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If I mix a Ameraucana with a Delaware....what should I expect

post #1 of 15
Thread Starter 

I am thinking about breeding my delaware hen with my Ameraucana rooster, what should I expect from the mix?   Also, if I mix the RIR rooster with the Delaware, will it be a sex-link (red star)?   I am trying to get some eggs for a friend that wants to start raising chickens, but what to make sure the off spring will be okay.

Crazy chicken lady with 5 roosters, 24 pullets, 3 laying hens, 2 labradors, 1 bearded dragon and a pond with fish
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Crazy chicken lady with 5 roosters, 24 pullets, 3 laying hens, 2 labradors, 1 bearded dragon and a pond with fish
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post #2 of 15

The RIR rooster over a Delaware hen will give you Red Sex Links.  The male chicks will have yellow down and the female chicks will have red down. 

I'm not sure what type of information you are looking for with the Ameraucana over Delaware cross?  Chick color, egg color, or maybe something else?  One big issue is are you sure it is a true Ameraucana rooster and not an EE?  Hatcheries don't sell true Ameraucanas, just EE's.  If it is an Ameraucana, what color/pattern does he match?

Freedom is not the right to do what we want, but what we ought....Abraham Lincoln (Freedom carries responsibility)

The spirit of liberty is the spirit which is not too sure that it is right.....Judge Learned Hand  (The more sure your are that your way is the only right way, the more likely you are wrong.)
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Freedom is not the right to do what we want, but what we ought....Abraham Lincoln (Freedom carries responsibility)

The spirit of liberty is the spirit which is not too sure that it is right.....Judge Learned Hand  (The more sure your are that your way is the only right way, the more likely you are wrong.)
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post #3 of 15
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ridgerunner 

The RIR rooster over a Delaware hen will give you Red Sex Links.  The male chicks will have yellow down and the female chicks will have red down. 

I'm not sure what type of information you are looking for with the Ameraucana over Delaware cross?  Chick color, egg color, or maybe something else?  One big issue is are you sure it is a true Ameraucana rooster and not an EE?  Hatcheries don't sell true Ameraucanas, just EE's.  If it is an Ameraucana, what color/pattern does he match?


I don't know if the Ameraucana is pure, he is pictured in my avatar. He might be a EE, but he is so pretty that it really doesn't matter.   I just want to make sure the offspring is healthy and produces eggs for the family.  I would love to see colored eggs, I have all brown layers, my kids would to so excited to see a different color in the nesting boxes.

Crazy chicken lady with 5 roosters, 24 pullets, 3 laying hens, 2 labradors, 1 bearded dragon and a pond with fish
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Crazy chicken lady with 5 roosters, 24 pullets, 3 laying hens, 2 labradors, 1 bearded dragon and a pond with fish
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post #4 of 15

He's an EE, and the chicks could end up being a variety of colors. smile I let a broody hatch out some eggs last month, and from 3 EE eggs, I got 1 silver (I have 2 silver EE's!) and 2 crele (the dad was a mixed breed crele colored roo), and from my red sexlink egg, I got a black barred chick! Hatching mixed breeds is so much fun! You never know what your gonna get! Well, I guess those who study chicken genetics probably do, but for the rest of us, it's a huge surprise!

Wendy, chemist, mama to 4 human children, a cat, several fish, bunnies, 4 goats,
and our ever growing flock of chickens, ducks, and geese.

I am officially trying to breed: BBS Ameraucanas, Wheaten and Partridge Penedesencas, Pyncheons, and bantam Andalusians. My oldest son is breeding BBS Orps!

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Wendy, chemist, mama to 4 human children, a cat, several fish, bunnies, 4 goats,
and our ever growing flock of chickens, ducks, and geese.

I am officially trying to breed: BBS Ameraucanas, Wheaten and Partridge Penedesencas, Pyncheons, and bantam Andalusians. My oldest son is breeding BBS Orps!

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post #5 of 15
Quote:
Originally Posted by emerald eyes 

I don't know if the Ameraucana is pure, he is pictured in my avatar. He might be a EE, but he is so pretty that it really doesn't matter.   I just want to make sure the offspring is healthy and produces eggs for the family.  I would love to see colored eggs, I have all brown layers, my kids would to so excited to see a different color in the nesting boxes.


The offspring should be healthy if the parents are.  The amount of egg laying is really unknown.  Don't panic.  If the parents are good egg layers, the offspring will be good egg layers.  The Delaware is probably pretty good so her offspring will inherit some good qualities.  I don't know how good an egg laying stock the rooster comes from.  He may come from stock as good as the Delaware or he may not.  The odds are you will be happy with the egg laying of their offspring, but you never know for sure.  I would not let that unknown stop me.

