Easter Egger Genetics for Dummies 101

[ezekielSM]

Hey all!

I'm absolutely fascinated with my Easter Eggers, Chai and Java. They are just so beautiful. Easter Eggers I understand to be the 'colors-didn't-make-it' Ameraucana (which in turn are semi-linked to the Auraucanas of South America, etc).

Does anyone have a concise list of actual gene codes found in the Easter Egger or Ameraucanabreeds? I'd love to pore over a list to better understand all the colorations and patterns/etc that the Easter Eggers show.

Chai's pale silver with red blushing all over her and a dark brown head; Java by contrast has a blackish head with purple iridescence and espresso-colored coloring with almost-white, cream markings which range from diamond-shaped to other patterns depending on where you look at her. These chickens are -amazing-. I'd love to start taking a crack at their gene codes by looking at a list!

Thanks guys.

 

[Henk69]

OK, so you described some neat features of their color. But not very helpful for genotyping. Pics?

 

[Stacykins]

The breed is Ameraucana, not Americana. Definitely a lot of speculation from the Araucana and Ameraucana clubs on which came first, or if they were separately developed, etc.

The one phenotype that is linked to blue eggs is the pea comb. So that is one thing most EEs have, though they can have any comb and lay any color egg. They have no standard at all.

I'd suggest posting pictures, then the colors your chickens are can be described. They do sound very pretty.

 

[ezekielSM]

Typo edited!

@Henk:

Chai:

Java:

I don't think my girls have the blue gene thing going on- they're not displaying the pea comb. They look like they have a very small single comb style.

Java's just weird. She's got amazing alternating bands of green and purple iridescence on her blackish regions of her feathers/neck/head, black legs, etc.