Sapphire Gem Chicken Eggs: Colors, Size, Cleaning Tips and Nutritional Value

When looking for a new chicken to add to your flock, egg-laying capacity may be an important factor in the decision process. If so, look no further than the Sapphire Gem chicken. This newer addition to the chicken family brings a lot to the proverbial table. Here, you’ll learn everything you wanted to know about Sapphire Gem chicken eggs — from quantity to size and color. 

Let’s dive in.

What Are Sapphire Gem Chickens?

This fascinating and lovely bird is one of the newer kids on the poultry block. It was developed in the Czech Republic. And, since the Sapphire Gem chicken is a hybrid, the American Poultry Association doesn’t recognize it. Most believe it is a cross between hybrids and heritage birds. There is not much information about its true origin, but it has rapidly grown in popularity. 

They have beautiful blue and lavender feathers, which makes them stand out in the crowd. Sapphire Gems also have a single comb and upright posture. This hybrid is known for its docile, calm, and friendly personality. However, since hens only weigh about four pounds and roosters only reach five pounds at maturity, they are not the best source of meat.

How Many Eggs Do Sapphire Gem Chickens Lay?

This hybrid bird is a prolific egg layer. Each hen will lay up to 300 eggs annually! That puts the Sapphire Gem chicken at the top, laying more eggs yearly than any other hybrid chicken. Also, few recognized chicken breeds lay a similar number of eggs every year.

Most Sapphire Gem hens start laying eggs around six months old. However, some have started producing an abundant supply of eggs at a younger age.

Due to the sheer volume of eggs these hens lay, a calcium supplement to the regular feeds is an important addition. This step will keep your flock healthy. That way, it can continue to provide you with an abundant supply of eggs.

What Type of Eggs Do Sapphire Gem Chickens Lay?

Sapphire Gem chickens are known for laying large, brown eggs. 

Since the name of this hybrid is similar to that of the Sapphire breed, many people believe they will get blue eggs. However, they are two different birds. The Sapphire Gem does not lay blue eggs.

Collecting and Cleaning Chicken Eggs

Once you have started building a flock, it’s almost time to collect your very own eggs! But how exactly do you do that? We’ve gathered some tips and tricks for collecting and cleaning chicken eggs to help.

• Collecting eggs frequently will help protect against breakage. Any eggs that hang out too long in the coop are liable to get damaged or broken. Check the coop daily for new eggs to ensure they all go to good use. 
• Feed the hens to get them to leave the eggs. Collecting the daily bounty will go much smoother if it doesn’t involve fighting off angry moms.
• Discard broken or cracked eggs, as they may harbor dangerous bacteria. 
• Check in the morning and the evening if you have time. 
• There is no need to wash farm-fresh eggs until they are ready for immediate consumption. They have a protective coating that prevents harmful bacteria from entering through the shell. The washing process removes that coating. 
• Gently wipe any excess dirt, feathers, or feces off with a paper towel or even sandpaper before storing at room temperature.
• Always wash your hands after collecting eggs! The interior of the eggs may have protection against pathogens, but you don’t. Washing hands will protect against potential contamination and illness. 
• Those who still want to wash their eggs should use care. Soaking, cold water, and any cleaning solutions are the wrong way to clean farm fresh eggs. Use water at 90 degrees Fahrenheit or above to properly wash the eggs. These will need to be immediately dried and stored in the refrigerator.

What Is the Nutritional Value of Sapphire Gem Chicken Eggs?

The chicken breed (or, in this case, hybrid) has little to do with the overall nutritional value of eggs. Instead, the diet and lifestyle directly impact the health or lack thereof of farm-fresh eggs.

Chickens eating a higher-quality diet will naturally produce healthier, more nutrient-dense eggs. And breeds that spend most of their time free-ranging and foraging will lay even better quality eggs.

Thankfully, the Sapphire Gem chickens love to forage. They even spend plenty of time as free-range birds. So, their abundant egg supply is also packed with nutrition.