Odd new egg color

[SilksterTN]

So I have not added any new birds to my flock. I did hatch some mixed chicks this last spring that had an Australorp rooster and barred rock hens. For the last week or two, I have been getting this odd light green egg from one of them. It's smaller than the others, and I have no idea who's been laying them. Anyone have any theories? The inside of the egg isn't pure white, but a slightly lighter color than the shell. <br>

 

[lazy gardener]

You have some EE or Ameraucana genes in your mix. I'm betting EE. How sweet! I love my EE girls. Keep an EE roo to keep the egg colors interesting. He makes a nice black sex link green egg layer chick when crossed with Dominique or Barred rock.

 

[QueenMisha]

It's one of your spring pullets. Shades of color can change slightly, but a bird isn't going to go from laying brown or white to green. The small size also indicates it's a new layer. Whichever pullet is laying it has a parent with the blue egg gene. Thats a dominant gene, so if momma was the one contributing than the chick would have been hatched from a blue or green egg. If the egg was brown or white, it's daddy passing on the blue gene. Are you sure the father is really an Australorp? Do you have any neighbors with roosters?

 

[Kev]

Are there any hens or pullets with pea combs or combs other than single comb? Pea comb is strongly linked with the gene for green/blue eggshells if the stock has this type of linkage.

However, legbars are common enough now so there is probably a fair chance of a legbar mixes being around to throw the surprise single comb colored egg layer...

 

[SilksterTN]

Thanks for all of the input! Now I will have to go out and see if they will hold still long enough for me to see their combs LOL As I think about it now--I had just gotten a new roo and hen before I set the eggs in the bator. I'll get a pic of them. I don't remember how many eggs of which hens I hatched now. But the hen lays lighter brown almost white eggs. So maybe it's one of her chicks?
Edited to add--The neighbor's roos are too far away unless one went stealth and snuck in and out without getting his butt kicked by the lorp roo. He was a complete %$$! and I have since placed him.

 

[SilksterTN]

Ok there are 2 roosters who look almost identical. One is from the spring hatch and one is the original mystery father. I can't tell them apart. The white hen is the one who lays the light brown eggs and was likely fertilized by the mystery rooster. <br>

 

[Kev]

Yeah the barred one has a pea comb, going with the linkage idea, he is a good one to lay all the blame on lol

 

[chickens really]

The white has a pea comb also...EEs....

Cheers!

 

[junebuggena]

The white has a pea comb also...EEs....

Cheers!

The white one has a rose comb, not a pea comb...

 

[SilksterTN]

Both of the roos are barred and nearly identical. One is "slightly" darker than the other and one has lighter legs. Otherwise they both have green tail feathers. Of the 6 I hatched 4 are roos (of course). lol so possibly the 2 hens are the green layers Very cool surprise!