Bluebelle chicken
The Bluebelle is a large UK hybrid layer with soft blue-grey plumage, popular as a friendly garden hen.
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The Bluebelle is a hybrid chicken breed. Its origin is given as UK.
It is kept in large form. Recognised colours: Blue-grey.
Expect roughly 260–300 eggs in the first year, falling in later years and varying by supplier, with brown shells.
Compiled from thecountrysmallholder.com, pipinchicksilkies.com, yateleysmallholdings.com, poultrykeeper.com, newcottagepoultry.com, handpecked.co.uk. See sources
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Identity
- Species
- Chicken
- Type
- Hybrid
- Origin
- UK
- Breeding
- Bluebelle trademark owned by Meadowsweet Poultry; Rhode Island Red x Marans based
History
It is a hybrid of Rhode Island Red with Marans, which Country Smallholding names as Copper Blue Marans. Hybrid development in general began in the 1950s.
Appearance
Grey-blue body with darker grey neck feathers, sometimes with rust around the neck. Clean legs.
Recognised colours
Blue-grey
Size and weight
- Forms
- Large
Eggs
- Eggs a year
- 260–300 in the first year
- Egg colour
- Brown
- Notes
- They may keep laying in spring and summer in later years.
Hybrid egg figures are for the first year. They fall in later years and vary by supplier.
Temperament
- In short
- Placid, friendly
- Keeping notes
- Placid and friendly, and loves digging for worms in the vegetable patch.
Hardiness
Not recorded yet.
Broodiness
Not known for broodiness
Flying
Not recorded yet.
Suitability
- Beginners
- Suppliers call it a great first-time chicken
- Good to know
- Country Smallholding gives a lifespan of five or six years. Suppliers say they are not known for broodiness.
Conservation status (RBST)
Not on the Rare Breeds Survival Trust's priority list.
Breed club
Not recorded yet.
Sources
This page is compiled from:
Review
Some details are still being checked.
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