How to breed for comb type?

[R2elk]

This is a very good point.

Having them lay blue eggs isn't entirely a must, but is a nice trait I'd like to have. Maybe in the near future I'll look for isbars like you have mentioned.
Only issue I have with Legbars, is their coloring and barring (the roosters seem to have barring).
If it wasn't for that, I'd be all over them.

I think overall color, body type, comb and other traits are more important than egg color in my little project, but I would like to reconsider the egg color part..

The legbar's barring is why they can be sexed at the hatch.

 

[rascal66]

The legbar's barring is why they can be sexed at the hatch.

I'm aware its a really neat/convenient trait to have, but I just don't like the barring look sadly I'd love to have roosters without it

 

[NatJ]

I know I'm a bit later here, but:
if you want single-comb birds that lay blue eggs, I suggest breeding in some legbars, even if what you want is birds with no barring.

Barring is caused by one gene, and it's on the Z (sex) chromosome. So if you use Legbar hens and a not-barred rooster, the daughters will have no barring. (A hen only has one Z chromosome, and she gets it from her father.) And then you'll have birds with one copy of the blue egg gene linked to one copy of the not-pea comb gene, and without the barring.

The sons of a Legbar-Easter Egger cross will have one copy of the barring gene, and their comb/egg color genes will be the same as their sisters'.

Breeding them together (chicks from Legbar/Easter Egger cross) should give about half barred and half not-barred chicks. The barring could be on either gender in this generation. About 1/4 of them should have single combs, 1/2 large pea combs (one gene for pea comb, one for not-pea), and 1/4 small pea combs (pure for pea comb.)

And if you started with Legbars and Easter Eggers, you should be getting the blue egg gene from all ancestors, so they should continue to breed true for blue eggs. If you ever get a brown or white egg, you'll know that both parents of that bird carried the gene for not-blue eggs.

 

[rascal66]

I know I'm a bit later here, but:
if you want single-comb birds that lay blue eggs, I suggest breeding in some legbars, even if what you want is birds with no barring.

Barring is caused by one gene, and it's on the Z (sex) chromosome. So if you use Legbar hens and a not-barred rooster, the daughters will have no barring. (A hen only has one Z chromosome, and she gets it from her father.) And then you'll have birds with one copy of the blue egg gene linked to one copy of the not-pea comb gene, and without the barring.

The sons of a Legbar-Easter Egger cross will have one copy of the barring gene, and their comb/egg color genes will be the same as their sisters'.

Breeding them together (chicks from Legbar/Easter Egger cross) should give about half barred and half not-barred chicks. The barring could be on either gender in this generation. About 1/4 of them should have single combs, 1/2 large pea combs (one gene for pea comb, one for not-pea), and 1/4 small pea combs (pure for pea comb.)

And if you started with Legbars and Easter Eggers, you should be getting the blue egg gene from all ancestors, so they should continue to breed true for blue eggs. If you ever get a brown or white egg, you'll know that both parents of that bird carried the gene for not-blue eggs.

Thanks so much for that clarification
I'm unfamiliar with the barring genes, so this helps clear it up a bit. But then, what if the cresting? I don't mind cresting but id rather breed away from it.
If I see some locals selling legbars, ill look into getting some maybe
So far, I'm clinging to a couple birds I hatched. Only off thing, is they will more than likely lay brown/darker brown eggs instead of blue.

Here is one of them!
Has great color, beard, straight comb, could do better on the leg feathers, and sadly won't lay blue.

 

[MrFluffyandGirls]

its funny to me, because I'm trying to get rid of the pea combs!!

Too bad y'all don't live next door to each other or y'all could trade off the types.

 

[rascal66]

Too bad y'all don't live next door to each other or y'all could trade off the types.

I totally would!!

 

[NatJ]

what if the cresting? I don't mind cresting but id rather breed away from it.

Crest is caused by a dominant gene.
So the first generation cross chicks will probably have crests, but some of their offspring will not. And if you breed two with no crests, the offspring will all have no crests.

 

[Molpet]

Ha, that would work... except.... I don't have any blue egglayers .... mine are meat mutts

Too bad y'all don't live next door to each other or y'all could trade off the types.

I totally would!!