Olive Egger Roo genetics

[percoco13]

Last summer I purchased 3 olive egger chicks, unfortunately the two hens were killed by a raccoon before they started to lay so I never saw their eggs. My OE roo survived and is now my dominant rooster fertilizing all my hens. He is a mix between a welsummer hen and whiting true blue rooster. I recently hatched some chicks that came from him and a wyandotte hen and some blue laying EE hens. How do I know genetically what these chicks will come out laying? I'd imagine that crossing a green gene back to a blue layer will result in lighter green, while back to the brown layers will result in that olive drab green. Are the genetics that simple when dealing with a rooster? Or will he run the chance of passing blue and brown genes down, or are they straight green genes. I just don't know if the genes work the same if it's coming from the rooster side...although I don't see why it wouldn't. Does green become a dominant gene or is it recessive? Thanks!

 

[Pork Pie]

I may be wrong, but I think that eggshell colour genetics dictate only white and blue.

ETA: I shared your question to another BYC member and this was what she shared with me.

As a separate set of overlay genes are the brown "paint" genes. There's about a dozen to 15 different genes that control the brown coating on top of the shell, thus the many different shades of browns- darks, mediums, light, tan, cream, etc. Which also explains all the different shades of greens, blue-greens, olives, khaki, etc.

These links may be of interest

https://scratchcradle.wordpress.com/2012/07/01/gms1-genetics-of-egg-color/

https://scratchcradle.wordpress.com/2012/07/08/gms2-breeding-for-blue-eggs/

 

[percoco13]

So how does it work when your looking to darken or brighten the green and you take an OE and cross them back to a brown or blue layer to get the desired effect? If it was all white or blue egg genes then only a certain percentage of chicks hatched from mixes like that would be OE- the others would lay Blue or brown. But when looking at color egg charts it makes no mention of that- just blue and green make a brighter green etc. if you breed an OE back to a blue laying EE- will you green laying hens or a variety of majority green with some blue and some brown? I've hatched out some of this mix but they are 4 days old chicks so I'll have to wait 6 months to see what they do.

 

[Pork Pie]

So how does it work when your looking to darken or brighten the green and you take an OE and cross them back to a brown or blue layer to get the desired effect? If it was all white or blue egg genes then only a certain percentage of chicks hatched from mixes like that would be OE- the others would lay Blue or brown. But when looking at color egg charts it makes no mention of that- just blue and green make a brighter green etc. if you breed an OE back to a blue laying EE- will you green laying hens or a variety of majority green with some blue and some brown? I've hatched out some of this mix but they are 4 days old chicks so I'll have to wait 6 months to see what they do.

Sorry, I'm far from an expert. Maybe this link will shed some light for you? https://scratchcradle.wordpress.com/2012/07/15/gms3-breeding-for-other-egg-colors/

 

[percoco13]

SO essentially if my blue layers are EE of unknown parentage there's no way of knowing if they are hetero or homozygous for the blue gene which means a certain percentage of their offspring may be brown layers. That being said are all ameracaunas homozygous for the blue gene? I had some blue ameracaunas that were killed by a raccoon and the only blue layers I have left are EEs. But an OE rooster should carry through true genetically. So hard not knowing!

 

[Pork Pie]

I've asked someone with the relevant knowledge to help. Hopefully she is still awake and able to lend a hand. It's a subject that interests me, so I'll remain subscribed to your thread - just sorry that I can't help.

 

[Ravynscroft]

At best, your OE cock bird carries only 1 blue egg gene, and even that is not a guarantee... I've heard of many WTB's to be heterozygous for the blue egg gene rather than homozygous... so there's a chance he may not even carry a blue egg gene... the only way to know for certain whether any bird is homozygous or heterozygous for the blue egg gene is to breed each one to a white egg laying breed, grow out all the pullets from a good sized batch and see if any lay white eggs...

Crossing back to a lighter brown or tan egg layer like a Wyandotte will usually just give more greens, not olives, since olives come out best with very dark brow egg layers like Marans or Welsummers...

And no, not all Ameraucanas are homozygous for the blue egg gene... it is desired that they are, but I know of rather well known, reputable breeders that still occasionally get white egg layers from their birds... those are culled from breeding and others are continued on... while blue eggs are important for the breed, the primary focus with Am's is breeding for type and feather color breeding true...

 

[percoco13]

Thanks! I guess we'll just have to wait and see what they lay!

 

[JennyHeidewald]

Thanks! I guess we'll just have to wait and see what they lay!

What happened?
I am trying to learn about egg genes. I am crossing a Penedesenca roo with olive egger, starlight green egger and a cream legbar, and also trying an EE/hamburg roo over Welsummer, Penedesenca and FBCM.