How can I breed for egg color?

[venymae]

I see all these beautiful pictures of very blue eggs, but I've never managed to see one in real life. The ones I've seen are very pale, almost white. I would like to start breeding my own flock for egg production and egg color and am looking for guidance. Where should I start?

 

[artblueggwanter]

maybe colloncas or araucanas

 

[venymae]

ok, so if I started with these do I just do selective breeding by hatching out only the bluest eggs and breeding them to each other?

 

[artblueggwanter]

ok, so if I started with these do I just do selective breeding by hatching out only the bluest eggs and breeding them to each other?

I am not sure but I do know those are your original blue and green egg layers, also the olive egger has a dark olive color to its egg and that was achieved by mixing green egg layers with brown egg layers if im not mistaken, google araucanas,

 

[artblueggwanter]

ven, look up tiamou just for kixs, you might like them

 

[venymae]

I've looked up different breeds (the colloncas were new to me though!) but I'm not as much looking for a breed of bird as much as how to refine them so that I get better blue eggs.

 

[venymae]

ven, look up tiamou just for kixs, you might like them

OMG their eggs are so beautiful! I'm guessing they don't lay year round like a chicken though...

 

[donrae]

Start with true Ameraucana or Cream Legbars. Research for a breeder that has been producing nice colored blue eggs. From there, it's a matter of selective breeding. Breed the hens that lay the best colored eggs to a rooster that came from the best colored egg. Continue to cull for egg color. Don't introduce any white or brown genes to your breeders, you'll be chasing those colors out for generations.

Lots of breeders of those breeds have left egg color for last, going for refining the breed to the standard (or proposed standard) over egg color. That's why some of the nicer birds lay more pale or dilute looking eggs, they were bred for type first.

 

[venymae]

Awesome! Thank you.