Breeding (Red star, easter egger...)

[KateLandChick]

I want to let one of our hens go broody and hatch some chicks this spring. We have an Easter Egger Rooster. Our hens are Buff Orpington, Red Star, and Turkens. We are thinking of hatching the red star,easter egger cross because, we like the size and production of the red star eggs. What are you thoughts? Could the eggs of these be blue or green, could they still be large like the red star eggs? Also, is there a period of time that the hens should be laying before we try and have a hen sit on the eggs?

 

[Michael OShay]

Assuming your rooster is an F1 Easter Egger (he will probably have a pea comb if this is the case), 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. I would wait until the eggs have reached their full size before you have a hen sit on them.

 

[KateLandChick]

Thank you for your response. How long does it normally take for them to start laying their full size eggs?

 

[Michael OShay]

Thank you for your response. How long does it normally take for them to start laying their full size eggs?

You're welcome. It typically takes about a month from their first egg until the eggs have reached full size. After they've been laying for a month, the eggs should be fine for putting under a hen.

 

[KateLandChick]

Thank you!

 

[Michael OShay]

Thank you!

You're welcome.