blue egg blues

[cpartist]

Not only is color subjective, and can vary from bird to bird within the same breed, but within the cycle, as Sonoran Silkies pointed out.
And the cycle can be from Spring to Fall, but also from a shorter time period.

One of my Blue Wheaten Ameraucanas laid an egg that had too much green in it IMO, when she first started laying. As the weeks
progressed, however, they became a more blue/aqua color that I really like. She lays nearly every day, but if she skips a day or two,
she'll lay a more green one. All I can figure is that more pigment is on the eggs that are laid after a break, similar to the Marans. She
laid all the eggs below including the one in the center over the last week or so, with the exception of the one at 6 o'clock.
That was laid by another pullet, and it's a bit hard to differentiate on the photo, but it is pure blue, no green at all, but my
personal preference is for the more aqua ones. They are more vibrant, to my eye, than the sky blue eggs, which are likely more "correct"
for this breed.

I do think the Ameraucanas are going to give you the best chance at blue (in it's variations) consistently. I've read the Wheatens and
another variety, maybe Silvers? have the best color in the breed. If you are looking for large blue eggs though, you might be disappointed.
Although mine are still pullets, their eggs are on the small side compared to other pullets of other breeds that are the same age.

 

[burquechick]

I read somewhere that the rooster contributes more to egg color of offspring than the hen does. You might need a good rooster too. I don't know for sure though.

*Edited to add - Alright someone already covered this.

 

[ultasol]

You might want to give a shout out to Jean Ribbeck, aka Pips and Peeps, because I know she culls heavily for egg color. She has many colors of purebred, to standard, Ameraucana. Ask her what color birds are laying the best blue eggs and get a couple dozen.


She and I did a goose exchange and she sent me home with 24 of her older eggs just for giggles..... well,.. all 24 were fertile, one had a blood ring at 6 days, and one did not make it out of the shell. 22 birds out of 24 old eggs. Not bad.

Personally, I just LOVE her buffs and her whites. Some of her white hens lay HUGE blue eggs.

Much better bet than easter eggers... and if you have extra eggs they are worth more as hatching eggs as well.

 

[fl_deb]

The response from BYCers continues to amaze me!

Thank you so much, I knew if I could pose the right questions you all would come through with answers!