Egg color predictions.

[CoopsNPoops]

I have chicks hatching and im trying to get an idea of what their egg colors may be when they start laying. The dad of all these chicks is my EE Rooster. Im not sure of his genetics so i don't even know if the predictions are possible without knowing. Im pretty sure he isnt barred though. The hens are other EEs, BCMs, Ameraucanas, and a Plymouth Barred Rock. 2 BR eggs have hatched and one is solid black and one is solid silver/grey.

 

[gimmie birdies]

Sometimes a chick may start out looking silvery- then when they dry the may look blacker.

 

[The Kooky Kiwi]

... im trying to get an idea of what their egg colors may be when they start laying.

Your chicks eggs will be determined by what egg colour genetics they received from their parents. There are several broad aspects to this as follows:

White eggs = No colouring factors - the egg shell is white
Brown eggs = Brown pigments laid overtop a white egg shell
Blue eggs = Blue pigment is mixed INTO the egg shell so the entire egg shell is blue
Splotches = Pigments and Bloom deposited over the outer shell in various quantities

Your chicks could potentially end up laying a whole spectrum of egg colours depending on which combination of genes they receive from their parents.

Here's some handy charts to see how the combinations can work. These are the basics - so bear in mind there are maaaaany subtle variations in between

There are several BYC members who have birds laying GREY eggs too! I believe that is a cream or very light brown egg layer that has a heavy bloom (giving a pink look to it) bred with a blue or light green egg layer.

Cool Huh!!

 

[CoopsNPoops]

Sometimes a chick may start out looking silvery- then when they dry the may look blacker.

No, it's almost 24 hours old and dry and fluffy. He or She is definitely grey. It was a dark gun metal grey when fresh and wet. Photos are wet, semi dry, and recent. The other BRx chick is solid black. Its still wet but looks like it may have white on its head when dry. Time will tell.

 

[CoopsNPoops]

Your chicks eggs will be determined by what egg colour genetics they received from their parents. There are several broad aspects to this as follows:

White eggs = No colouring factors - the egg shell is white
Brown eggs = Brown pigments laid overtop a white egg shell
Blue eggs = Blue pigment is mixed INTO the egg shell so the entire egg shell is blue
Splotches = Pigments and Bloom deposited over the outer shell in various quantities

Your chicks could potentially end up laying a whole spectrum of egg colours depending on which combination of genes they receive from their parents.

Here's some handy charts to see how the combinations can work. These are the basics - so bear in mind there are maaaaany subtle variations in between

There are several BYC members who have birds laying GREY eggs too! I believe that is a cream or very light brown egg layer that has a heavy bloom (giving a pink look to it) bred with a blue or light green egg layer.

Cool Huh!!


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I kinda know the basics. Have researched many charts and documents on google & such.. i was just unsure on my specific breeds as I'm starting with EE and not a white, brown, or blue. Or he may be an olive egger, im not sure of his breeds. Working on photos when they go to roost to get an idea of his cross. Will his genetics throw EE color genes, or can he throw either of his genes he got from his parents?

 

[The Kooky Kiwi]

I kinda know the basics. Have researched many charts and documents on google & such.. i was just unsure on my specific breeds as I'm starting with EE and not a white, brown, or blue. Or he may be an olive egger, im not sure of his breeds. Working on photos when they go to roost to get an idea of his cross. Will his genetics throw EE color genes, or can he throw either of his genes he got from his parents?

With your Rooster we can use his parentage as a clue to what egg genes he was likely to have received - and therefore be contributing to his chicks.

As an EE - it's assumed he has one parent Araucana (or Americauna if you're talking the USA terminology) - so it's a good start to asusme he will get one blue egg gene from that parent.

For his other parent you can make an intelligent guess based on his features, and from there make an intelligent guess about their likely egg colour. (Are you able to post pictures of him for the BYC crew to give their opinions??)

So you might end up saying there is a good probability his egg genetics are (for example) Blue & Brown. And yes he will pass down those genes to his offspring - usual inheritance rules will apply

You then repeat that exercise for your hens - which is made easier because you can see what eggs they are laying. So if you have an EE hen laying an olive egg you'd suggest her egg genetics are (for example) Blue & Brown

You then work out the probabilities for a match of those - ranging from Blue & Blue to Brown & Brown and all the possible combinations in between !