Silverudd Blue Chickens: Traits to Keep & Faults to Avoid

Silverudd chickens were developed in Sweden by Martin Silverudd. His aim was to produce a hardy homestead bird that lay roughly 250 eggs per year. Their eggs are on the smaller side in comparison to breeds such as Marans or Orpington, with eggs averaging between 50-60 grams. It is imperative to wait until eggs reach 50 grams in order to achieve strong & vigorous chicks from the hatching eggs.

This breed is actually the only "true" green layer, versus an Olive Egger that is made my mixing a brown layer and a blue layer. That fact is what initially got me interested in the breed. When I began my journey into colored eggs, I had no clue that there was an actual breed that laid green eggs. Their eggs are often speckled and covered in a heavy bloom., although not every egg is speckled and it does vary day to day. No egg will be exactly the same on a day-to-day basis.

These birds are splash, black and blue in plumage. My preferred coloring is a blue rooster over my hens. This ensures that when I hatch offspring, I get all of the plumage colors and do not dilute the splash plumage that is highly favored.

They are amazing foragers- almost preferring to forage pasture for fresh bugs and grass over eating traditional feed. If you are able to do so, I highly suggest allowing the birds to free range when possible. They are naturally very predator savvy although precautions must still be taken.

This blog is meant to help guide potential breeders in the right direction of choosing to take on this breed.

The breed is considered to be "unfinished", although there are desirable qualities to seek out & faults to avoid within the breed. When selecting birds for breeding, an individual should seek out a rooster that has been tested homozygous for the blue egg gene. There are many companies that offer this service, as well as DNA testing of gender and so much more! Testing is done by clipping a toenail just enough to get a few drops of blood placed onto a cut square of a coffee filter. If testing multiple birds, be sure to clean the clippers in order to not contaminate the results of the tests that you are sending in.

Another major thing to consider is eye color, as this breed should have black/dark brown eyes and lighter colored eyes would be deemed a "cull".

When using the term cull, people often think it means that you dispatch the bird and that is not the case at all. Often times these birds are used in an olive egger or other project pen due to their beautiful, speckled eggs and stunning plumage. You absolutely do NOT have to dispatch birds that do not meet the specifications that you are seeking.

If adding in multiple lines from different breeders, which is definitely suggested- it is important to note that faults will pop up. There will be birds that hatch with light eyes, the wrong-colored feet or even lay the wrong color egg. Because of this, it is imperative to test your rooster for the blue egg gene and remove the birds from your breeding program that do not meet the proposed standards in place.

Please see the attached photo in regard to characteristics that are considered acceptable versus faults:

I have noticed after raising these birds for the last 4 years that they will continue to lay even in the heat of summer as long as they are allowed to forage/free range. If kept confined in a pen, laying can and will slow down. They are also great layers through winter and surprisingly hardy in severe heat or cold, despite their small stature.

I also feel it is important to note that if you decide to have a mixed flock of numerous breeds that because of their size, it is not wise to brood nor pen Silverudd with breeds of larger stature.

Hatching time provides an excellent option for a brooder for smaller breeds such as Silverudd: Tabletop Chick Brooder Kit - fit Chicken, Turkey, Duck | Hatching Time.

It is critical to maintain proper brooding conditions when working with any breed of poultry, but I feel to be especially important when it comes to smaller breeds such as Silverudd.

FAQs

• Where does a potential breeder find good genetics to start their breeding program?

  While there are now many more breeders than there once was, not all lines are created equal. It is important to ask questions such as where the flock line originated from, is the rooster tested homozygous & even asking to see photos of the flock and living conditions.

• How many lines do I need to add to start a breeding program myself?

  I recommend finding at least two trusted sources to begin your breeding line. There is not enough genetic diversity within the breed to only have one line to build off of. This helps to avoid any genetic defects that may pop up if you do not do so.

• Are there any resources to be able to research more and learn more before diving in?

  Absolutely! I have found these pages to be a great resource for me to gain knowledge on the breed:

  American Silverudd's Blue Forum (formerly Isbars USA) | Facebook

  American Silverudd's Blue Conservation Sharing | Facebook

• Why is it important to follow the guidelines for keep versus cull traits?

  The breed is unfinished, as the creator passed prior to them having a recognized SOP. This means that our duty as a breeder is to carry on the suggested traits in order to gain a well-established and predictable breed of chicken.

  

I hope that this blog has helped provide insightful information on the breed from someone that has firsthand knowledge on Silverudd. If you have more questions, you can always message me directly on my Fb page: Into the Meadows | Facebook

Until next time- Amber Meadows