Broody Hen Thread!

[sweetbeak]

Standard Blue genetics on this mating . Black x blue 50% blacks 50% blues . Color leakage possible on males . Depends on what the hen is carrying hidden .

Here's a photo of the hen who's eggs have been fertilized

Here's the roo, black orpington

 

[sweetbeak]

I don't know the genetics of rumplessness, but  the ear tufts are a lethal gene when there are two copies.  If one parent has ear tufts and the other doesn't, I would expect half the offspring to have ear tufts.

As far as the blue egg gene, if the Araucana carries two copies, the offspring will lay blue eggs since they are assured of getting a blue egg gene from the  Araucana.  If the Araucana carries only one copy, only half will have the blue egg laying gene.  Blue eggs are a dominant gene.

I don't know the genetics of brown eggs, but if the chick inherits both the blue egg laying gene and brown egg laying gene(s), the offspring will produce a green egg.  The blue pigment is incorporated in the whole egg shell, not just the outside like a brown egg.  Depending on how much brown pigment is "painted" on the egg before it is laid will determine if it is an very dark olive green color or a minty green.  The greenish eggs some of the blue-egg laying breeds produce has been attributed to a bit of brown painted on before the egg is laid.  An interesting egg is when a really dark brown egg layer is bred to a blue egg layer.  The resulting egg could be very dark olive green, but when cracked open the inside is blue.

Very interesting, thanks. I'm assuming I'll have small fluffy orpingtons, but I'll know for sure in 2 weeks when they hatch!

 

[SD Bird Lady]

Sweetbeak, your hen is most likely an EE. She is not rumpless so doesn't fit the standards of aracauna. If that is the case her background is probably very mixed and it will be hard to predict.

 

[luvmypets]

Chick hatched! But we lost an ee and another currently hatching!

 

[sweetbeak]

...

Sweetbeak, your hen is most likely an EE. She is not rumpless so doesn't fit the standards of aracauna. If that is the case her background is probably very mixed and it will be hard to predict.[/quote


When I bought her I looked up the breed and was told she was a lavender araucana but she never really looked exactly like them, so I always questioned if she was that. What is an EE? Her eggs are small and more blue/turquoise in color.

 

[jajeanpierre]

yes, that is what I mean, she has no ear tufts and is small with blue eggs.

I misread what you wrote. I thought you said she had ear tufts and was rumpless. I just saw a picture you posted of her that you and she is not an Araucana. She isn't an Ameraucana, either as she has no beard and muffs. I will say, though she is a VERY pretty little chicken.

 

[sweetbeak]

I misread what you wrote.  I thought you said she had ear tufts and was rumpless.  I just saw a picture you posted of her that you and she is not an Araucana.  She isn't an Ameraucana, either as she has no beard and muffs.  I will say, though she is a VERY pretty little chicken.  

Ameraucana, I've never heard of them, I'll read up on her and find out more. Thanks, this site is so helpful and in Australia it is harder to find so many chicken lovers like me.

 

[sweetbeak]

Ameraucana, I've never heard of them, I'll read up on her and find out more. Thanks, this site is so helpful and in Australia it is harder to find so many chicken lovers like me.

Someone else suggested an EE as well, so not an Araucana or an Ameraucana. Maybe she is just a mix of a few types??

I'll look up what an EE is, maybe that's her

 

[jajeanpierre]

Quote: An Easter Egger is a mixed breed chicken that (generally) lays blue eggs. The bigger commercial hatcheries are selling Easter Eggers under the breed names of Araucana, Ameraucana and Americana (spelled with an "i"). Araucana and Ameraucana are breeds. There is no such breed as Americana (with an "i").

I thought she was a lavender, but wasn't sure if the lighting was off in the photo. I thought I saw the lacing a blue should have, even a pale blue. She doesn't have the crummy feathers that most lavenders have. She's really pretty. I wonder if she is an Ameraucana without the beard and muff genes. Why don't you post her picture on the Ameraucana thread. Tell you you were sold her as a lavender Ameraucan and see what they say. The president of the Ameraucana breed club will let you know. Did she ever have muffs and a beard that maybe the other chickens have plucks or have broken off?

If she is a lavender, all the chicks will be black. Lavender is recessive, so they'll all carry it but not express it.

What color are the soles of her feet? Pink/white or is she yellow skinnned?

Here's a picture of one of my splash Ameraucana hens showing the muff and beard. Some don't have as full muff and beards as mine do. This hen is the biological mother of the chicks that I've hatched this past week that I've posted pictures of. A lavender Ameraucana hatched 7 of 7 and a Silkie just hatched the last chick.

 

[jajeanpierre]

Ameraucana, I've never heard of them, I'll read up on her and find out more. Thanks, this site is so helpful and in Australia it is harder to find so many chicken lovers like me.

I don't know if Australia has any Ameraucanas, but she sure is a pretty little thing.

Go to the Ameraucana Breeders Club website for pictures of Ameraucanas. If you do a google search for Ameraucanas you get mostly mixed breed Easter Eggers.

ameraucana.org