Non Ameraucana/Araucana Blue-Eggers

[HaikuHeritageFarm]

I'd like to develop a line of true-breeding, productive, dual-purpose blue egg layers, aiming in type for something possibly between a Legbar, Ameraucana and Dorking in appearance. I'd like to talk to others that are working on developing consistent birds and good blue egg color in non-purebred (at the moment) stock. How are you planning to go about things, or what are you already trying?

This is a blue-egger project thread, so tell us what you're doing for your project.

 

[Illia]

Because blue is a tricky color and I love new egg colors, I myself am working for a good, meaty, dual purpose olive egg laying bird. It will hopefully either be olive or a really really dark brown.

My start is with some good, upright, very chesty Araucanas, crossed with some very dark laying but well sized Black Copper Marans. The F1 birds so far are actually growing faster and bigger than my other chicks in the same hatch-batch, and the tailed ones especially are monsters. I'm looking to continue on this breeding and see where it goes, both crossing back to Olive Egger and also to a meatier Marans. In the long run I hope for a neat color of bird (not the same 'ol blue or black copper color) a neat appearance (rumpless or tailed, tufted, good leg feathering, good chest and carriage) and not only beautiful egg color but also a nice amount of meat.

My Araucanas are already a wonderful start, having a lot of breast meat, more than Ameraucanas, and getting that meat at a decent rate. By 5 months the bird is ready to butcher, and not a slow maturing breed. Marans on the other hand have far more leg meat than breast, which I'm not a big fan of, but they make great, large crosses and shouldn't hinder the meat ratio. Plus their egg color and general body size are also a big plus.

With those added in, I shal also have the great qualities of high broody tendencies from the Araucanas and laid-back temperament of the Marans to complete the project, whenever that may be.

So far, I've got 3 month old F1 chicks. The males are very quiet and calm, the females are pretty outgoing but friendly. They're taking off to the pastures at an amazing early age and very eager, adventerous birds. They keep out of trouble and I've yet to lose any, except earlier in the winter I sadly lost a couple due to record-low temps combined with a 10 hour overnight power outage. I'll be setting more eggs pretty soon to widen the field, and see what else I'm missing with just these few chicks I have. For one, I've yet to actually get any barred chicks. The sire of half my project is a cuckoo colored Araucana, but he's obviously only got one barred allele.

My second Araucana sire of choice has yet to give me some offspring, but when my Marans are back on track with production. . . .




As a last note, I'd love to see or perhaps do myself, cross some good show quality La Fleche with Ameraucanas. La Fleche are a good, meaty, very good tasting bird with white eggs, which will not wreck the blue egg of the Ameraucana.

 

[Gold Griffin Chicken Mom]

You've got my attention! I'll hang around and see what other ideas you give me, lol! I was toying with a similar notion, but you all are way ahead of me.

 

[HaikuHeritageFarm]

Well, here's what I want to work on within the next couple of years, possibly getting the first generation as early as this year:

I'm planning to breed a wheaten Ameraucana roo from good egg lines (color and size, still investigating lines,) over barred leghorn (Production Black) hens.

Out of these birds, i will keep barred, pea combed cockerels and follow the chart for atuosexing breeds, taking them back to a wheaten am. hen. I'm hoping this will lock in good egg production and size, and decent color, as well as the beards and muffs.

From there, I want to continue on selecting the brown/gold barred birds for an autosexing blue egg layer, but they will be entirely too light for the dual purpose bird I'm looking for, so I want to find a way to incorporate Dorkings, perhaps taking the black barred culls from the project to cuckoo dorking hens. I hear many Dorkings lay white eggs, hoping the cuckoo variety from Sand Hill is one of them! (Having a black barred variety of this project would be nice, too.)

I will essentially be developing two lines this way, but I'd like to blend these three breeds all into the same bird.

How best to do that?

I'm envisioning the end product to look kind of like the barred EEs with the golden cuckoo color of the creme legbar and a heavier/larger build from the dorking. Winter hardiness and utility will be of utmost important, and all of the physical traits I've noted contribute to that end.

The one thing about this bird that is perhaps not the most practical is that I really am stuck on blue eggs over green, which limits my selection for heavy breeds for the meat qualities. BUT, that said, I like the idea of using the Dorking. It is so old, seems like a good foundation.

Edited to add that: IF I could find nice meaty Houdans, I would honestly rather use them.

I wouldn't mind just a bit of crest at all.

I wonder if Crevecoeurs are better off in that department? The black would probably be easier to work with, too.

 

[wingsofglory]

I've been looking at a similiar project, not the same goal though.

Main goal: I want to put the Ameracana/Easter Egger face on a heavier bird. I don't care about the egg color - just want the blue gene because it makes a stronger shell. So tired of broken eggs - it starts egg eating in the girls. My Brahma girls would stand up right when the egg was released - and it'd fall a long way and break! They'd throw any hay, woodchips, or matting out of the nest box. Had to use sand. The Easter Eggers never broke.

