Making blue eggs bluer

[Minky]

Can you cross a pale blue egg layer with a vibrant blue/green egg layer to get a darker shade of blue egg?

I have lots of pale blue egg layers, some aqua blue/green layers and then the green (moss/mint etc).

Just want to get those pale blue eggs bluer.
Ideas?

 

[Carson213]

Can you cross a pale blue egg layer with a vibrant blue/green egg layer to get a darker shade of blue egg?

I have lots of pale blue egg layers, some aqua blue/green layers and then the green (moss/mint etc).

Just want to get those pale blue eggs bluer.
Ideas?

You just want the egg shell more blue?...why?

 

[EmmaRainboe]

You just want the egg shell more blue?...why?

I assume because it's pretty

Can you cross a pale blue egg layer with a vibrant blue/green egg layer to get a darker shade of blue egg?

I have lots of pale blue egg layers, some aqua blue/green layers and then the green (moss/mint etc).

Just want to get those pale blue eggs bluer.
Ideas?

Based on the incredible information @ChocolateMouse gave me, there are a lot of genes that go into making egg color, and can be extremely complicated. It's usually best to just cross the best blues. As it can take lots of generations to brighten egg color.

I may be misunderstanding something so @ChocolateMouse may be able to help and give you more information

 

[Carson213]

I assume because it's pretty

Based on the incredible information @ChocolateMouse gave me, there are a lot of genes that go into making egg color, and can be extremely complicated. It's usually best to just cross the best blues. As it can take lots of generations to brighten egg color.

I may be misunderstanding something so @ChocolateMouse may be able to help and give you more information

soooo...prettier eggs to eat?

 

[EmmaRainboe]

soooo...prettier eggs to eat?

Yup! They are pretty to look at for the five seconds you take them out of the carton before you crack them!

Or! If you store eggs one your counter they are pretty to look at for the few days they might be there!

 

[OhZark Biddies]

Can you cross a pale blue egg layer with a vibrant blue/green egg layer to get a darker shade of blue egg?

I have lots of pale blue egg layers, some aqua blue/green layers and then the green (moss/mint etc).

Just want to get those pale blue eggs bluer.
Ideas?

Yes and no, but mostly no

as mentioned, typically the best you can do is select for the darkest blue and work forward, but it could be that your flock does not have the potential for deeper blue so you might want to bring in some new genetics to your flock.

But, the thing about mixing in green egg layers to improve blue eggs, is that the pigments that are responsible for blue and brown eggs are different pigments caused by different genes, and green egg layers have both. Which means it’s going to be nearly impossible for you to select out the brown egg genes, so that you would end up with blue not green.

This is because there are multiple genes at play when it comes to brown eggs... which means that selecting to remove the brown egg genes from green egg laying lines is difficult and is often a two steps forward, one step back process.

So generally speaking it would take a very large number of chickens to select from and a lot of years to move forward toward better blue eggs by mixing in green egg lines... and most likely no matter what you did, you’d end up with eggs that are green not blue.

There is a lot of misinformation about blue and green egg color out there and much of it is here on BYC. And some of this is due to the fact that much of it is still not fully understood, and some of it is due to the fact that the genetics involved are complex... but hopefully I haven’t contributed to that, but that’s my attempt at a “short version” explanation

Btw, I’ve had Splash Ameraucanas from Cackle Hatchery that laid better that average blue eggs... just in case ordering new chicks is an option for you... but I’d think that would be a better path toward better blue eggs.

 

[Minky]

Yes and no, but mostly no

as mentioned, typically the best you can do is select for the darkest blue and work forward, but it could be that your flock does not have the potential for deeper blue so you might want to bring in some new genetics to your flock.

But, the thing about mixing in green egg layers to improve blue eggs, is that the pigments that are responsible for blue and brown eggs are different pigments caused by different genes, and green egg layers have both. Which means it’s going to be nearly impossible for you to select out the brown egg genes, so that you would end up with blue not green.

This is because there are multiple genes at play when it comes to brown eggs... which means that selecting to remove the brown egg genes from green egg laying lines is difficult and is often a two steps forward, one step back process.

So generally speaking it would take a very large number of chickens to select from and a lot of years to move forward toward better blue eggs by mixing in green egg lines... and most likely no matter what you did, you’d end up with eggs that are green not blue.

There is a lot of misinformation about blue and green egg color out there and much of it is here on BYC. And some of this is due to the fact that much of it is still not fully understood, and some of it is due to the fact that the genetics involved are complex... but hopefully I haven’t contributed to that, but that’s my attempt at a “short version” explanation

Btw, I’ve had Splash Ameraucanas from Cackle Hatchery that laid better that average blue eggs... just in case ordering new chicks is an option for you... but I’d think that would be a better path toward better blue eggs.

Hi Ok, well that is not what I wanted to hear. LOL I have a pullet who is laying really nice blue eggs. REALLY nice. not the pale sky blue most lay. So do you think if I breed her to my CLB rooster who hatched out of a nice blue egg, and then in breed them LOL just a little- that would work better than bringing in some aqua genetics? I think I will do both, two separate groups and see. Ofcourse, Ill probably get all roosters. LMFAO

 

[Minky]

You just want the egg shell more blue?...why?

Because they are beautiful! Then I want to make a blue speckled egg!

 

[halefamily_flock]

Hi Ok, well that is not what I wanted to hear. LOL I have a pullet who is laying really nice blue eggs. REALLY nice. not the pale sky blue most lay. So do you think if I breed her to my CLB rooster who hatched out of a nice blue egg, and then in breed them LOL just a little- that would work better than bringing in some aqua genetics? I think I will do both, two separate groups and see. Ofcourse, Ill probably get all roosters. LMFAO

You should definitely try this! In general, an egg that is more blue came from a chicken with 2 blue egg genes (one from each parent) and the lighter blue comes from a chicken with 1 blue egg gene and 1 pure white egg gene. As long as each parent has at least 1 blue gene, you should get a portion of daughters who get 2 blue genes and have bluer eggs. The double-blue color may be a different shade for different breeds of blue layers, but you can at least maximize the blue you already have in your flock, and think about introducing new breeds or strains in the future, as @OhZark Biddies said

 

[OhZark Biddies]

Hi Ok, well that is not what I wanted to hear. LOL I have a pullet who is laying really nice blue eggs. REALLY nice. not the pale sky blue most lay. So do you think if I breed her to my CLB rooster who hatched out of a nice blue egg, and then in breed them LOL just a little- that would work better than bringing in some aqua genetics? I think I will do both, two separate groups and see. Ofcourse, Ill probably get all roosters. LMFAO

yep, that’s what I would do. Cross those two, then take the resulting pullets back to that same CLB...

typically sire to daughter is said to be better than brother x sister for crossing, as far as avoiding problems.

but my preference isn’t to even do that for more than one generation... I think it’s likely safer when when crossing two different breeds though, vs within the same breed

I picked up a surplus CLB rooster for cheap from a family that got too many males in their straight run chicks this spring... I find that to be a pretty good way to add “new blood” to the coop, and each fall people are usually begging to get rid of roosters