If you have an EE roo and breed with standard hen ,white or brown layer, will the EE roo have any effect on the color of the chicks eggs when they start to lay?
Yes. Those hatched from the brown eggs will either lay Green or brown eggs. It just depends on how much Ameraucana is in the EE Roo's Blood line. I don't know about the white, but the roo WILL affect the egg color of his offspring no matter what breed the hen is. Matt
Well, I didn't know that. I had an EE roo that was breeding my PR and she laid nice big brown eggs. I hatched out one and got 1 little roo. Just wanted to see what it would look like. It is like a light red with white. The roo put out alot of grey and white chicks. And a few with assorted colors. All are beautuful though. I wonder if the bantams he bred will have chicks that lay colored eggs. That will be interesting. I'll find out in the spring won't I. lol
At least half of the chicks should get the blue gene from the rooster, and thus lay blue or green eggs. If he happens to have 2 copies of the gene, then all of the chicks would get 1 copy of the gene (and thus lay green/blue eggs) You COULD get blue egg layers from the white cross, depending on the roo's genetics, but he may also contribute some brown egg genes to the mix, resulting in green eggs. The cross to the brown egg layer should give you some green egg laying pullets. If you are crossing your EE to straight combed hens, look for the chicks that have pea combs. These will likely carry the blue/green gene.
Quote:So I have 1 PR/EE mix cockreal that has a pea comb. The hen has straight comb and she is the production hen, the EE was the roo. Is it safe to say that this little roo could produce or help another EE hen produce colored eggs? He has yellow legs. I don't plan to keep him. He is up for sale or trade but it would be nice to know what he can possibley produce to tell the new owners. I'm only keeping 2 of the cockreals.
Quote:Since your roo is pea combed, he is most likely carrying the blue gene. Since he only has one copy of it, he can only give it to half of his offspring. You only need one copy of the gene to have a blue/green egg layer. If you cross him to an EE hen, you would get a higher percentage of blue/green egg layers, but crossing him to any hen should give you approximately half colored egg layers. As I understand, the blue gene, and the pea comb gene are right next to each other on the chromosome, so MOST of the time they are inherited together. Lots of EE's have green legs, but it isn't linked to egg color, from what I hear.
I have 4 eggs in the bator at present from a BW Ameraucana roo X 1 CA white, 2 LB & 1 PW leghorns. Should be fun to see what those EE's look like and what color the pullets will lay.
