Our Silverudd's Blue Flock
The Silverudd's Blue is our flagship breed and by far one of my favorite breeds on the farm. We have been working with this breed since 2014. We have two breeding flocks that have all undergone DNA testing to insure that no offspring will lay brown/tan eggs, as this in a known problem in some flocks. We are very close to having a full homozygous breeding program. As of now our pen consist of a blue heterozygous rooster and all homozygous blue and black hens. We do recommend that offspring still undergo DNA testing to see if they will have 1 copy or 2 copies of the needed genes to lay green eggs.
If you would like information on how to get your birds DNA tested you can check out this link Silverudd's Blue/testing or email us for more info.
** Update ** As of January 2024 we no longer are able to ship out of the state of WA, as we are no longer NPIP. The reason for this is because the NPIP program requires you to have a minimum of 30 birds over 6mo old. Unfortunately, we no longer meet this requirement do to us greatly downsizing our flocks. Chick are still available for local pick up until April 2024. Then we plan to take a break from breeding and stop hatching. We are happy to refer other breeds that do still hatch/sell/ship.
Silverudd's Blue are a smaller framed production breed. Rosters are about 5-6 pounds and the hens are about 3-4 pounds. They are great layers, typically laying all though winter. Silverudd's Blue do well in cold climates and have been reported to do well in high heat climates as well. The Silverudd's Blue is the only true breed to lay green eggs with egg color ranging from light mint to olive green, sometimes with speckles. Rooster are non aggressive and yet watchful protectors of their hens. The hens are curious and not flighty, both are good foragers and love to free range.
(We update our flock photos every fall after the birds have finished their molt.)
What is Silverudd's Blue & why did they get called Ibar?
Photos are of Crowing Goat Farm birds
History of the Silverudd's Blue
Silverudds blue was created in the 1980s by Martin Silverudd. To create the breed, he used a grown-up productive New Hampshire and a mature productive Rhode Island Red. He must have used at least two breeds. Descendants of the Cream Legbar he imported in the late 1950s were included in the breed to bring in the gene for blue scales. That gene, along with the genes for brown shells such as NH and RIR, brought with it, the SB egg's characteristic green color. There is nothing more noted about the origin, but Martin Silverud's left-over notes show that he kept Australorps on his farm. It is likely that Australorps was the breed that gave Silverudds Blue its characteristic blue color scheme in the plumage.
No official description of this breed was filed before Silverudd's death in 1986. It has been incorrectly called Isbar , which is the name of a breed MS created before SB, probably due to some confusion in Silverudds notes. The name Isbar is actually a misnomer for this breed as they are not now nor have they ever been barred. Plus, it causes confusion with the original Isbar as the two breeds are not related. The name Silverudd's Blue is set as a tribute to the creator of the breed and alludes to the gene for blue in plumage and the gene for blue scales. The breed was most certainly not completely clear at Martin Silverdud's rapid demise in 1986.
SB is now characterized by having black as the base color. The black is bleached on a part SB of the gene for blue, which in a single set yields a blue animal and in a double set yields a spotted animal. The plumage is black, blue and spiked, where especially the roosters can have elements of gold or silver in the neck and on saddle feathers. Silverudds blue is an active and lively breed in the way.
It is this breed that was first
imported into the United States
in 2011 and became known here
as the Isbar or Blue Isbar. The name was officially changed to
Silverudd's Blue in March 2016.
History of the Isbar
Martin Silverudd was a Swedish monk with a passion for breeding chickens. His desire was to create highly productive chickens that laid beautiful colored eggs. In 1956, Silverudd imported some Cream Legbar chickens from England. They were highly susceptible to disease, so he crossed them with the Swedish Leghorn (with 25% New Hampshire blood) and created the Silverudd's Safir (Sapphire). These laid a blue and/or green egg.
In the 1960's, Martin Silverudd used the Plymouth Rock, New Hampshire, Cream legbar (probably indirectly through the Silverudd's Sapphire) and finally RIR, Alexander line, to create the original Isbar (probably an acronym for Island Silver Barred), also referred to as the Silver Barred Rhode Island Red. The Isbar was a grönäggsvärpare, or green egg layer. This breed became all but extinct in Sweden, but is now being recreated by breeders in Sweden working off of Silverudd's notes.
Isbars are not completely ready for distribution today. The Swedish Cultural Association runs a project where several participating breeders with joint efforts will ensure that it becomes a finished, recreated breed.
Stock Photography Bengt Mattsson
Silverudd's Blue
****** In March 2016 Sweden formally changed the name of the breed we in the US know as the Isbar to Silverudd's Blue after Martin Silverudd the creator of the breed.******
Breed History
The Silverudd's Blue breed first came to the United States in 2011 from Sweden (then called Isbar). This breed was developed by a catholic monk named Father Martin Silverudd in 1950. Unfortunately he died before finishing his project and giving his new breed a true name, then referred to as bar blue. Some how this new breed was named Isbar. This caused a lot of confusion in Sweden as they already had a chicken breed named Isbar and now there seemed to be two different breeds of chickens with the same name. In March of 2016 the Swedish kulturhönsföreningen (Culture Hens Compound) had their annual meeting. During that meeting they made the decision to permanently change the breeds name from “Isbar” to “Silverudd's Blue” after the creator of the breed and the man who did so much for chickens in Sweden.
When the Silverudd's Blue came to the U.S. It was said to have fewer than 500 birds in existence worldwide. With Breeders both in Sweden and America those numbers are starting to increase. It is no surprise why people are loving this breed. Silverudd's Blue is a cold-hardy medium sized breed, very intelligent, alert, extremely docile and friendly. The roosters are very protective of their girls, but are not aggressive toward people. They do well in a backyard coop or free-range settings. We often let our Silverudd's Blue to forage, and they are alert for predators but calm with people. They are the only pure breed of chicken that lays green eggs. The eggs come in shades of solid mint/moss green to olive green and can be with or without speckling.
These rare and beautiful birds come in three feather colors: blue, black and splash. Since Silverudd's Blue chickens do not breed true to their color, you will get different colors based upon the parents color. We have 2 separate lines we are working with and maintaining though spiral breeding. Unlike some we don't just have a single pair or trio spitting out eggs to sell for quick money. We are working on three large breeding pens of Silverudd's Blue. Our goal it to preserve, protect and perfect this breed for years to come. That way so many more can enjoy this wonderful breed.