Ameraucana rooster over Marans hens

[Izzy Dietzler]

Im wanting to breed some first generation olive eggers this next year. I bought an Ameraucana rooster to breed to my black maran hens but people have been telling me that I should breed a maran rooster to ameraucana hens. Why does it matter what gender has what genes? What color egg would I get, green or diluted brown?

 

[Egghead_Jr]

It depends on what your cock bird is carrying. Is he a true Ameraucana or is he hatchery stock? The same goes for what quality dark egg the Marans are currently laying. If the cock is pure and the Marans laying quality dark eggs then the offspring would lay moss-olive.

I don't see how switching the breed of sire and dam would change egg color as both parent contribute equally and egg color is not sex linked. Perhaps what you were reading had more to do with end goals of feather color and pattern to which Silver and Gold are sex linked.

 

[Izzy Dietzler]

It depends on what your cock bird is carrying. Is he a true Ameraucana or is he hatchery stock? The same goes for what quality dark egg the Marans are currently laying. If the cock is pure and the Marans laying quality dark eggs then the offspring would lay moss-olive.

I don't see how switching the breed of sire and dam would change egg color as both parent contribute equally and egg color is not sex linked. Perhaps what you were reading had more to do with end goals of feather color and pattern to which Silver and Gold are sex linked.

Thank you. I joined a olive egger facebook group and they told me that. Anyways my Ameraucana rooster is purebred I will be using him to breed my true ameraucana hens as well. Then my marans dont lay the super dark egg color but they lay darker than usual, im saving the darkest laying hens for my purebred marans breeding pen. Im just looking for green this year anthing darker is welcome but as long as the offspring produce green im fine with it, I am going to be doing a few different generations to get the coloring im wanting in the bird so I have a few generations to get the shell darker green.

 

[The Moonshiner]

There are quite a few (13+ I believe) genes related to brown eggs. Some are sex linked so in theory a Marans rooster can contribute more towards darker eggs then a Marans hen could.

 

[LadiesAndJane]

I believe that part of the reasoning behind the Marans roo over ameraucana hens is so that the pullets produced can be bred back to their father for F2 Olive Eggers to get the darker olive colored eggs.

 

[Izzy Dietzler]

There are quite a few (13+ I believe) genes related to brown eggs. Some are sex linked so in theory a Marans rooster can contribute more towards darker eggs then a Marans hen could.

If I breed the ameraucana roo to maran hens will I still get green eggs just not as dark?

 

[The Moonshiner]

Yes you'll get green eggs. Whether they'll be as dark as going the other way around is up in the air depending exactly what genes are or aren't in play.
I said in theory because although there is a genetic reason behind it that doesn't mean the birds used are carrying the sex linked ones to make a difference.
Ive done the cross both directions and honestly never seen a difference that was enough to be concerned.
Id actually prefer the direction youre going in your situation. I'd like the Marans to be the hen side so I know exactly how dark of eggs theyre laying. Using the darkest brown eggs were always my priority but I felt being able to see them was better then going by the science and not knowing exactly what the rooster was contributing.

 

[nicalandia]

I don't see how switching the breed of sire and dam would change egg color as both parent contribute equally and egg color is not sex linked..

This is not an accurate statement, egg color is a polygenic trait, it has been found that at least two sex linked gene influence egg color