colored eggs, I know it's been beat to death, but...

[klf73]

I have 5-6 mutt hens(suspect ,3-4 roos too) that we hatched. I want to put them with the Ameraucana I will be hatching. They are all pets that we wanted for eggs. If I decide to incubate these, will the mutt eggs (came from brown, orp or austarlorp X) be brown, if the roo is Ameraucana? All logic tells me the hen will lay brown regardless of roo, but the chicks may have tinted eggs when they lay? I just wanted to know because the mutt eggs will definitely be for consumption but I didn't want to set up another coop for mutt hens. As long as I definitely take out the mutt roos there won't be any problems right? I think I'm confusing myself

All colored eggs will be from the Ameraucana hens right? Thanks for putting up with me, I think I need a nap

Krista

 

[Kev]

All of the basic egg color genes(white, tan, brown and the "colored eggs") are passed on by both parents.

You are right in guessing the brown layers will pass on their brown egg genes to the offspring. However if the rooster has the O gene(thats the gene for the blue/green egg color) he will also pass them to the cross chicks.. so at least half or even all of the cross hens will lay colored eggs of variable shades, most likely in green shades as the O gene combined with brown eggshell gives green shells.