Genetics Question: Easter Eggers

[BlossomSilkies]

I have 6 roosters. 3 of them are Easter Eggers from Townline Hatchery. 1 is an ISA Brown also from Townline. 1 is a Silkie, but likely is not a possible daddy, I never see him mating with anyone, and 1 poor quality Silver Laced Wyandotte.

Ok, so that said. I have a bunch of EE pullets from Townline also. I have a broody hen and gave her 8 blue/green EE eggs to hatch. Will these offspring lay blue/green eggs as well? They could be fertilized by any of the above roosters.

 

[ve]

You have more than 50% chances that they will lay blue or green eggs. Girls with Pea Combs have better chances to inherit the gene for blue eggs.

 

[dheltzel]

The correct answer is "it depends". The complete answer requires knowing more about the genetic make up of your hens. You know they have at least 1 copy of the gene for blue egg color (blue is dominant), but you can't be certain if they have 2 copies without test matings. If the hens do have 2 copies (homozygous for blue shells), then all of their progeny will lay blue or green eggs. If they have only 1 copy (heterozygous), then about 50% will lay blue or green eggs.

This demonstrates the desirability of using pure strains rather than mixed up birds, like the hatchery easter eggers. I have blue/black/splash Ameraucanas and every hen lays a consistent blue colored egg, and all their progeny will also. I create blue egg laying black sexlinks by using a black roo over some barred holland hens (lay white eggs). Every chick will carry the blue gene because the roo is homozygous for blue shells, no guesswork and no percentages - all of them.

But you can still have fun making your own crosses and see what you get. The uncertainty can be a nice thing, as long as you aren't selling them as laying a certain color egg.

 

[BlossomSilkies]

Thank you for the replies. I am not breeding for show or standard, just to replenish my layers for a very tiny egg business, so really only asking because I was curious. I was unable to get a batch of EE chicks this year to rotate into my flock, so these 8 eggs are for that purpose. In about 10 months I will let you know what we ended up with as far as egg color is concerned.

I thought it was interesting that all of the EE's I got from townline lay a green or blue egg since they advise that really any color can come from them.

 

[itstartedwith2]

Hi I have a question about the blue/green egg gene. I have EE hens I have no idea on their background but if I bread them with a pure Ameraucana rooster would that give me a better chance of their offspring being blue/green egg layers?