Sapphire Gem chicken is distinct from other breeds by features such as color, personality, size, and eggs. Before we look at these features in-depth, let’s look at the advantages of both Sapphire Gem chicken roosters and hens.
Originating from the Czech Republic. Sapphire Gem chickens are a cross between heritage (Blue Plymouth Rocks) and hybrid (Barred Plymouth Rocks) chickens.
Recently, they’re gaining popularity because of their great appearance. Not only is the breed easy to care for, but it also has an easygoing temperament.
Further, Sapphire Gem hens require less work and are prolific layers. They lay 300 giant fresh brown and large-sized eggs in a year.
Besides, they are friendly with kids and can withstand heat and cold. There is less to learn about the history of this breed because they are very new and are difficult to find.
In fact, American Poultry Association does not recognize the species. Buying or adding to a mixed flock is ideal if you are a chicken enthusiast and come across this breed.
Advantages of Keeping Sapphire Gem Roosters
The benefits of having a rooster in your flock are many, namely;
No Roosters, No Chicks
Biologically, roosters must mate with hens to get chicks. A healthy rooster is essential as you’ll be assured that your hen will lay fertile eggs that can hatch.
We recommend keeping around 6-10 hens for a single rooster. You’ll realize a proper breeding rotation.
Profits from the eggs
Egg selling is very profitable. There might be some people with interest in keeping Sapphire Gem chicken. Who will opt to buy eggs and incubate them?
This is an idea adopted by many chicken enthusiasts. Besides, some who want to increase their flock and do not have roosters will come to buy the eggs.
Also, some believe that fertilized eggs are nutritious– rich in minerals and nutrients. Therefore, they’ll come to buy the eggs for consumption.
Protection
Sapphire Gem rooster protects the hens and chicks from predators. They are aggressive and fight a lot when they feel threatened.
In most cases, the rooster issue a call, signaling the rest of the flock to run for their safety. As he is alerted to danger, he will remain behind to fight the enemy.
Isn’t this a helpful trait? Yes, but it is essential to watch over as the rooster may mistake kids and adults with enemies.
Further, the enemy might be a creature with much strength that can harm him.
Roosters are beautiful
Roosters are good-looking. Their tails and full combs are amazing. They add some visual excitement, making them complete.
With their size, color, and personality, spotting them from far is very easy.
Benefits of Sapphire Gem Hens
Below are the benefits of keeping Sapphire Gem Hens.
Eggs
Sapphire Gem hens produce many fresh eggs– around 4-6 weekly. This breed starts to lay eggs as early as 17-24 weeks.
You can eat the eggs or sell them and make a profit. If you have an idea looking for a bird with a steady supply of eggs throughout the year, the Sapphire Gem hen is the best choice for you!
Additionally, the sizes of the eggs are large to extra large and are very nutritious.
Waste Eliminators
Sapphire Gem hens feed on nearly any waste food. Instead of throwing away leftovers, you can give them, saving on the feed budget and saving food wastage.
Pest Control
The hens are good foragers of various pests and parasites. They eat bugs and different types of insects and, therefore, can be the best alternative for controlling pets in your homestead.
Good Pets
When compared to dogs and cats, Sapphire Gem hens are not expensive and can make a perfect pet.
Besides being affectionate and calm, they’re friendly and love being near their owners. Children can enjoy playing with the birds.
Appearance
Sapphire Gem is an unofficial breed. There might be a variation of colors of the chicks, from more solid or black to grayish or lavender.
The color variations, however, do not make the chicks less of Sapphire by temperament or ability to lay eggs but may produce a bird that is not of the desired coloring.
You can identify a cockerel and pullet Sapphire Gem. The female breed tends to be solid blue with a patch of gold or gray feathers, whereas the cockerel has white spots on their wings or heads.
The wings also come in a range of medium to dusky lavender and blues. The purple and blue hues are the breed’s plumage that led to the name ‘Sapphire Gem.’
Adult females are more of solid blue, and the hens have single combs on the tops of their heads. The males they’re primarily blue in appearance with slight barring.
