Dark Egg Breeds Thread

[Alaskan]

you would get just regular brown... nothing dark

 

[ChickenCanoe]

You won't necessarily even get dark eggs crossing 2 dark egg breeds.
I crossed a penedesenca rooster with a welsummer hen. Her eggs were very dark as were his lines eggs. The resulting pullet laid a plain brown egg. The genes for pigment cancelled each other out.

 

[farmhand]

You won't necessarily even get dark eggs crossing 2 dark egg breeds.
I crossed a penedesenca rooster with a welsummer hen. Her eggs were very dark as were his lines eggs. The resulting pullet laid a plain brown egg. The genes for pigment cancelled each other out.

That's interesting. I was thinking of trying a Penedesenca over a Marans. Could someone try explaining why they cancelled each other? Or is that way over the top genetic science?

 

[ronott1]

That's interesting. I was thinking of trying a Penedesenca over a Marans. Could someone try explaining why they cancelled each other? Or is that way over the top genetic science?

It is not so much cancelling as different genes being expressed. Brown is complicated and there are 12 to 15 genes involved.

If the goal is getting darker eggs, it is better to stay within the same breed and select for dark eggs. Still pay attention to the standard for coloring and body though.

 

[snowbird]

When breeding the Marans if you cross two different lines the first offspring will lay lighter eggs . If you line breed these back to parents the second year will be darker. When breeding Marans try and stay within one line of fowl if you want dark eggs. Everytime you out cross the egg will be lighter. Don

 

[snowbird]

Randy, I can see from looking at your Wheaten that you have put in a lot of work on them. Keep up the good work with them. Don

 

[berkeleysprings]

Randy, I can see from looking at your Wheaten that you have put in a lot of work on them. Keep up the good work with them. Don

Thanks don coming from you that means a lot basically the only thing I've been doing is picking out what I think is the best looking Roo from year to year
I will have another 20 or so the spring using him as the father I will keep a few of the girlsin my next breeder Roo

 

[ChickenCanoe]

That's interesting. I was thinking of trying a Penedesenca over a Marans. Could someone try explaining why they cancelled each other? Or is that way over the top genetic science?

Not being a genetic expert, I do believe it is way over the top genetic science since so little research has been done on dark eggs. Most of the existing science is around white vs. basic brown.

It is not so much cancelling as different genes being expressed. Brown is complicated and there are 12 to 15 genes involved.

If the goal is getting darker eggs, it is better to stay within the same breed and select for dark eggs. Still pay attention to the standard for coloring and body though.

X2

All of which makes it a labor of love and one that needs time and effort.

 

[farmhand]

It is not so much cancelling as different genes being expressed. Brown is complicated and there are 12 to 15 genes involved.

...If the goal is getting darker eggs, it is better to stay within the same breed and select for dark eggs...

...Everytime you out cross the egg will be lighter. Don

So how does this work with Olive eggers? Blue does not effect the brown? An EE has some brown in it. Why won't that lighten it? My questions are meant to learn not question.

 

[Alaskan]

the blue is in the shell, so a true Ameraucana will have no brown genes, only the blue gene, and that blue is IN the shell, not a coating ON the shell.

Brown is a coating ON the shell.

So, for a good olive Egger, you breed an Ameraucana to a good dark eggs layer, and that chick that hatches, breed back to the same dark egg line, and you should get a very nice dark olive egg.

So.... you are line breeding the good dark egg line, and introducing a blue shell.