You're looking at Dorking for the meat quality - I've been thinking of using Marans, Chantecler and Buckeye, which would make an oliver egger!!! Which I'd love - love all different shades of turquoise and green eggs. It really helps me if each hen lays her own shade of color so I can track who is laying and who is hiding her eggs somewhere.

My Ideal hatchery Easter Eggers laid a very pale blue - kind of boring it is so light/pale - I was expecting all the darker turquioses of my previous flock from a different hatchery. The turquioise eggs were also larger.

Illia - I'd be interested in olive egger chicks from you - the birds on your site look wonderful! And you're well along on improving the meat quality. Vigor is a quality i always look for first - good to hear your chicks have it. You are making what I was thinking of reinventing!

My main goal is NO comb or wattles. And I wanted a feathered face instead of bare like the Buckeye and Chantecler. Many of them have too much comb and wattles now, more than what I'm aiming for. I live near Palmer, Alaska, and after this winter, I think many people would like a heavier dual purpose homestead bird without combs/wattles.

Been looking at how the different colors of Chantecler were created. Each color was a separate project. They started with big combed birds too which was interesting.

Thinking of using Chantecler, Buckeye as well as Marans with 'cana. The Chantecler seem to develop very quickly - up to processing weight in 5 months, but haven't tried any yet myself. I liked my Brahma/Easter Egger cross very much.

Rachel, saw your thread on Russian Orloffs. Interested me because I like their face and color - they have no comb/wattles and the beard/muffs - and an easy going disposition but I've never seen one in person. They were originally bred for dual purpose cold climate, close to my goals. (I voted for "Russian Orloff Breeder Club" because it is easier to say in conversation. Even just "Orloff Breeder Club." )

 

[Birch Run Farm]

 

[Illia]

Quote:
Didn't know you still have those fellas. Very pretty

Haiku - The only flaw I personally see in your plan is your term "dual purpose" - You're certainly not going to get great dual purpose from Leghorn x Ameraucana.

The way I see your project, you're just trying to make Legbars, yes?

wingsofglory - Something you must consider is that unless you're using good or show quality Brahmas not from hatchery stock, they're a horrible decision. Hatchery Brahmas are just as big as any other hatchery bird, just with extra fluff, and are more bone than meat. For a good meat cross, I'd say find a good quality Dorking (which is a tad rare, honestly) or a, dare I say, Light/Coronation Sussex from Greenfire Farms stock. They get HUGE and don't grow quite as slow as most other heritage breeds.

Both Dorkings and La Fleche are known excellently for meat quality and taste, the big downside here is that both are rare, and both are even more rare to find good quality stock. Because as much as someone doesn't care to show their birds, hatcheries do NOT breed for size, meat quality, dual purpose, or original standards of the breed.

 

[HaikuHeritageFarm]

Haiku - The only flaw I personally see in your plan is your term "dual purpose" - You're certainly not going to get great dual purpose from Leghorn x Ameraucana.

The way I see your project, you're just trying to make Legbars, yes?

Nope, the Legbar-like birds are just the first phase. I have absolutely no interest in stopping there, thus my inquiry as to how best to incorporate the heavier birds.

That said, a winter-hardy "Legbar" wouldn't be a bad thing at all. Pea combs, muffed/bearded faces would be quite appreciated by many if I could work that into an "egg laying" machine. Couldn't call it a Legbar, though, since the "bar" part suggests barred rock. "Legam"? Hahaha!

Wings, things would be so much easier if I didn't mind a green egg! There are lots of good birds to choose from. The Orloffs are an excellent bird, as are the Chanteclers. I considered projects with them both, but they are perfect as is.

(Well, they need improvements, that's always a project, but I'm a genetics nut so I like "crazy" projects!)

I'm hoping to get my two Orloff hens back here soon, and start building a good flock with some excellent sources I've found. I enjoy them more than any other bird I've owned. Actually, They are very close to what my ultimate goal is with this project, but with a bit less upright stature, blue egg, and barred pattern.​

 

[Illia]

Quote:
Nope, the Legbar-like birds are just the first phase. I have absolutely no interest in stopping there, thus my inquiry as to how best to incorporate the heavier birds.

That said, a winter-hardy "Legbar" wouldn't be a bad thing at all. Pea combs, muffed/bearded faces would be quite appreciated by many if I could work that into an "egg laying" machine. Couldn't call it a Legbar, though, since the "bar" part suggests barred rock. "Legam"? Hahaha!

Actually I believe the bar is not from Barred Rocks. There's a LOT of barred breeds out there other than Rocks. Europe especially has more than us, including Hollands, a white egg layer, which is an excellent choice, as they don't ruin the blue egg. We have em too, but they're rare.

 

[phasianidae]

Quote:
I agree most hatchery Brahmas arent very heavy but Light Brahmas from Welp are very large and have excellent silver columbian color.
Very interesting thread.