Blue Egg Layers

[twach]

Hey all
What breeds lay blue eggs and have two copies of the blue egg gene. I want to start a breeding project but want to make sure I'm selecting the right birds. I know true Americana and Araucana both do. Just un- sure the other blue of layers out there.

 

[NatJ]

What breeds lay blue eggs and have two copies of the blue egg gene. I want to start a breeding project but want to make sure I'm selecting the right birds. I know true Americana and Araucana both do. Just un- sure the other blue of layers out there.

Cream Legbars do, and Whiting True Blues as well (at least according to the description on the McMurray hatchery website.)

For the various hatchery-specific versions of blue or green eggers, it is inconsistent. Some hatcheries have flocks that do breed true for the blue egg trait, and some do not.

I have read of some Ameraucanas and Legbars that do not actually have two copies of the blue egg gene, even though they are supposed to.

Depending on what kind of breeding project you want to do, some projects can also work with birds that have one copy of the blue egg gene, and some cannot.

If it is important to you, I would suggest genetic testing for the birds that matter.
I don't know what country you are in, but here is a lab in the USA that does it:
https://iqbirdtesting.com/blueegg
It could get costly to test very many birds, but not as costly as raising several generations and then having white or brown eggs pop up unexpectedly.

 

[Chicken_tiger_catt]

Hey all
What breeds lay blue eggs and have two copies of the blue egg gene. I want to start a breeding project but want to make sure I'm selecting the right birds. I know true Americana and Araucana both do. Just un- sure the other blue of layers out there.

the cream Legbar is an auto breed, so you can tell males from females by colour.

 

[twach]

the cream Legbar is an auto breed, so you can tell males from females by colour.

Do they carry two copy's of the Blue egg gene?

 

[Chicken_tiger_catt]

Do they carry two copy's of the Blue egg gene?

I am not sure, I think it would depend on the individual. that being said, in most cases blue is dominant to white, and green happens when you cross blue with a bird who's eggs are brown, as brown is not the color of the egg, but of the bloom.

 

[NatJ]

I am not sure, I think it would depend on the individual. that being said, in most cases blue is dominant to white, and green happens when you cross blue with a bird who's eggs are brown

The blue and the brown are controlled by separate genes. There can be chickens that breed true for green eggs, just like ones that breed true for brown, white, or blue eggs.

Yes, green is caused by brown being deposited on the outside of a blue egg.

brown is not the color of the egg, but of the bloom.

Wrong. "Bloom" is not the correct word for the brown.

The egg has a blue or white shell, with an outer layer of brown on some (makes white eggs brown, and blue eggs green).

The bloom is something that goes on after that: something that is wet/slippery when the egg is laid, then dries mostly clear. It can look white in places, and is sometimes the cause of white speckles on eggs of various colors.

The bloom is also called the "cuticle."

There are many threads on this site explaining this. One example:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/eggs-have-a-shiny-substance-on-them.1333766/

The bloom is fairly easy to wash off, but the brown stays on the egg unless you really scrub or scratch it.

 

[NatJ]

Do they carry two copy's of the Blue egg gene?

Cream Legbars are supposed to have two copies of the blue egg gene.

Like any other breed, there can be some that do not have the genes they are supposed to have (such chickens can have the wrong feather color, egg color, comb shape, leg color, etc.)

 

[SourRoses]

After the cost of raising some chicks and waiting until they're old enough to breed, it's the expensive option. A better route is to find breeders of, say, Ameraucana, near you, and message them to ask about free or discounted roosters. There are a lot of breeders with quality stock who have to cull many good cockerels each year in search of a standout rooster. They would probably be very happy to give you a nice cockerel for free or at a low price.
I'm not at that level or anything, but I gave away several nice cockerels that people wanted for the double blue egg gene for projects, usually with some flaw like color leakage on the feathers or incorrect eye color. Cockerels that were higher quality I sold for $20. I also had good results when I messaged a local big name breeder and asked about her retired breeder stock. She was quite happy to help me out!

 

[twach]

After the cost of raising some chicks and waiting until they're old enough to breed, it's the expensive option. A better route is to find breeders of, say, Ameraucana, near you, and message them to ask about free or discounted roosters. There are a lot of breeders with quality stock who have to cull many good cockerels each year in search of a standout rooster. They would probably be very happy to give you a nice cockerel for free or at a low price.
I'm not at that level or anything, but I gave away several nice cockerels that people wanted for the double blue egg gene for projects, usually with some flaw like color leakage on the feathers or incorrect eye color. Cockerels that were higher quality I sold for $20. I also had good results when I messaged a local big name breeder and asked about her retired breeder stock. She was quite happy to help me out!

Not quite what I was asking about! Just asking what breeds are homozygous for blue egg genes rather than hetero. I already have the roosters that I need. It was more so for picking the right hen. I’m breeding for green and don’t want brown eggs popping up down the line.
Thanks though.