Game X Welsummer

[greenfamilyfarms]

I have had the chance to get some eggs from a person who is trying to develop a dark egg laying game chicken.

Do you think that the dark egg genetics will carry over from generation to generation?

They are crossing wheaten game hens to a welsummer roo.

 

[Cuban Longtails]

It will eventually become lighter again without re-introducing the darker egg color periodically. It will take some time to develop and establish it as a "breed" trait, many years and generations.

 

[prariechiken]

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They will have dark egg laying chickens.. the gameness will be gone....

 

[Cuban Longtails]

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Very true also.

 

[greenfamilyfarms]

Oh, bummer. I thought that it would make a gamey dark egg layer. Oh well! Glad I asked!

 

[fowlafoot]

Actually if a gamey dark egg layer is what you are looking for that is probably as close as you'll get... I had a freerange Brahma rooster and ended up with a few Brahma x American Games and they are far more game than any standard laying breed, they make some nice little chickens not really game but a step up from layers

 

[prariechiken]

O, they would be a bit gamey, just not as much as the parent stock. The nongame traits tend to wash out the gameness very quickly. To set the dark egg color you would be breeding away from the game influence. Many game breeds do lay tinted eggs so you could probably get darker eggs easier than with say a white egg layer. One thing you would get is excellent vigor and vitality. Also, you get some really cool colors.... Don't be discouraged, do it I think you will really like the results....and don't forget to post us some pics too....love to see the "mutt" chickens, they usually make you finer stock than the "pure" breds.......

 

[fowlafoot]

Another breeder once told me "Gameness seems to be [like] mixing black and white paint - there can be a lot of shades of grey..."

Here are two of the Game x Brahma stags... they're utter failures as egg layers

but kinda cute