Egg color question

[bethk]

I bred a olive egger rooster with hens that lay brown and pinkish ligh brown eggs. What color will the offspring hens lay?

 

[nicalandia]

I bred a olive egger rooster with hens that lay brown and pinkish ligh brown eggs. What color will the offspring hens lay?

the ones with Pea combs will lay green eggs, some will lay almost olive eggs

 

[mmeyette]

It is my understanding (although I am JUST starting to learn about chicken genetics) that the egg color is sex-linked to the rooster. So I believe the green will be dominant and you will get green or olive eggs

 

[nicalandia]

It is my understanding (although I am JUST starting to learn about chicken genetics) that the egg color is sex-linked to the rooster. So I believe the green will be dominant and you will get green or olive eggs

your correct, your understanding on this matter is limitted...

egg color, especially the brown shades are a polygenic trait, meaning it has many many genes at play. not just one, and the blue egg shell gene O/O is not sex linked

 

[bethk]

Another question.... I understand blue is dominant. If I breed 2 green layers could I get a hen that lays blue eggs? Is there a difference between an olive egger and an Easter egger in the event that the hen lays green? They are both just cross breeds bred for egg color, right?

 

[nicalandia]

Another question.... I understand blue is dominant. If I breed 2 green layers could I get a hen that lays blue eggs? Is there a difference between an olive egger and an Easter egger in the event that the hen lays green? They are both just cross breeds bred for egg color, right?

its nearly impossible or impossible that if you breed two green eggers to get a blue egger, green and blue eggers have the same gene(O/O) the difference is that blue eggers have a white egg shell background and the green have a brown egg shell background, and due to the polygenic nature of the brown egg shell its impossible to cross two brown egg shell layers to expect white eggs

 

[tammyfarms]

Another question, if I breed my Amerucana roo to a barred rock or RIR hen, what are the percentages of hens that will lay brown vs blue eggs? Will the offspring with pea combs then be considered Easter Eggers? Thanks!

 

[LeJeune1]

Another question, if I breed my Amerucana roo to a barred rock or RIR hen, what are the percentages of hens that will lay brown vs blue eggs? Will the offspring with pea combs then be considered Easter Eggers? Thanks!

All of the offspring would be EEs and lay a variation of Blueish Greenish depending on how blue the roos genes were and how bron the hens genes were. If your Roo is a pure Ameraucana and the respective hens are pure too then I believe all the offspring would have a Pea comb, although when they breed it would not pass on Pea to all of their offspring (50-50 Pea & Straight).

 

[tammyfarms]

Thanks!! I appreciate the reply. There is so much to learn about genetics! Chicken color, egg color, and that is just the beginning. I wish I had been more interested in science when I was in high school and college. I was an earth science gal... bugs, plants and rocks.

 

[LeJeune1]

I know, there is so much to learn. Have fun!