The colored eggs is another unknown.  There is one basic pair of genes that determines the base color of the eggs, which is either blue or white.  Blue is dominant, so if just one of the genes in this pair is blue, the hen will lay base blue eggs.  The brown or green comes from other genes and is a coating on that base blue or white.  Sort of like this:

Blue + no brown = blue
Blue + brown = green
White + no brown = white
White + brown = brown

The Delaware will contribute a base white gene and some brown overcoating.  At least her contribution is known. 

The problem with egg color is that you don't know what genes the rooster has.  A true Ameraucana will have two blue genes, but with EE's, you just don't know.  If both genes in that pair are blue, then all his offspring will inherit one blue gene and lay green eggs, thanks to the brown contribution from the Delaware hen.  If the rooster has one blue and one white, then his offspring could inherit either one, so you might get brown or green eggs.  If both genes are white, you will get brown eggs.

A pea comb is not a guarantee but it is a real good indicator.  The blue egg gene follows the pea comb gene 97% of the time according to one of the genetics experts I really trust on this forum.  So if the rooster has a pea comb, the odds are real good he has at least one blue gene and maybe two. 

With your stated goals, I would breed the EE to the Delaware and expect to be happy with the results.

Freedom is not the right to do what we want, but what we ought....Abraham Lincoln (Freedom carries responsibility)

The spirit of liberty is the spirit which is not too sure that it is right.....Judge Learned Hand  (The more sure your are that your way is the only right way, the more likely you are wrong.)
Reply
Freedom is not the right to do what we want, but what we ought....Abraham Lincoln (Freedom carries responsibility)

The spirit of liberty is the spirit which is not too sure that it is right.....Judge Learned Hand  (The more sure your are that your way is the only right way, the more likely you are wrong.)
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post #6 of 15

Ridgerunner, that's the best explanation of egg color inheritance I've seen!

post #7 of 15

I have 3 Delaweggers.  big_smile

My dominant rooster, an EE named Carl, and my Delaware Delilah created four Delaweggers in my flock.  Umfortunately, Delilah died in the horrible cocci outbreak my flock suffered from last November. But her three daughters all inherited a blue gene and lay green eggs.  (One chick suffered misadventure, so there are only 3 chicks who survived to adulthood.)

Delaweggers, a BYC created name for these mixed heritage birds, are good layers, too - from their Delaware heritage.

-- Linda (AKA: gryeyes)
I refuse to fight a battle of wits with an unarmed person.

Buncha PET chickens, ducks, and a pair of Toulouse geese.  Oh, plus 2 wiener dogs, some bunnies and 2 cats which own me.

MAHONRI'S 3RD ANNUAL, BYC EASTER HATCH-A-LONG!!!!

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-- Linda (AKA: gryeyes)
I refuse to fight a battle of wits with an unarmed person.

Buncha PET chickens, ducks, and a pair of Toulouse geese.  Oh, plus 2 wiener dogs, some bunnies and 2 cats which own me.

MAHONRI'S 3RD ANNUAL, BYC EASTER HATCH-A-LONG!!!!

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post #8 of 15
Quote:
Originally Posted by mama24 

He's an EE, and the chicks could end up being a variety of colors. smile I let a broody hatch out some eggs last month, and from 3 EE eggs, I got 1 silver (I have 2 silver EE's!) and 2 crele (the dad was a mixed breed crele colored roo), and from my red sexlink egg, I got a black barred chick! Hatching mixed breeds is so much fun! You never know what your gonna get! Well, I guess those who study chicken genetics probably do, but for the rest of us, it's a huge surprise!


See!! What you said, exactly the way I think too!  thumbsup

I'm Sandy!  Mom to 3 terrific sons, Grandma to 2 wonderful grandsons. I have 6 SS,  7 EEs,  3 CMs, 4 Cochins (2 blue, 1 part.. 1 Red)  1BA, 1BS, 1 SLW, 1 GLS, 1 CWL, 11 Beautiful Mixes, 8 Silkies, 2 SF/Silkie,  Broody sitting 10 Split Coro. SS eggs and Coming soon a dozen Pure Coro. Sussex Eggs!!

Rooster are Zeus (Orpington), Oliver and Rally (Sal.Favs) Blackbeard (SF/Silkie) and...

