Egg color question

[SharW75]

I apologize if this is a dumb question. I've always had chickens, but we're fairly new to the fancier "breeds". We have a couple sapphire olive egger pullets that we bought at our local TSC in March. The darker one is laying a nice brown (yes, brown!) egg, and the other hasn't started laying yet, to the best of my knowledge. Today, we noticed that their earlobes are different colors. The darker, brown egg laying girl has darker earlobes, kind of a red, but with some white as well. The lighter girl has white to light teal earlobes. I know that sometimes earlobe color is linked to egg color. Is is possible that she will lay olive eggs? Either way, we love them, and they aren't going anywhere!

Also, I read that it's common for easter eggers to be later bloomers when it comes to laying eggs. Since the lighter silver girl isn't laying yet, maybe that means she'll lay colored eggs? Is it all colored egg layers that are late bloomers, or just the ees/ameraucanas?

Here are our silver girls (in the back, right) with some of their sisters.

 

[Amer]

Egg color isn’t actually linked to earlobe color, there are many genes controlling earlobe color, and it just happened that white egg layers (Mediterranean breeds) had white earlobes, just like wild chickens.
There are some breeds with red earlobes and white eggs however, such as Lamonas and Hollands.

Age of point of lay also has nothing to do with egg color. However, pea combs are closely linked to the blue pigment producing gene, but in Sapphire Gems that would not be the case
Excellent questions, all of them!

 

[PirateGirl]

It's possible you have Sapphire Gem chickens which lay brown eggs.

Some chickens mature faster than others. Some lay eggs sooner than others. Every bird is individual, though some breeds are notoriously quick (or slow) to lay. My Ameraucana was the last of my girls to lay at 11 months of age! So yes, they can take their sweet time, however, how long it takes them to mature is not related to egg color.

 

[SharW75]

Thank you both!

 

[aart]

The darker, brown egg laying girl has darker earlobes, kind of a red, but with some white as well. The lighter girl has white to light teal earlobes.

Would love to see pics of the earlobes.
Always wonder what breeds they cross to get these 'designer' birds?

 

[SharW75]

I really wonder what breeds they cross, too. I'll try today to grab a lady and take a picture of her earlobes!

 

[SharW75]

It's possible you have Sapphire Gem chickens which lay brown eggs.

They were labeled as sapphire olive eggers (although I know you don't always get what you think you're getting at feed stores--) and the ones my mom bought at the same time have just started laying nice green eggs. I do know that one of mine is laying a brown egg, as my daughter has seen her. I'm just not sure about the other one.

 

[Amer]

Would love to see pics of the earlobes.
Always wonder what breeds they cross to get these 'designer' birds?

Well, Sapphire olives are a splash Marans over a cream Legbar hen.

 

[aart]

Well, Sapphire olives are a splash Marans over a cream Legbar hen.

Where did you get that info?
Hoovers doesn't describe breeds used and I assume they have the 'patent' on the 'Sapphire Olive Egger' name?

 

[Amer]

Where did you get that info?
Hoovers doesn't describe breeds used and I assume they have the 'patent' on the 'Sapphire Olive Egger' name?

I know “Facebook” isn’t a good answer, but it also makes logical sense since a splash Marans over a Legbar would make sexlinks that are all blue.
Regular Sapphire gems are splash Andalusians over barred Plymouth rocks.

A good way to figure out whether it is a regular Sapphire Gem or a Sapphire Olive Egger is to look for a crest. Sapphire Olive Eggers have the Legbar crests. Sapphire Gems do not.
If the OP’s pullet lacks a crest it will lay brown eggs.