Easter Egger club!

[apryl29]

So it's possible for a bird to have the puffy cheeks and beard of a egger, but not get the blue egg gene? When a larger hatchery sells eggers is it's possible that a bird that's marketed as an egger but lay white eggs?

 

[debid]

I only have the one EE, Boo, and the rest of them are either Buff Orpington order Rhode Island Reds. I would love to cross the EE with either BO or RIR. Has anyone done this or know of someone who has?

Lots of folks make barnyard mixes. The results, though, are going to vary depending on what plumage genes your EE has. For example, yours carries dominant white so he can make chicks that are light like he is with any hen.

 

[debid]

So it's possible for a bird to have the puffy cheeks and beard of a egger, but not get the blue egg gene? When a larger hatchery sells eggers is it's possible that a bird that's marketed as an egger but lay white eggs?

Yes. That's why the hatcheries cover their backsides by saying eggers lay all colors. They only hatch the blue and green eggs but missing the boat happens.

 

[apryl29]

Very good to know. I have 4 eggers. One is def laying blue eggs and I have another that has laid 2 shell-less eggs, I assume it's another bird b/c both times it's happened on a day when I got a blue egg. Then I have 2 others who haven't laid at all yet, but their combs are still small and pink. So if I get a white egg I know it's from one of them. I'm glad to know this b/c I would have probably assumed it came from my bantam until I got it the same day as her actual egg. All my others are brown layers.

 

[junebuggena]

So it's possible for a bird to have the puffy cheeks and beard of a egger, but not get the blue egg gene? When a larger hatchery sells eggers is it's possible that a bird that's marketed as an egger but lay white eggs?

Muffs and beards have nothing to do with the blue shell gene. I've had two clean faced, hatchery sourced girls that were pure for the blue shell gene.
The pea comb gene, however, is linked to the blue shell gene. They are neighbors on the DNA strand and usually inherit together.

 

[FlyWheel]

I have seven EEs and they lay a full rainbow: Blue, green light blue, cyan, even pink and orange/yellow. Like I said, Usually has a blue egg gene. Not always.

The two on the right are from my Marans and my Production Red, the rest from my EEs.

Remember, the brown shades are not in the shell, they're a coating! If you want to know what color shell your hen is laying, look at the inside!

 

[Crooked Chicken]

Here's my LF EE girl from Cackle... 5 1/2 months old and lays a blue egg. View attachment 1106267 View attachment 1106268 View attachment 1106269 View attachment 1106270

SunHwaKwon, you girl looks very similar to my Mocha. I purchased all of my chicks at Orscheln, who I believe got them from Cackle Hatchery also. I chose 4 chicks that were very differently colored. Note: the store had them labelled as Ameraucana pullets. I'm not the least bit disappointed in the Easter Egger designation -- love my babes.

By the way, what is "LF". I'll have to check out the baord again later and see if there is a list of common abbreviations.

 

[debid]

SunHwaKwon, you girl looks very similar to my Mocha. I purchased all of my chicks at Orscheln, who I believe got them from Cackle Hatchery also. I chose 4 chicks that were very differently colored. Note: the store had them labelled as Ameraucana pullets. I'm not the least bit disappointed in the Easter Egger designation -- love my babes.

By the way, what is "LF". I'll have to check out the baord again later and see if there is a list of common abbreviations.

LF = large fowl, not a bantam

 

[yoopergirl1211]

I can't wait to start crossing my EEs with some other breeds!

 

[BurbCoop]

You babies look similar to our Olive when she was a chick.. here's then View attachment 1112098and nowView attachment 1112099
.. oddly Damon looked different as a chick
View attachment 1112100
but looks exactly the same as Olive, except she has blonde around her neck instead of red. (just now realizing I have no close up photos of Damon). Both Olive and Damon are very derpy.. Olive loves to chase wild bunnies and flap her wings while she runs.
View attachment 1112103
I had 2 different colored yellow egger chicks (dark yellow and light) and both of them turned out to be pure white birds. One lays blue eggs, so far.
Also, love your chicken names!

I really like the coloring of your birds! Definitely part of what makes Easter Eggers so fun, you never know what you are going to get.

As it has been with all of our chickens, they named themselves. Olaf didn't quite have her footing on day one and she sat there like a frumpy snowman with big cheeks, so the name stuck. Immediately the other one became Sven and it fits her personality