Smokey Pearl Chicken is a new hybrid chicken; only a few people know about it. They are lovely and friendly with ghost-barring, gray color feathers, and prolific egg-laying capabilities.

We discuss everything about this new hybrid like who produces smokey pearls, how to determine their gender, the difference between a rooster and a hen, their pictures gallery, etc.

Let’s get started.

Smokey Pearl Chicken Breed Info Quick

Origin	USA
Hybrid	Yes
Recognition by APA	No
Ancestry	Black Sex-Linked, California Grey, Leghorns
Purpose	Primarily for Egg
Eggs Per Year	Up to 280 Eggs Per Year
Eggs Per Week	4 to 5 Eggs
Egg Color	Brown Eggs
Egg Size	Large (55 to 60 grams)
Body	Lean Body
Color	Barred gray
Feather Color	Ghost Barring, Grey
Weight	4 to 6 lbs
Comb	Large Single Type
Personality	Calm, Docile, Friendly
Foraging	Excellent
Cold Hardy	Yes
Heat Hardy	Yes
Beginner Friendly	Yes
Children Friendly	Yes
Lifespan	4 to 5 Years

What is a Smokey Pearl Chicken

Smokey Pearl Chicken is not yet recognized as they are a new hybrid chicken and their name is sometimes spelled as Smoky Pearl chicken.

The Smokey Pearl chicken breed is thought to have been created by breeding two dual-purpose chickens, the California Grey and the California Tan. Another suggests that black sex-link roosters were bred with female White Leghorns to create Smokey Pearl hybrid chicken.

They’re medium-sized birds known for their unique and very beautiful ghost barring and gray plumage with the sweetest and extremely friendly personality. 

They thrive well in cold as well as in hot climates and are prolific large brown egg layers, laying up to 280 eggs per year.

Smokey Pearl Breed Brief History

The American Poultry Association doesn’t recognize Smokey Pearl Chicken as a breed, instead, it’s a special hybrid created by hatcheries, mixing multiple chicken breeds.

Smokey Pearl chicken origin can be traced back to Southeast Asia, particularly in Indonesia and Malaysia, Initially, they were bred for their distinct and captivating appearance.

Since they’re hybrids, breeding two Smokey Pearls together may not result in offspring with the same traits.

They are thought to be produced by crossbreeding either a California Grey with a California Tan or by mating black sex-link males with White Leghorns. However, there’s still uncertainty because there isn’t a clear record of the original parentage.

What Does a Smokey Pearl Chicken Look Like

These chickens have smoky or lavender-colored feathers, with beautiful pearl-like spots. That’s why they’re named “Smokey Pearl” chickens.

Smokey Pearl chickens are elegant and sturdy birds typically medium-sized and weighing around 4 to 6 pounds.

These chickens have something interesting called “ghost barring,” a pattern that might appear on their feathers. It’s different in each chicken, making every Smokey Pearl special.

They have one red comb with wattles and earlobes. Since they’re easy to care for, they’re perfect for any chicken keeper.

Smokey Pearl Temperament and Personality

These chickens are not just known for their ghost-barring appearance and egg-laying ability but also they are known for their sweetest temperament and personality.

Smokey Pearl chickens are extremely friendly, docile, and gentle, that’s why experts recommended these perfect for families with kids.

These chickens love petting and are quite active and curious, they are excellent foragers and enjoy exploring their surroundings.

Smokey Pearls usually don’t like to sit on their eggs and don’t often go broody, so it’s less likely to happen.

These chickens also do well in heat weather as well as in cold weather so whether you live in a hot or cold region they thrive well.

 

Smokey Pearl Chicken Egg Production

Smokey pearl chickens are mostly raised for eggs, are prolific egg layers, and even lay in the cold winter months. 

These beautiful birds lay about 280 brown eggs each year, which is roughly 5 eggs a week. They are big egg layers.

Smokey pearls start laying eggs when they’re 5 to 6 months old. Their eggs are bigger than usual, weighing about 55 to 60 grams.

Smokey Pearl Chicken Lifespan

The lifespan of a chicken can vary depending on factors like breed, diet, care, and living conditions. You can increase the longevity of your smokey pearl chicken with a balanced diet, a comfortable environment, and proper veterinary care.

Smokey pearl chickens have a low lifespan with good care and a cozy environment where they can live for 4 to 5 years. 

How to Determine the Gender of Smokey Pearl

Smokey pearl pullets/chicks find it hard to know their gender. They see things that make them unsure.

Smokey pearl hens have combs, which are usually seen on roosters. This adds to their confusion about their gender.

Determining the gender of Smokey Pearl chickens can be challenging until they reach a certain age, but here are some methods to help you determine the gender:

Top 3 Methods of Determining the Gender of Smokey Pearl 

Following are the famous ways to know the gender of chickens:

• Vent Sexing

Vent sexing is gently squeezing a chick to expose its cloaca (the vent area) and checking its characteristics. 

