Breeding my red star with my easter egger roo

[KateLandChick]

We are going to hatch some chicks this spring under our broody hen. We like how the red stars lay big eggs and almost daily. What should I expect if I breed our Red star hens and our easter egger roo? We also have Buff Orpington hens and Turken hens. I'm thinking the red star would be the best bet out of our hens. What are your thought? Anyone ever breed these? Could we get blue/green eggs? Should we let them lay eggs for a period of time before we select eggs to hatch? Any info would be greatly appreciated! Thanks in advance!

 

[Kev]

If the roo has a pea comb, chances are good he has the gene for the blue/green eggs. In that case, you are guaranteed colored eggs. Most likely none will be blue, being in the green range from light to medium.

Mixes like that are very common. EE are extremely common bird found in backyards and so are various red sex link hens.

It does not make a huge difference between which hens you set eggs from, if the orps and turkens are also decent layers. Sex link hens are great layers but then they are specially bred to produce a good laying hybrid so on average any crosses with them will give birds that are good layers, but do not expect "awesome layers" as the hybrid vigor will be lost a little bit. If you like the idea of mix of colors and traits, adding some from orps and turkens would do this for sure.

 

[Michael OShay]

Assuming your rooster is an F1 Easter Egger, there is a 50% chance that he will pass the blue gene off to his offspring, which will result (as Kev pointed out) in green eggs since the Red Stars are brown egg layers. There is of course always the possibility that your EE is an F2 EE in which case he will not have the blue gene and all his offspring will simply lay brown eggs.

 

[KateLandChick]

Thank you so much for the great information!

 

[BantamFan4Life]

If the roo has a pea comb, chances are good he has the gene for the blue/green eggs.   In that case, you are guaranteed colored eggs.  Most likely none will be blue, being in the green range from light to medium.

Mixes like that are very common. EE are extremely common bird found in backyards and so are various red sex link hens. 

It does not make a huge difference between which hens you set eggs from, if the orps and turkens are also decent layers.  Sex link hens are great layers but then they are specially bred to produce a good laying hybrid so on average any crosses with them will give birds that are good layers, but do not expect "awesome layers" as the hybrid vigor will be lost a little bit.  If you like the idea of mix of colors and traits, adding some from orps and turkens would do this for sure.

I agree

 

[Lutz Farms]

I just hatched my first batch of F1's and cldnt be happier. Went the opposite direction tho..RIR rooster with striking colors and Aracauna hen. Put under a foster broody hen and had 98% hatch. She threw mostly her own (tan feathering) color but was so pleased when I did get one blue roo and few blacks too.

 

[Lutz Farms]

My question is this...I crossed my RIR rooster to my Mottled Houdan hen and the chick is just a hoot. Long legged, road runner like tail at 3 weeks, green eyes, no poof, 5 toes, very interesting bird. Kinda looks like it is getting a pea comb too. I have pounded the internet looking for others who have crossed bred these birds...no one. Any one else know?! Here is roo, hen and offspring pics.

 

[Lutz Farms]

These two birds are just outgrowing everyone else. Amazing.