Egg color questions

[Acre4Me]

Can someone tell me what types of egg color would come from rooster/hen combos.

For example, as I understand, a Maran Rooster (dark brown egg genetics) over a blue layer hen (like Legbar or Ameraucana) will produce chicks that will end up laying olive colored eggs.

So, what about combos like below. What will those offspring lay?

R: dark brown egg + H: white egg
R: regular brown egg+ H: blue egg
R: blue egg + H: dark brown egg (or regular brown egg)
R: blue egg + H: white egg
R: white egg + H: dark brown egg.
Any other combos I forgot ?

Might be interested in incubating some eggs. We currently have chicks, M and F, that fit these egg genetic parameters. But, can’t keep them all. So trying to decide which to keep, which to sell.

Thx!

 

[Rose Quartz]

I actually put a lot of time in to trying to figure this out. What I found is that not enough research has been done to know for sure exactly. BUT there are 13 known genes that contribute to brown egg shell color.

blue egg shell and white egg shell are the 2 options, and brown is an optional paint job over top.

GENOTYPE EXPRESSED COLOR
O/O BLUE o+/o+ WHITE
BROWN - there is no genotype for the brown pigment
capital letters are Dominant over lowercase.
O/o+ can manifest as a normal blue color shell, the same as O/O or as a slightly lighter shade of blue.
Brown does not cancel out blue or white. while the pigment can go through the shell, approximately 80% of the pigment is found on the outside of the shell. with a white shell o+/o+ the egg will range from an off white to a dark chocolate color.
With a blue egg O/o+ and o+/o+ brown will cause a variety of green colors, from light blue-green to a dark olive color.

Scientists have found that the egg shell pigmentation is affected by which gender is the one passing it on. With hens egg shell coloring genes being stronger than the roosters. (for those that have known genetics)

I wish I still had the references for this info, but I lost it all when my laptop died. That's when I gave up.

Interesting things I found out: The brown is actually red and glows under a black light, some chickens have been known to spontaneously start laying light pink eggs, even blue egg layers. The bloom on an egg can pick up some of the tinting and turn pink which is what happens with the "plum" colored eggs.

The brown tinting is based on how long the shell takes to be made, which is genetically affected, but hard to narrow down how to breed for it. It's generally accepted that if you cross a dark brown (marans) layer with anything lighter the color will be lighter.

or a white with a brown will get you a lighter brown.

 

[Acre4Me]

Thanks @Rose Quartz, this is helpful!

 

[Amer]

Agree with @Rose Quartz, who has spent hours of her time researching this subject.
R: dark brown egg + H: white egg will simply produce an intermediate. Since brown in dominant, brown will show up, but usually without the intensity of a dark brown egg, which has multiple genes involved.
R: regular brown egg+ H: blue egg
It typically makes a pale green egg. (If your blue layer is homozygous for blue eggs. If it is not, it may produce light brown layers as well.)
R: blue egg + H: dark brown egg (or regular brown egg)
This will produce a darker green shade than with regular brown, or a more medium brown if the blue layer is heterozygous for the blue gene.)
R: blue egg + H: white egg
An intermediate. A very pale blue egg. If the blue egg layer is heterozygous, however, white eggs may be produced.
R: white egg + H: dark brown egg.
Intermediate between the two.



Which parent has which egg color matters not. Sexlinked genes in eggs have been observed, but they prove to be very tricky to study, since half of the specimens do not lay eggs.
I chose not to explain the genes because they are oversimplified what with there being way more than two genes for egg color.

 

[Acre4Me]

Thanks @AMERAUCANAS4REAL and @Rose Quartz !

I don’t recall seeing info on multiple egg color genes, but that makes sense. Also, wasn’t sure if white or brown was dominant - sounds like brown is dominant. But 1 or 2 copies of genes also plays a role.

 

[Rose Quartz]

Thanks @AMERAUCANAS4REAL and @Rose Quartz !

I don’t recall seeing info on multiple egg color genes, but that makes sense. Also, wasn’t sure if white or brown was dominant - sounds like brown is dominant. But 1 or 2 copies of genes also plays a role.

for white or blue it's only 2.

but there are 13 known brown pigment genes. They aren't exactly affected by white/blue. they work more like a finishing coat than the actual shell color. They're their own thing.

The blue shows through the brown making green eggs.

 

[Rose Quartz]

at least that's how I understand it. heh, I'm not spectacular at genetics.

There was someone who understood genetics way better than me... @nicalandia

 

[nicalandia]

Which parent has which egg color matters not. Sexlinked genes in eggs have been observed, but they prove to be very tricky to study.

Reciprocal crosses between Dark Brown and White egg layers have proven that of the many genes that affect egg shell color at least a few are sex linked, this means that a Maran Rooster x White Leghorn Hen cross will yield F1 pullets that lay darker eggs than the reciprocal cross(WL Rooster x Maran hens).

 

[Amer]

Reciprocal crosses between Dark Brown and White egg layers have proven that of the many genes that affect egg shell color at least a few are sex linked, this means that a Maran Rooster x White Leghorn Hen cross will yield F1 pullets that lay darker eggs than the reciprocal cross(WL Rooster x Maran hens).

I did not know that. Thanks!