Olive Eggers

[LadiesAndJane]

Thanks for the enlarged photos, really helps! Number 3 and number 5 may end up being male, too early to be certain. Rest look like pullets. Number 1 and number 6 are likely F2, assuming they hatched from a green egg.
Nice looking birds! I suggest reposting when they are around 12 weeks if you are in doubt by then. You should get some nice eggs from these. The ones that hatched from brown eggs are likely F1 (the pea combs) and will lay a nice olive egg like mine does. The F2s may lay a darker olive or a nice dark brown. Sounds like a win-win to me! ☺

 

[LadiesAndJane]

Oh and if your F1s hatched from brown eggs, they likely had an ameraucana as a father and a marans as a mother. (Mine is the opposite). Interesting the breeder could not tell you, you would think they would know what breeds they are using to make their olive eggers.
Attached schematic that shows nicely how olive eggers are produced!

 

[Duckee]

To answer your other question. Your F1s are likely the ones with the pea type combs and the F2s have the single (straight) combs. This is not knowing what breeds were used to create them. Do any of them have feathered legs? I can't tell in the photos. Classically, an F1 that looks like your birds will be an ameraucana crossed with a black copper marans and an F2 would be the pullets of these crossed back to a black copper marans. F2s will have darker olive green eggs, but also increases your chances of having a dark brown egg layer instead.
Photo of my F1 olive egger and her egg for reference.
View attachment 2410611View attachment 2410617

Beautiful hen and great egg color!

 

[Smileybans]

Thanks for the enlarged photos, really helps! Number 3 and number 5 may end up being male, too early to be certain. Rest look like pullets. Number 1 and number 6 are likely F2, assuming they hatched from a green egg.
Nice looking birds! I suggest reposting when they are around 12 weeks if you are in doubt by then. You should get some nice eggs from these. The ones that hatched from brown eggs are likely F1 (the pea combs) and will lay a nice olive egg like mine does. The F2s may lay a darker olive or a nice dark brown. Sounds like a win-win to me! ☺

Sounds like a win to me too. I was confused by the straight comb ones and thought they were males. Since I have one Easter egger roo who has a pea comb his comb was bright red by now. But it’s so hard to tell with these guys. My EE started to crow at 10 weeks so I’m hoping for similar results with these guys. Thanks for your guess and help though.

 

[Smileybans]

Oh and if your F1s hatched from brown eggs, they likely had an ameraucana as a father and a marans as a mother. (Mine is the opposite). Interesting the breeder could not tell you, you would think they would know what breeds they are using to make their olive eggers.
Attached schematic that shows nicely how olive eggers are produced!View attachment 2411673

I’m not sure they were breeding on purpose. They were eggs I had gotten locally off Craigslist so my roo wouldn’t be lonely. But they’re pretty either way. I know she had said she had pure ameraucana eggs but none of those were fertilized. So I just assumed the ones that hatched were a marans and ameraucana mix. Since when I looked up feather footed olive eggers that was the most common mix. Thank you for the chart.

 

[Smileybans]

Does this coloration mean roo? There’s some red feathers and iridescent ones on the back. Some have started to grow different colored feathers and this one has red on its shoulders(?). I believe I have this one marked as a maybe boy.

 

[LadiesAndJane]

I think you may be right. Is this one of the same 6?

 

[Smileybans]

I think you may be right. Is this one of the same 6?

Yes it’s one of the same 6. It’s the one, and only one, with cheek puffs but no feathers on the legs.

 

[LadiesAndJane]

Yes, this is number 5 in your other photos. Comb is more developed. I THINK I see early signs of male saddle feathers coming in as well. Both female and male black birds can have the green sheen, but you are right about the red coming in over the shoulders, a typical male sign. Definitive saddle feathers usually are seen about 12 weeks of age. He will be a gorgeous roo.

 

[Smileybans]

Yes, this is number 5 in your other photos. Comb is more developed. I THINK I see early signs of male saddle feathers coming in as well. Both female and male black birds can have the green sheen, but you are right about the red coming in over the shoulders, a typical male sign. Definitive saddle feathers usually are seen about 12 weeks of age. He will be a gorgeous roo.

After I posted my other reply I went back and looked at the other photos and realized what number he was. I have him marked as a potential boy. I’m glad both the males and females can have the sheen because I saw it on almost all of them. I thought because they all had it they were all boys. And I agree he will be gorgeous. All of the boys from this batch will be.