Breeding to get Silked EE

[NatJ]

Does this make the blue gene recessive if they only had one part? So if my rooster only has one part blue and crosses with a white egg-layer that would make half blue-layer chicks and half white, or would that only mean they carry a recessive blue trait?

The blue egg gene is dominant, not recessive.

A hen with one blue egg gene, and one not-blue egg gene, will lay blue eggs. But she only gives the blue egg gene to half of her own chicks, and the other half of her chicks get the gene for not-blue eggs.

For the rooster, he doesn't lay eggs, but if he has one blue and one not-blue egg color gene, he gives the blue egg gene to half of his chicks and the not-blue egg gene to the other half of his chicks. If the mother of the chicks is a white egg layer, then she gives not-blue egg genes to all the chicks. That makes half the chicks pure for not-blue eggs (those daughters lay white eggs, those sons cannot pass blue eggs to their own chicks). The other half of the chicks have one blue egg gene from the rooster and one not-blue from their mother, so those daughters lay blue eggs. Males and females of this type will pass the blue egg gene to half of their own chicks, and the not-blue egg gene to the other half of their own chicks.

 

[HollyParks]

So if I’m understanding correctly, my Silked EE hen, who lays blue eggs, may or may not carry a “not-blue” egg gene, so her offspring with the Silked EE rooster will have some blue and some non-blue layers in the same clutch?

In my head I had just assumed the pair would have offspring that were Silked and also laid blue eggs… It’s hard to know because I’m not even sure how this hybrid was even made.

I don’t mind the breeding project, but I want to make sure I don’t tell the buyers of my chicks that they will lay blue eggs when they may not.

 

[NatJ]

So if I’m understanding correctly, my Silked EE hen, who lays blue eggs, may or may not carry a “not-blue” egg gene

Correct

so her offspring with the Silked EE rooster will have some blue and some non-blue layers in the same clutch?

Maybe, maybe not. If at least one parent has two blue egg genes, then all daughters will lay blue eggs (because they all inherit at least one blue egg gene.)

But if you have two parents that each have one blue egg gene, or if one parent has one blue egg gene and the other has none, then yes there would be some daughters that lay blue and some that do not.

In my head I had just assumed the pair would have offspring that were Silked and also laid blue eggs… It’s hard to know because I’m not even sure how this hybrid was even made.

If both parents have silkie-type feathers, then all chicks will too. So that part will work right. Recessive genes are nice that way.

Yes, it's hard to know, because of not knowing how your current ones were produced.

I don’t mind the breeding project, but I want to make sure I don’t tell the buyers of my chicks that they will lay blue eggs when they may not.

Depending on how many genetic tests you are willing to pay for....

If at least one parent has 2 blue egg genes, then all daughters will lay blue eggs. So testing the rooster might be enough (if he has 2 blue egg genes).

If the rooster does not have 2 blue egg genes, but then you test a hen and she does have 2, then all HER daughters will lay blue eggs, even if he is the father.

Any time you breed 2 birds that are known to have 2 copies of the blue egg gene, their chicks are certain to have that as well. So with a bit of time, testing, and record-keeping, you can end up with some birds that you know without needing for tests. You can eventually build yourself an entire flock of them.

 

[HollyParks]

Correct


Maybe, maybe not. If at least one parent has two blue egg genes, then all daughters will lay blue eggs (because they all inherit at least one blue egg gene.)

But if you have two parents that each have one blue egg gene, or if one parent has one blue egg gene and the other has none, then yes there would be some daughters that lay blue and some that do not.


If both parents have silkie-type feathers, then all chicks will too. So that part will work right. Recessive genes are nice that way.

Yes, it's hard to know, because of not knowing how your current ones were produced.


Depending on how many genetic tests you are willing to pay for....

If at least one parent has 2 blue egg genes, then all daughters will lay blue eggs. So testing the rooster might be enough (if he has 2 blue egg genes).

If the rooster does not have 2 blue egg genes, but then you test a hen and she does have 2, then all HER daughters will lay blue eggs, even if he is the father.

Any time you breed 2 birds that are known to have 2 copies of the blue egg gene, their chicks are certain to have that as well. So with a bit of time, testing, and record-keeping, you can end up with some birds that you know without needing for tests. You can eventually build yourself an entire flock of them.

Okay, thank you for making this so clear. I learned a lot and it looks like I have a lot more to learn. The next thing on my list is to figure out how to use the chicken genetics calculator

 

[NatJ]

Okay, thank you for making this so clear. I learned a lot and it looks like I have a lot more to learn. The next thing on my list is to figure out how to use the chicken genetics calculator

I've made some posts about that in the past. I think each of these has some parts that might help:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/oops-what-is-expected-color.1611229/#post-27483985

https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...lavender-orpington-hen.1610339/#post-27462412

https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...ute-white-splash.1608685/page-7#post-27444190

 

[HollyParks]

I've made some posts about that in the past. I think each of these has some parts that might help:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/oops-what-is-expected-color.1611229/#post-27483985

https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...lavender-orpington-hen.1610339/#post-27462412

https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...ute-white-splash.1608685/page-7#post-27444190

Update: one of his daughters laid her first egg today!

 

[NatJ]

Update: one of his daughters laid her first egg today!

The green one? Nice!

So if that pullet's mother laid brown eggs, you know for sure that the father has at least one blue egg gene, because he gave it to that pullet.

 

[HollyParks]

The green one? Nice!

So if that pullet's mother laid brown eggs, you know for sure that the father has at least one blue egg gene, because he gave it to that pullet.

Yes. Her mother is a Welsummer. I’m curious if the color will deepen as she lays more and how the spots will vary. I have one more that has a Delaware as the mother and the same rooster as a father. I’m interested to see if hers will be green as well.

 

[Slothinc]

The green egg from your wellsummer and silkied ee rooster is so gorgeous, wow!! And that is awesome to know that both he and your hen each carry at least one blue egg gene!