Egg Color Question for You Experts

[speckledhen]

I have several true Ameraucanas and two EE girls, all of who lay blue or greenish eggs. The Am's lay blue and the two EEs lay green. One of my EEs, June, is most likely a cross of two Ameraucana colors since she came from a breeder who was experimenting with new colors. The other one is my Panda, the daughter of my BR rooster, Zane, and an Ameraucana hen.

If Panda is bred with my BR rooster, Dutch, what is the likelihood that her daughters willl also lay green eggs? The reason I'm asking is that I am considering offering "Barred Easter Egger" hatching eggs and I know that the Ameraucanas' daughters will lay green eggs, but what about Panda's daughters since she is already a cross of a brown egglayer and a blue egglayer? I'm thinking green, but will they ALL lay green or would I get a brown egglayer in there?

 

[pips&peeps]

If they hatch with a pea comb the likelihood is high of getting some form of green, I would say you would get a khaki egg.

 

[speckledhen]

Thanks so much, Jean. This is Panda, whose comb is not exactly a pea comb. Her mother's comb is not a great pea, either, so I'm sure that's where she got hers. She doesnt have a beard, but her "sister" in California has a full beard. (same mom, diff BR dad)

 

[Kev]

Dutch x Panda= half of daughters will lay green, other half either tinted or brown.

 

[speckledhen]

Kev, thanks for your input, as always! What I would want is to try to make sure that almost every female chick from my BRs over Ameraucanas and/or EEs would at least lay a green egg. So, what I may do is try to limit the number of Panda's eggs that are in any collection I send out. That way, whoever hatches them will be able to count on the green eggs over brown/tinted.

Guess my next question would be who would be interested in Barred Easter Eggers, LOL?

Here is a picture of Panda's half sister, Victoria Elizabeth, who is owned by our BYC pal, Ellie, in California. I'm sure she wont mind me posting this. Wanted to show that she has the full beard, while Panda doesn't. This hen is also the daughter of my Blue Ameraucana, but with Hawkeye as her sire rather than Dutch (who is Hawkeye's son).