4.5 Week Old Sapphire (Super Blue Egg Layer) Cockerel or Pullet?

[backyardchicks]

This is a 4 1/2 week old Sapphire or Super Blue Egg Layer (if it's a pullet). Father is a Cream Legbar and Mother is a White Leghorn. Is this a cockerel or pullet?

Also, if it is a cockerel and it is bred with a dark egg layer will the result be an olive egger?

 

[QueenMisha]

Too young to be absolutely certain, but that's a cockscomb if I ever saw one.

Yes, if he's crossed with a chocolate layer like a Marans, the pullet offspring will be olive-Eggers.

 

[BantamFan4Life]

Cockerel

 

[backyardchicks]

I wasn't sure if the white leghorn in it causes the comb to develop sooner, even in pullets? I cannot have a rooster where I live, but I don't want to rehome it too soon just in case it is a pullet. I have never had a Sapphire pullet before and would love to see what the super blue eggs look like!

 

[QueenMisha]

I wasn't sure if the white leghorn in it causes the comb to develop sooner, even in pullets?  I cannot have a rooster where I live, but I don't want to rehome it too soon just in case it is a pullet. I have never had a Sapphire pullet before and would love to see what the super blue eggs look like!

Even a purebred White Leghorn pullet isn't going to have a comb like this at such a young age. I'd recommend starting the search for his new home now. It can take a while to rehome cockerels, and Leghorns and crosses thereof are likely to start crowing quite early.

I can't speak to exact nature of the eggs that would be expected, largely because I've never heard of a "Super Sapphire Layer" until now, although I'm not sure why such a cross would be thought to lay any bluer of an egg than their purebred Legbar parent or any pure Ameraucana.

 

[TillyPeeps]

I think his offspring will be half brown egg layers and half olive-eggers, because he only has half of the two copies of blue egg genes.

 

[drumstick diva]

cockerel

 

[Mountain Peeps]

Cockerel

 

[QueenMisha]

I think his offspring will be half brown egg layers and half olive-eggers, because he only has half of the two copies of blue egg genes.

Actually, you know what, this is correct. Forget my earlier statement. 50% of his offspring will be Olive Eggers, the other 50% will be brown layers, probably a lighter shade than their dark egging parent.

 

[TillyPeeps]

Even a purebred White Leghorn pullet isn't going to have a comb like this at such a young age. I'd recommend starting the search for his new home now. It can take a while to rehome cockerels, and Leghorns and crosses thereof are likely to start crowing quite early.

I can't speak to exact nature of the eggs that would be expected, largely because I've never heard of a "Super Sapphire Layer" until now, although I'm not sure why such a cross would be thought to lay any bluer of an egg than their purebred Legbar parent or any pure Ameraucana.

No, their eggs are lighter blue than their pure breed parents. They are "super" layers comparing to their blue - egg -layer parents because of the leghorn gene. I have a two week old ameraucana x california grey pullet, which basically is the same other than she is a sexlink.