Male and female chicks have slightly different vent structures, but this method can be tricky as it requires practice and some expertise. Usually, a trained person called a chicken sexer performs this method.

In vent sexing, the chick is squeezed, which opens up the chick’s anal vent, the cloaca, and the vent area is turned outward in the process. 

Then the observer looks to see if the chick has a little bump, which usually means it’s a male. However, some females also have bumps, though they’re generally not as big as the boys.

The genital spot (like the black spot on Mosaic chickens) is in the middle of the bottom edge of the chick’s rear. It’s like a tiny pimple. Usually, male chicks have a noticeable one, while females don’t. 

However, some males and females have small ones, so the sex of these chicks can be tricky. However, with practice and experience, the person checking will get better at telling them apart.

The safest way to learn sex is to think that chickens with tiny bumps are girls. The bump on a male is firm and won’t go away if you gently rub it with your thumb.

• Feather Sexing

Some male and female chicks show distinct feather differences due to certain genetic traits, but not all breeds show these traits.

Males and females might have slight differences in their feathers in breeds like Smokey Pearl chickens.

Males might have slightly longer and pointed feathers, especially around the neck and tail, while females may have shorter and rounder feathers.

• Color sexing

Sex-link crosses or hybrid chickens mean mixing two types of chickens to get babies that can be told apart by their feather color when they hatch. 

For example, mating male Rhode Island Reds with female Rhode Island Whites. Their babies will be yellow or white for males and brown for females.

Several more methods, such as behavior differences and waiting until they reach a certain age, can be used to determine the gender of pullets or chicks easily.

How to Care for Your Smokey Pearl

Proper care will ensure the well-being and productivity of Smokey pearl chickens:

• Feather Care of Smokey Pearl Chicken

To keep the feathers of smokey pearl chickens soft, gently handle them and ensure their living space is clean and dry.

Check their feathers often for damage or signs that they’re wearing out too much. If you see a problem, fix it right away and trim any damaged or extra-long feathers to prevent further issues.

• Coop Management

To ensure a comfortable, well-built, ventilated, and safe chicken coop from predators, you can use an automatic door to make your chicken’s life easy.

You should give each chicken at least 2 to 3 square feet of space in the coop, and about 8 to 10 square feet of space outside for moving and exploring.

Try to clean and dry the coop at least twice or thrice a week and dry it after wetting it.

Provide nesting boxes filled with clean and soft straws to lay eggs and collect eggs daily to prevent wasting and dirtiness, also ensure to provide a heater in cold weather to avoid frostbite and other issues.

• Health Care

Regularly checking for signs of illness and injuries and seeking advice from a veterinarian will help maintain their health and well-being.

Provide needed vaccination and deworming as recommended by the veterinarian and keep their surroundings and their coop clean to prevent microorganisms and infections.

Make sure to give your Smokey Pearl a chicken friend so they don’t feel lonely and to prevent any mental issues.

• Balance Diet 

To meet all their nutritional requirements, provide your Smokey Pearl chickens with a balanced diet, including commercial feed.

To keep them happy and active, add fruits, vegetables, and occasional treats to their diet. Ensure they have access to clean and fresh water at all times.

Make sure to avoid any harmful food like chocolate, avocado skin or pit, coffee or tea, apple seeds, raw potatoes, green potatoes, scallions, garlic, or raw eggs.

• Daily Care for Smokey Pearl Chicken

Regular maintenance is essential to keeping chickens healthy, happy, and gorgeous.

Trim any stray and unnecessary feathers and nails to prevent them from becoming overgrown, which could cause mobility and vision problems.

Make sure to provide clean and dry soil in their surroundings for dust baths. Dust baths help regulate oil production and keep their feathers healthy.

Conclusion

In conclusion, smokey pearl chickens are the perfect choice for beginner chicken keepers and families with children.

Their ghost-barring pattern plumage, prolific egg-laying capabilities, and extremely sweet, friendly personality make any backyard or flock mesmerizing.

You can purchase them from many offline and online hatcheries like HooversHatchery or you can get them from TractorSupply.

Have you ever determined your chick’s gender? Feel free to share your thoughts and problems with us we are here to help you.

FAQs

What breeds make a smokey pearl chicken?

The Smokey Pearl chicken breed might have been made by mixing two types of chickens: the California Grey and the California Tan. 

However, some say black sex-link roosters were crossed with female White Leghorns to make the Smokey Pearl hybrid chicken.

What does a smokey pearl chicken look like?

Smokey Pearl chickens have grayish feathers with pretty pearl-like spots. That’s why they’re called “Smokey Pearl” chickens. These chickens have something unique called “ghost barring,” a pattern that might appear on their feathers. 

When does smokey pearl chicken start laying eggs?

Smokey Pearl chickens begin laying eggs when they’re 5 to 6 months old.

How many eggs does a smokey Pearl lay?

Smokey Pearl chickens are great egg layers, laying up to 280 eggs per year, which is more than 5 eggs per week.