Chicken Egg Color Genetics Discussion

[ChickenCanoe]

The only 2 I am aware of. If you know of others, let me know.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Look what I found: 13 or more genes View attachment 1268550

The only other comment I have about that article is that the shell is formed in the uterus, not the isthmus.

 

[Brahma Chicken5000]

The only 2 I am aware of. If you know of others, let me know.

Depends if you count Ameraucanas, Aruacanas, Legbars, Easter Eggers, & Silkies

 

[Brahma Chicken5000]

The only other comment I have about that article is that the shell is formed in the uterus, not the isthmus.

 

[Maytag08]

Every egg starts as white. Then they have two genes either the blue egg gene or non blue egg gene. (We'll call non blue white for conversations sake)
Yes blue is dominate to white
Of course they can have one blue and one white or two blues or two whites.
The genes for brown is separate and yes involves several different genes all of which aren't know. The different brown genes are why there's such a variety of shades of brown.
Lets go back to white and blue. We'll call it step one. You know how it works. Each chicken has two genes and pass one of their two to their offspring.
Isbars are pure for blue eggs and pass blue egg genes to all their offspring. In step one they are just as ameraucana or legbars they breed true for blue.
Step two is brown egg genes. No there is no green egg gene. Its just a matter of having blue and brown genes in the same bird. Brown genes on white make brown. Brown on blue makes green.
Isbars also carry brown genes so they pass one of their two blue genes and their brown egg genes to their offspring. They breed true to green because they get blue and brown from both parents.
If you look at olive eggs you can see how they came about. To get olive eggs or green eggs you cross in brown egg genes into a bird with blue egg genes.
Brown egg layers have two white egg genes so when you bring in the brown you bring in white. The offspring then have one blue gene and one white egg gene then also brown egg genes. If you then cross those together you can get one blue gene and one white gene (50%) two white genes (25%) or two blue genes (25%) the brown genes or at least some of them are going along for the ride.
With isbars selective breeding resulted in getting two blue genes and brown genes in the same bird so unless you cross in white egg genes they have no choice but to breed true for blue and brown so results in green eggs.
That's what olive eggs strive for. Problem with them is that when selective breeding to get the two blue genes back together you lose some of the brown genes so the eggs result in lighter then olive green. Breeders then breed back to a dark brown layer to darken their green eggs. When doing that they bring back in a white egg gene and have to start over in trying to get pure for blue again.
Hope that makes sense.

 

[Maytag08]

I was told there is a feed you can get to change the color of the eggs, Is this true

 

[Brahma Chicken5000]

I was told there is a feed you can get to change the color of the eggs, Is this true

Feed with marigold in it will make the egg yolk a darker yellow but it will not effect the shell color

 

[The Moonshiner]

Legbars have white lobes and lay blue eggs.
I don't believe lobe color is linked to egg color at all.
Legbars also have single comb so not sure how pea combs are supposed to be linked to blue eggs either.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Depends if you count Ameraucanas, Aruacanas, Legbars, Easter Eggers, & Silkies

I was just referring to breeds with white lobes that lay brown eggs.

 

[Brahma Chicken5000]

I was just referring to breeds with white lobes that lay brown eggs.

Then I think it’s only the Penedesenca and the Empordanesa.