Lavender Orpington project ....

[juststruttin]

Was told they lay blue eggs seen these hatched from blue eggs. Also was told they lay brown eggs, ive seen both colors on internet so whats what?

Orps eggs should never be blue. Lavender Ameraucanas were breed to Orps to crete the Lav. Orp color. Blue eggs can show up in the first couple of generations. They may also have rose combs and beards and muffs. The blue egg color, rose comb and the muffs should be bred out of a Lav. Orp project.

If the breeder you got them from started their own project then that may be why the eggs are still blue. If your birds have straight combs they will most likely lay brown eggs, but it is not guaranteed. If you are working on a lav project, I would not hatch the blue eggs from this generation.

How long have you owned your birds? I would be surprised if they are really 8 months as their bodies are still fairly slender and their combs are more pink than red. Based on comb color I'd say they have at least 1month to go before laying.

 

[pips&peeps]

To my knowledge ameraucanas were never bred to orpingtons to create the lavender color. If it was done recently then that was a big mistake on someone's part. The size is not there, there are just so many negatives to doing that cross.

What I do know is that some lavender varieties of birds were developed from an orpington type easter egger bird. A lot of the lavender orpingtons we see today are directly related to that bird if it is an American line. One breeder that got offspring from this mix misrepresented where the color came from suggesting that it was English stock, yet blue or green eggs keep showing up down the line......

Maybe someone decided to proliferate the blue egg gene instead of getting rid of it???????

 

[aveca]

To my knowledge ameraucanas were never bred to orpingtons to create the lavender color. If it was done recently then that was a big mistake on someone's part. The size is not there, there are just so many negatives to doing that cross.

What I do know is that some lavender varieties of birds were developed from an orpington type easter egger bird. A lot of the lavender orpingtons we see today are directly related to that bird if it is an American line. One breeder that got offspring from this mix misrepresented where the color came from suggesting that it was English stock, yet blue or green eggs keep showing up down the line......

Maybe someone decided to proliferate the blue egg gene instead of getting rid of it???????

I have a question about that pips&peeps...in orpingtons we talk a lot about type..in fact type is stressed much like you must build the house befor you paint it..by adding certian breeds which has been many times to create another color, wouldnt somone need to be very careful not to destroy the orp structure type??.

auracauna seems quite a streach to get a color ..too far removed from type..but then anything is possible..seems like beards and lot of things would come out that you might not want..in white orp at one point white dorking was added..it took the breeder 5 years to remove the 5th toe..for quite a while afterward the xtra toe would crop up, and yellow in the beak ..legs..but you dont see it today a little yellow may show up but not the toe..it was a bold cross but it worked in that case..

 

[pips&peeps]

Beards are easy to remove, all you have to do is make sure to breed clean faced birds. The recessive traits are hard. The yellow skin, the blue egg gene, extra toes (in your example)....

This lets you know that recessive traits can pop out years later, sometimes blue egg laying ameraucanas produce a green egg. The brown egg gene from the initial makings of the birds will pop out of no where.

The type is why I said it would be a big mistake to do that cross now. When choosing an outcross to improve or add a color to the line there are lots of factors to consider.

 

[aveca]

thats what i thought..one of the europeans told me that the judjes are pretty savy both sides of the pond..they know the structure for orp type , skull chest ect would be wrong..
i mean it could be worked out..but no easy feat.

 

[raydog]

Orps eggs should never be blue.  Lavender Ameraucanas were breed to Orps to crete the Lav. Orp color.  Blue eggs can show up in the first couple of generations. They may also have   rose combs and  beards and muffs.  The blue egg color, rose comb and the muffs should be bred out of a Lav. Orp project.  

If the breeder you got them from started their own project then that may be why the eggs are still blue.    If your birds have straight combs they will most likely lay brown eggs, but it is not guaranteed.  If you are working on a lav project,  I would not hatch the blue eggs from this generation.  

How long have you owned your birds?  I would be surprised if they are really 8 months as their bodies are still fairly slender and their combs are more pink than red. Based on  comb color I'd say they have at least 1month to go before laying.  
All i know is what i have been told or read about them. This is my first bird project. I usually just get them for eggs and meat. As far as comb color some have been red for awhile and just starting to see a light large brown egg, two have started laying. Ive got 4 with red and 4 r still pink. They are really nice birds, gentle. My rooster has a hint of gold on his shoulders. I think i will add a more true lavender roo to the mix.

 

[raydog]

My reply and qoute have seemed to blend together. Phone and these pain pills aint mixing well today lol.

 

[Cuteincamo]

Ten weeks ago I picked up some two day old lav chicks. and now here I am attempting to decide what I've got all of their combs have developed the same. are they to young to decide what sex they are?

 

[susanaowen]

What happens when you breed lavenders with blues? Do you end up with lavender split blues? Or do they end up being a split with blue and black chicks? I haven't been able to find threads on this and I'm curious.

Thanks!

 

[Shaffer]

What happens when you breed lavenders with blues? Do you end up with lavender split blues? Or do they end up being a split with blue and black chicks? I haven't been able to find threads on this and I'm curious.

Thanks!

Go to the United Orpington forum you answers are there.