Maybe a dumb question, but....

[Chris Herzog]

This might not be in the right area for this question but I was not sure where to post it.

Ok, I know this is going to start out sounding a little dumb but I have some breeding question for you all. I have a small flock of 21 hens and 2 roos…

RIR’s NH’s, BR’s, Black Stars, BO’s, Columbian Wyandotte and two Amaricanas roos.

If I hatch the eggs from any of the above birds (the Amaricanas and any one of the above hens) other than a mutt, what will I end up with? In other words, I know that all my hens are brown egg layers and I believe the Amaricanas (or Easter eggers) lay blue eggs. So do I get a hen that lays blue eggs, brown eggs or something in-between like a greenish colored egg?

Also, any idea what the hens/roos of any of the above pairs would look like? Both my roos look alike, look at the roo in my avatar. He is the older of the two at 5 months and the other one is just over 3 months not that it means anything.

Just wondering,
Chris

 

[SueBaby]

I have crosses from Production Reds and an Ameraucana/EE roo. They lay olive eggs. When we crack them open you can see they are blue inside, but the overlay of brown (plus a kind of gray bloom) gives them the olive look.

Mostly my olive eggs, plus some of my BR's and one white store bought egg for comparison.

 

[Chris Herzog]

That's interesting. The eggs also seem to be much larger then your BR's eggs. Is this also true (the size thing) with your production red's eggs compared to your BR eggs?

Chris

 

[SueBaby]

I don't have the production reds, they were the mamas at the local feed store where I got my fertilized eggs. Sorry.

The BR's eggs seem to be smaller than the EE's, but some more than others.

In response to your question about what your birds would look like, I figure my Production Reds were similar to your RIRs. I had 5 chicks hatch from the Production X EE (Ameraucana). They all looked completely different- one white, one black with some white, one white with some touches of black, one white with a touch of caramel brown and one mostly brown with touches of white.

I think if you have Ameraucana in there you get that "trade mark" look to their neck/shoulders/tail. And chances are you'll get the beard and cheeks too.

 

[donrae]

Well, I can tell you any barred chicks will be cockerals, other than that not much help.

 

[Chris Herzog]

Thanks for the info and the pics.

By the way, my roo looked just like the bird that the child is holding in your pic when he was younger. He is thirteen or fourteen weeks now and looks almost like the roo in my avatar. The bird in my avatar is 5 months old and much larger than my younger roo.

Thanks again,
Chris

 

[Chris Herzog]

Quote:
Do I understand you correctly? Are you saying that any offspring that I get from my Roo and anyone of my BR's will be a male?

Thanks,
Chris

 

[donrae]

No, the cockerals will be barred. Pullet will be solid or non-barred. The barred rock hen only passes the barring gene on to her sons, not daughters. It's a great way to sex at hatch. If you want to learn more look for the sex-link info thread under showing and genetics.

 

[Chris Herzog]

Quote:
Thanks, I will do that!
Chris