Sapphire gem chicken have a pretty typical lifespan for a chicken which is from 5 - 10 years.
Are sapphire gem chickens cold hardy?
They prefer the warm weather but are very cold hardy. They do very well in the cold and do not seem to slow down their egg laying.
Conclusion
Sapphire Gem Hens are a great, all-around breed. If you want something pretty, friendly, and a good egg producer, you can't go wrong with a few of these in your flock!
If you need more help with taking care of your chickens, check out The Organized Chicken Keeper for a complete system for managing their health through keeping their supplies stocked and coop clean.
