Blue egg genetics... sex linked in any way?

[WalkingOnSunshine]

Without wishing to wade into the Ameraucana/Easter Egger debate in any way...

I am looking for a roo or two or three for my flock of 30. Right now we have 5 EEs, and I like them because they all look different and are funny, much like the mutty dogs I've owned. I am considering adding an Ameraucana roo to the flock for predator alerts (our birds will be pastured once it stops raining and we get the fence up) and so that if I let a hen sit on some eggs, the results would be EEs.

Is there something wrong with this logic? I don't want to breed Ameraucanas, because I don't have a good place to isolate different breeds. My ladies are BO, Speckled Sussex, Delawares, black Australorps, several colors of Wyandottes and barred Rocks, along with the Easter Eggers. I'm really fond of my Delawares, so I expect that one of the roos that I get will be a Delaware.

Thanks for your expertise!
E

 

[Guitartists]

Yup, they will be Easter Eggers, and yes, they should make more blue egg babies

My EE's were hatched from that kind of a pairing

And the babies are so pretty and varied in color.

As I understand it...... If your Amer. roo mates with your non-blue chickens, you might still get pullets that will grow up to lay blue/green eggs. But only time will tell.

I have seen mentioned more than once that you should keep the roo from the bluest egg or darkest egg (Marans) to breed with.... I assume this is because the male plays a part in egg color genes... but I don't know or understand just yet how that works... anyone? Could somebody explain egg color genes for us? Kev?

 

[coopist]

To my knowledge, the blue egg gene is not sex-linked. It is dominant over white, and it presents simultaneously with brown coloring to produce a green or olive shell.

I'm not sure on the terminology of mixing Ameraucana with other breeds. An EE may be a non-standard, mixed heritage chicken, but they're usually a fairly established hatchery strain of bird, not quite like breeding an Ameraucana over a Speckled Sussex etc, which I would just simply call a "barnyard mix." Others may have a different view, but that's what I'd say.