Best Olive Egger Crosses

[Chikyboy]

Also, is it better to have a dark brown egg with that reddish tinge m

Thank you! I’m actually in search of a breeder to buy hatching eggs from in hopes to get a rooster with dark egg gene. Wondering how dark I should be searching for. Also why is it better to have a Marans roo over a blue egg laying hen and not the other way around? Thanks again!

Like @nicalandia said, most Maran dark egg genes are sex linked, so if you did a blue layer roo over a Maran hen, the roosters may be the only offspring that are actually olive Eggers, but they don't lay eggs. So if you want the female offspring to lay olive eggs, I recommend Maran roosters over a blue layer.

 

[Auntiejessi3]

Well that entire things getting scrapped as the true amerauacan i had from deer run farms doesnt have a blue egg gene so that was a waste of time and will be selling them all

Why wouldn't a true ameraucana have the blue egg gene?

 

[Iluveggers]

Why wouldn't a true ameraucana have the blue egg gene?

Same question!

 

[Auntiejessi3]

Same question!

I read through twice just to make sure I read it right, lol

 

[Poultrybonkers]

Why wouldn't a true ameraucana have the blue egg gene?

Because they lied about them being pure is my guess.

 

[Auntiejessi3]

Because they lied about them being pure is my guess.

Well, that makes sense then

 

[AlexandraF]

Many of the Maran dark egg genes are sex linked, so I suggest doing the Maran rooster over a blue/green egger, that way you will get the best possible outcome

Ok thanks, I will keeping searching for a Marans roo, can you explain how the dark egg genes are sex linked?

 

[DarJones]

I am curious how the ameraucana was determined not to have blue egg genes. You state you bred the Ameraucana ( presumable a rooster) to a Marans hen then an hour and a half later post that the Ameraucana did not have the blue egg gene.

Suspicion #1: you don't have an Ameraucana, you have an easter egger rooster.
Suspicion #2: it is highly unlikely your pullet laid an egg in that specific hour and a half so this story has an unknown source to prove the genetics.
Suspicion #3: you don't quite understand how the blue egg gene on chromosome 1 works.

For the Marans question about sex linked genes, look up W/Z sex determination chromosomes for birds. Males are homogametic for ZZ while females have ZW. The hen determines which sex the chick will hatch as by providing either a Z or W chromosome. Since some of the genes for porphyrin production are on the sex chromosomes, it is possible to double the likely hood of a good transmission to offspring by using a rooster that is homozygous for the trait.

Delving just a little deeper into the genetics, the porphyrin coating is deposited on the egg after the eggshell has formed by specialized secretory cells in the duct down which the egg travels. More secretory cells gives a darker egg. Marans have been selected for more secretory cells along with having them along more of the reproductive duct.

It is also important to understand that porphyrin production is not just a gene. It is a "biopath" meaning several genes work in concert to produce the coating on eggs. Turn on or off one of those genes and the result could be lighter eggs or even plain white eggs. There is also a "zinc white" gene that affects the porphyrin biopath. In your case, zinc white must be avoided as it can severely limit porphryin production.

 

[Poultrybonkers]

I am curious how the ameraucana was determined not to have blue egg genes. You state you bred the Ameraucana ( presumable a rooster) to a Marans hen then an hour and a half later post that the Ameraucana did not have the blue egg gene.

Suspicion #1: you don't have an Ameraucana, you have an easter egger rooster.
Suspicion #2: it is highly unlikely your pullet laid an egg in that specific hour and a half so this story has an unknown source to prove the genetics.
Suspicion #3: you don't quite understand how the blue egg gene on chromosome 1 works.

For the Marans question about sex linked genes, look up W/Z sex determination chromosomes for birds. Males are homogametic for ZZ while females have ZW. The hen determines which sex the chick will hatch as by providing either a Z or W chromosome. Since some of the genes for porphyrin production are on the sex chromosomes, it is possible to double the likely hood of a good transmission to offspring by using a rooster that is homozygous for the trait.

Delving just a little deeper into the genetics, the porphyrin coating is deposited on the egg after the eggshell has formed by specialized secretory cells in the duct down which the egg travels. More secretory cells gives a darker egg. Marans have been selected for more secretory cells along with having them along more of the reproductive duct.

It is also important to understand that porphyrin production is not just a gene. It is a "biopath" meaning several genes work in concert to produce the coating on eggs. Turn on or off one of those genes and the result could be lighter eggs or even plain white eggs. There is also a "zinc white" gene that affects the porphyrin biopath. In your case, zinc white must be avoided as it can severely limit porphryin production.

Rooster is suppose to be a pure am bred him to a wyandotte last year that bird just started laying and blue over brown equals green which its brown making the am rooster only having one copy of the blue egg gene i was rasing the olive eggers on hoping this rooster wasnt like the brother who also only had one blue egg gene meaning breeder lied about them being pure its no better them people selling easter eggers as true ams. Which woud make this rooster an ee which is useless to me so will not be keeping it nor the olive eggers or the other hen thats laying brown

 

[Iluveggers]

Rooster is suppose to be a pure am bred him to a wyandotte last year that bird just started laying and blue over brown equals green which its brown making the am rooster only having one copy of the blue egg gene i was rasing the olive eggers on hoping this rooster wasnt like the brother who also only had one blue egg gene meaning breeder lied about them being pure its no better them people selling easter eggers as true ams. Which woud make this rooster an ee which is useless to me so will not be keeping it nor the olive eggers or the other hen thats laying brown

Blue over brown does make green…even with 2 blue egg genes.