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I'm Sandy!  Mom to 3 terrific sons, Grandma to 2 wonderful grandsons. I have 6 SS,  7 EEs,  3 CMs, 4 Cochins (2 blue, 1 part.. 1 Red)  1BA, 1BS, 1 SLW, 1 GLS, 1 CWL, 11 Beautiful Mixes, 8 Silkies, 2 SF/Silkie,  Broody sitting 10 Split Coro. SS eggs and Coming soon a dozen Pure Coro. Sussex Eggs!!

Rooster are Zeus (Orpington), Oliver and Rally (Sal.Favs) Blackbeard (SF/Silkie) and...

Reply
post #9 of 15
Quote:
Originally Posted by emerald eyes 

I am thinking about breeding my delaware hen with my Ameraucana rooster, what should I expect from the mix?   Also, if I mix the RIR rooster with the Delaware, will it be a sex-link (red star)?   I am trying to get some eggs for a friend that wants to start raising chickens, but what to make sure the off spring will be okay.


You can mix any different chickens for the most part I guess and the chicks will be fine.  Don't get me wrong when I say that "Mutts" or "Mixes" In My Opinion, seem to be way more vigorous and healthy for the most part, I got alot of em!  I do love the purebreds too! Some I mix and some I keep pure.

Im not sure exactly what you mean by you " just want to make sure the offspring will be ok"?? But Mixed breeds do just as well as pures,and  big_smile  If its a hen It will lay eggs.  big_smile  AND as a special +++ when you mixing with EEs you never know what your gonna get and if nothing else your gonna have a really pretty yard flock. wink

I'm Sandy!  Mom to 3 terrific sons, Grandma to 2 wonderful grandsons. I have 6 SS,  7 EEs,  3 CMs, 4 Cochins (2 blue, 1 part.. 1 Red)  1BA, 1BS, 1 SLW, 1 GLS, 1 CWL, 11 Beautiful Mixes, 8 Silkies, 2 SF/Silkie,  Broody sitting 10 Split Coro. SS eggs and Coming soon a dozen Pure Coro. Sussex Eggs!!

Rooster are Zeus (Orpington), Oliver and Rally (Sal.Favs) Blackbeard (SF/Silkie) and...

Reply

I'm Sandy!  Mom to 3 terrific sons, Grandma to 2 wonderful grandsons. I have 6 SS,  7 EEs,  3 CMs, 4 Cochins (2 blue, 1 part.. 1 Red)  1BA, 1BS, 1 SLW, 1 GLS, 1 CWL, 11 Beautiful Mixes, 8 Silkies, 2 SF/Silkie,  Broody sitting 10 Split Coro. SS eggs and Coming soon a dozen Pure Coro. Sussex Eggs!!

Rooster are Zeus (Orpington), Oliver and Rally (Sal.Favs) Blackbeard (SF/Silkie) and...

Reply
post #10 of 15
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by stormylady 
Quote:
Originally Posted by emerald eyes 

I am thinking about breeding my delaware hen with my Ameraucana rooster, what should I expect from the mix?   Also, if I mix the RIR rooster with the Delaware, will it be a sex-link (red star)?   I am trying to get some eggs for a friend that wants to start raising chickens, but what to make sure the off spring will be okay.


You can mix any different chickens for the most part I guess and the chicks will be fine.  Don't get me wrong when I say that "Mutts" or "Mixes" In My Opinion, seem to be way more vigorous and healthy for the most part, I got alot of em!  I do love the purebreds too! Some I mix and some I keep pure.

Im not sure exactly what you mean by you " just want to make sure the offspring will be ok"?? But Mixed breeds do just as well as pures,and  big_smile  If its a hen It will lay eggs.  big_smile  AND as a special +++ when you mixing with EEs you never know what your gonna get and if nothing else your gonna have a really pretty yard flock. wink


I have never breed or thought about breeding chickens, so I am new to this whole hatching an egg and having grow into something. I didn't know if mixing breeds would have detrimental effects on their health or create infertile or deformed chicks.  My hens have been laying for about 14 months, pretty regularly (up to last week, they are molting), the delaware is an egg machine, but my buff orphs are just as busy in the nest.

Do you think a 18 month old hen will accept a 6 month old rooster as a mate?

Crazy chicken lady with 5 roosters, 24 pullets, 3 laying hens, 2 labradors, 1 bearded dragon and a pond with fish
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Crazy chicken lady with 5 roosters, 24 pullets, 3 laying hens, 2 labradors, 1 bearded dragon and a pond with fish
Reply
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