Generally, the Sapphire Gem is medium-sized. Roosters reach a weight close to 5-7 pounds at maturity, while a mature hen weighs around 4-6 pounds.
Are Sapphire Gem Chickens Right for You?
The breed is beautiful– they have outstanding blue feathers, making them eye-catching. Do you want to raise them?
Consider more than just their looks. If you’re looking for a friendly bird with a prolific egg-laying ability, then the breed is good for you.
However, before you think of keeping them, ensure you have a spacious area and be ready to protect them when extreme weather is very hot or cold.
Remember to follow the care guides to make sure the birds are happy. By so doing, you’ll have healthy fertile eggs soon.
Personality and Temperament
The Sapphire Gem chicken is a very friendly or somewhat even-tempered breed. The breed also gets along perfectly great with other flocks and can thrive in all environments. Furthermore, Sapphire Gem is a forager, preferring to be a free-range chicken.
If you carefully check on their behavior, you’ll realize that they’re keen observers and alert at any given moment to the presence of predators.
Sapphire Gem Chicken Egg Laying
Sapphire Gem has an excellent reputation for laying a fair number of large brown eggs. The birds were bred majorly to be prolific layers.
A mature and healthy hen will lay up to 300 eggs every year. This means that they can lay 4+ eggs every week. The Sapphire Gem hen starts to lay eggs between 18 and 24 weeks old.
The Sapphire Gem hen is busy throughout the year laying and collecting eggs. After two years of egg production, a Sapphire Gem hen lowers the production rate by around 20%.
Health Issues and Care
The Sapphire Gem chicken does not mind confined enclosures. However, it’s a good idea to have enough space for them.
The breed prefers warm weather and does well in hot conditions. They can also survive in areas experiencing cold winters.
If you live in colder areas, set up an indoor shelter during the winter, preventing some conditions, including frostbite, that may cause the combs to fall off.
The best alternative to prevent combs from falling is coating them with Vaseline.
Below are the care guide recommendations to consider before adding the breed to your flock.
Diet
The breed requires a proper feeding plan. The Sapphire Gem baby chicks need a lot of protein to help them grow faster.
Always give them a chicken feed that has about 18%-24% protein. As the chicks grow, reduce the protein content slightly.
When the hen starts laying eggs, give them adult feed rich in calcium and protein. If the hens take a lot of nutrients and proteins, they lay eggs and have solid and healthy shells.
The feeds for egg-laying Sapphire Gem hens are many.
Habitat Setup
The coop should contain a single bird in four square feet. But again, remember that the birds do not like being confined to small areas.
A spacious coop is better. If you allow the breed to free-range, they’ll thrive even better.
They’re foragers, allowing them to look for more nutrients. They are also good observant and will always be more alert to predators than other chicken breeds.
As you set up their home, set enough space for them to roam around– they can’t run away unless they feel threats next to them.
The coop should be well done to protect the birds from predators during the nights because it’s the time predators are proactive.
Tips for Raising Sapphire Gem Chickens
- As much as Sapphire Gem thrives in a hot climate, it is essential to provide shade for your birds.
- Use electric fand to give the birds a gentle breeze. We recommend getting your chicken feed from Star Milling Company and providing ice in any form for your chickens. Ice blocks keep the birds cool. The birds can also drink liquid ice.
- As Star Mills suggests, at least leave frozen pieces of fruits for the birds. This ensures that the birds stay hydrated.
- Provide indoor shelter if you live in places with cold winters. Ensure the birds are warm by using heat lamps and keeping the coop clean for the hens.
- Add ladders, perches, and mirrors to the coop for the Sapphire Gem chickens to use, keeping themselves busy. We highly recommend adding amusements to entertain them.
Conclusion
As you can see, the Sapphire Gem is an extraordinary breed. They have an outstanding purple and blue plumage.
They are friendly, overprotective, and have a fantastic ability to lay many eggs. Honestly speaking, the breed is an ideal addition to your flock.
The breed is significantly newer and hard to find. We recommend checking with the breeders to ensure you’re buying a true Sapphire Gem.
