Light sussex egg color...Egg genetics question

[4hchickmama]

My friend and I picked up some inexpensive light sussex hens and a rooster at the Stockton, Ca PPBA show. Since we brought them home, they all lay a pinky brown egg....apart from one hen who is laying a green-blue egg. All of then hens look identical. Now, we only paid $10 for them, and have no plans of showing them or anything, but I was just wondering why I would have a greeny-blue egg from one? I'm fuzzy on egg genetics, but I wouldn't think a green egg would be common in a mix.

I tried to find a light sussex thread, but I couldn't see one, so I am sorry if this is not the appropriate place. Hoping someone well versed on egg genetics might be able to explain.

 

[3riverschick]

My friend and I picked up some inexpensive light sussex hens and a rooster at the Stockton, Ca PPBA show. Since we brought them home, they all lay a pinky brown egg....apart from one hen who is laying a green-blue egg. All of then hens look identical. Now, we only paid $10 for them, and have no plans of showing them or anything, but I was just wondering why I would have a greeny-blue egg from one? I'm fuzzy on egg genetics, but I wouldn't think a green egg would be common in a mix.

I tried to find a light sussex thread, but I couldn't see one, so I am sorry if this is not the appropriate place. Hoping someone well versed on egg genetics might be able to explain.

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The pinky brown egg is correct. Light Sussex lay anything from a cream to a light brown egg. The pinky hue is ok. The green-blue egg tells us this hen is a mix.Having a relative close up in her pedigree (somewhere in the first three generations of ancestors) from a breed which laid blue eggs. When one mixes brown and blue egg laying breeds, one gets greenish hue in the eggs in their children. The darker the hue in both the blue and the brown egg parents, the darker green will be the eggs the children lay. If this hen was a product of a dark brown egg parent and a deep blue egg parent, the eggs would be olive colored. Since the Sussex is a light brown egg layer you are seeing a greenish-blue egg (the blue is not totally converted to green). Your hen is not totally green egg layer.
Cull her, she is not a purebred Light Sussex.
Keep her separate from the other birds. Best to just give her away to someone who just wants pretty eggs, That way you don't have to worry about her genes getting further into your gene pool.
Best Success,
Karen
Waterford English Light Sussex
western PA, USA

 

[ilovemahchik400]

i would not kill her its okay that she lays different color eggs. As long as you want her for eggs that is fine. Let her live she doesn't need to be killed.

 

[elly123]

Eggs taste the same so don't worry mine lay a pinky brown but I have a speckldy,Sussex,bluebelle,copper black, coral,ranger,columbine and a black tail most lay different eggs, my friends love the green ones

 

[Cockerlinechick]

Hi, I've just found this thread and was wondering of you could tell me what colour your bluebelle lays. I have a 24 week old one plus three other breeds and I'm struggling to decide whose egg is whose and who is laying etc x

 

[elly123]

I have 8 different hybrids so I find it hard some times my bluebelle I think lays a kind of very very light pinkish egg

 

[Cockerlinechick]

I have 8 different hybrids so I find it hard some times my bluebelle I think lays a kind of very very light pinkish egg

Thanks anyway Hun. I was hoping she would lay a dark egg being part maran but I suspect she is laying the same colour as the bantam orpingtons. This is one of theirs but all the eggs have been this colour so far. Yesterday I had one which was a touch darker and had a few speckles on it.....maybe that's her? Who knows eh!

 

[elly123]

This looks like my bluebelles eggs

 

[Cockerlinechick]

Thanks Hun, looks like I've got all light egg layers then! Xx