Andalusian? Prairie blue eggers??

[roonster]

That's what I would do too. That's not saying a Blue Egger couldn't have a single comb, but it will certainly tell you the potential Andalusians

what's that? see the egg color?? Yes, that will eventually occur. probably in March or April

 

[roonster]

I think they might be an f1 & f2 generation mix Prairie Bluebell? The reference i found says the bluebells will always have pea combs but not F2 generation...they would have single combs 25% of the time.
Also, this screenshot of their chicks looks like mine did...well, the black and white ones did.

 

[NatJ]

I think they might be an f1 & f2 generation mix Prairie Bluebell?

That is a possibility.

The birds with pea combs are certainly not Andalusians, but single comb could be either Andalusian or one of the egger types, and you might not be able to tell which is which until they finally start to lay eggs.

 

[roonster]

Here are some new pics, including an interesting gold laced girl. She has a pea comb...Some have single comb (and there is a Faverolles in some of the pics.)

 

[springvalley123]

I dont think sapphires have pea combs? but is Andalusian part of that cross??

Last I checked, the sapphire gems still have single combs, lay a light tan egg. If the sapphires are still a cross between a barred rock and a blue rock, that blue rock could be andalusian x barred rock, so there would be andalusian there. Someone else is more current on the "trends" on sapphire gems though, it's been a while since I had any. As for the bird up high on the gate, that behavior and his/her looks are consistent with the andalusians I've had! If I recall, the prairie bluebell egger is auracana x white leghorn. I'd bet they're more bred for the blue eggs than for any other aspect of "type" though.

 

[roonster]

So, I had a bit of information jumbled in the beginning but I now believe these are Prairie Bluebell second generation...or maybe just random generations??
I can only see one with a bit of a muff and beard but they are looking a lot like leghorns...and muffs and some pea combs suggest prairie bluebell, which I am VERY happy with...although, I don't know what the variation in egg color will be? The feather color, and phenotype, suggests that i will have very blue eggs?? Multiple gene copies for blue??

 

[NatJ]

So, I had a bit of information jumbled in the beginning but I now believe these are Prairie Bluebell second generation...or maybe just random generations??

From reading Hoover's description, I do not think "generation" matters.

If they were crossing Ameraucanas with White Leghorns and selling the F1 chicks, the birds would not look like the photos on Hoover's website or like your photos.

I think someone in past crossed those two breeds, then selectively bred the offspring for several generations to produce birds that should now be true-breeding for pea combs and blue eggs (but have a variety of feather colors.)

I can only see one with a bit of a muff and beard but they are looking a lot like leghorns...and muffs and some pea combs suggest prairie bluebell, which I am VERY happy with

Yes, Prairie Bluebell seems likely.

The feather color, and phenotype, suggests that i will have very blue eggs?? Multiple gene copies for blue??

Feather color has nothing to do with egg color.

There is a particular gene that causes blue eggs. I've read that two copies of that gene do NOT make the eggs any more blue.

Something can affect the shade of blue, probably genes that aren't properly discovered or understood yet, but I cannot predict anything about that.

Yes, your mystery birds with pea combs will probably lay blue eggs.

 

[roonster]

Thanks..

I got these from tractor supply. the only one "breeding" these was the supplier, Hoovers hatchery....

feather color is a phenotype and im basing what i said on phenotypes, not genotypes. Its not as accurate as genotypes but it certainly has something to do with Mendelian genetics and possibility. Im also assuming that Hoovers is TRYING to produce blue eggers...and that they don't care about the rest of the traits?
it was a GUESS, not a definitive. However, random crossing would produce some that look like leghorns and since I don't see that.....I expect phenotype represents the cross design and favors the Easter egger and the blue egg.

some have pea combs, some have single combs...

 

[NatJ]

I got these from tractor supply. the only one "breeding" these was the supplier, Hoovers hatchery....

That's what I meant. I think someone at the hatchery developed them, or someone else developed them and then sold breeding stock to the hatchery who now breeds them.

feather color is a phenotype and im basing what i said on phenotypes, not genotypes. Its not as accurate as genotypes but it certainly has something to do with Mendelian genetics and possibility.

Not really, as regards the feather color.

Yes, feather color is a phenotype. But it is pretty much useless when trying to predict egg color.

Some genes are linked (they tend to be inherited together, because they sit next to each other on the same chromosome: so a chick that inherits a particular gene from that parent also inherits the linked gene.) Some genes are not linked. The gene for blue eggs is NOT linked to any genes that are involved in making a chicken with blue feathers.

Im also assuming that Hoovers is TRYING to produce blue eggers...and that they don't care about the rest of the traits?

Yes, I am assuming that too.

random crossing would produce some that look like leghorns and since I don't see that.....I expect phenotype represents the cross design and favors the Easter egger and the blue egg.

There is a link between the pea comb gene and the blue egg gene. When you cross Ameraucana and Leghorn, you get chicks with one copy of pea comb/blue egg linkage (from the Ameraucana) and one copy of not-pea/not-blue-egg (from the Leghorn). If you breed those birds among themselves, you'll get some with pea combs and some with single combs. The ones with pea combs will reliably lay blue eggs, and the ones with single combs will reliably lay not-blue eggs. So of course they'd cull the single comb birds, and keep breeding the pea comb birds.

But I don't think they would be paying attention to any other traits, just the blue egg gene and the pea comb that can be used as a marker for it.

some have pea combs, some have single combs...

I think you probably have more than one kind of chicken there.

The ones with pea combs are probably Pairie Bluebell Eggers who will lay blue eggs.

Blue-feathered ones with single combs are more likely to be Andalusians who lay white eggs or Sapphire Gems who lay brown eggs.

 

[Littlefarmgirl79]

You might be thinking of Sapphire gems, but they don't lay colored eggs.

I think you have some sapphire gems. The black with iridescent sheen looks to me a sapphire gem. I have 2 of this breed.