The Olive-Egger thread! - Page 417

I have a question. I would think that olive eggers would still need to have a pea comb. Is that correct? So if you breed a EE or other green egg hen to a dark egg roo and some of the chicks had straight combs, wouldn't they not carry the green egg gene? Do you tend to get half and half or is one dominant?

When I breed my EE hens ( as chicks they came from a hatchery)  and cross them to either my marans ( single comb) or my black sexlinks ( single comb) I get  olive eggs and green eggs, respectively.

They all have pea combs.  THere is a very slight chance of a cross over, like less than .5% that CAN happen, resulting in the single comb/ blue egg gene and the pea comb/ brown egg  genes on the same chromosome. BUt it is rare. I do have a EE hen that lays pink eggs--no blue gene there. All her sons and daughters have pea combs--all lay pinkish brown eggs.

SO generally, a pea comb means the chicken carries the blue gene. 

Quote:

Originally Posted by somadlyinlove 

I have a question. I would think that olive eggers would still need to have a pea comb. Is that correct? So if you breed a EE or other green egg hen to a dark egg roo and some of the chicks had straight combs, wouldn't they not carry the green egg gene? Do you tend to get half and half or is one dominant?

Pea comb is supposed to be dominate.  So yes you would keep only the pea combs.  Straight combs have only a slight chance of a blue or green egg.  I make Super Blue Egg Layers and I don't think I have gotten a straight comb yet.  It should be that way with Olive Egger Crosses too.... BUT you blue egg layer has to have a Dom gene for the pea comb.  They don't all have a Dom gene.

Araucanas are rumpless.  Ameraucanas have tails, but sometimes the two breed names get interchanged/confused.  They are distinct breeds.  So maybe the hen was Araucana?

Quote:

Originally Posted by mkiora 

Araucanas are rumpless.  Ameraucanas have tails, but sometimes the two breed names get interchanged/confused.  They are distinct breeds.  So maybe the hen was Araucana?

I was replying to Cooper12's post.

For anyone in Norcal I have two free 4 week (ish) rooster chicks....

1/2 Cream Legbar x Welsummer/partridge penedesenca

I am going to use the very colorful hens I got to breed back to my Crele Penedesenca

Let me know if you are wanting one or both

I need the help of a few experts!  I am going to get some straight run 7 week old OEs and EEs tomorrow at a nearby farm.  How can I improve my chances of getting pullets?  My first attempt at getting chicks left me with 3 roos that have to go back to the farm and 2 hens (which isn't quite a flock, imo).  Any help will be much appreciated.  It looks like these babies are dark--parents being dark brahmas, americaunas, cochins and marans!  I have been studying, but would love some condensed advice :)    

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hollytree10 

I need the help of a few experts!  I am going to get some straight run 7 week old OEs and EEs tomorrow at a nearby farm.  How can I improve my chances of getting pullets?  My first attempt at getting chicks left me with 3 roos that have to go back to the farm and 2 hens (which isn't quite a flock, imo).  Any help will be much appreciated.  It looks like these babies are dark--parents being dark brahmas, americaunas, cochins and marans!  I have been studying, but would love some condensed advice :)    

You need to look for a pea comb and 3 ridges would indicate ROO.  At seven weeks it may be easier.  I can usually guess by that age. 

I found the suggestion of the three ridges on a pea comb rather unreliable. My Araucana hens have miniscule pea combs, but they also have three ridges to them. They are definitely hens, too, they've been laying quite well for some time!
 

At seven weeks old, you actually have a decent chance of getting pullets rather than cockerels. Look for the long, skinny neck and saddle feathers that males develop, they should be juuuust starting. Females can have quite red faces and combs, but the males are much more defined. Look at the differences among the birds there. Checking the EE Sexing Tips and Tricks should help you, it can be found here in the breeds section.

My olive egger finally started laying!

Here is her egg, with two purebred Araucana eggs and one Australorp egg.