Opal Legbars

[nicalandia]

Your bet is correct, for the record.

https://www.opallegbar.com/breeding/creating-the-opal-legbar

Also from that link

"Opal Legbars are still considered a project breed. They cannot be considered a true breed quite yet."

So Tan eggs should not come as a surprise.

 

[The Moonshiner]

Then wouldn't the eggs be white and not brown/tan?

The Isabel Leghorns used were still a fairly new variety at the time and many were still carrying some lingering brown eggs genes that hadn't been breed out from the Orpingtons that were used to create the Isabel's.
When the Opals were made focus was about color/pattern first and foremost. Egg color was put on the back burner and birds were released before that was ever taken care of.

 

[HaikuHeritageFarm]

Then wouldn't the eggs be white and not brown/tan?

Opal legbars were developed from Isabella leghorns which were in turn developed using lavender Orpingtons. I have Isabella leghorns and the eggs are ever so slightly tinted rather than stark white. It makes the eggs of my Opal Legbars kinda teal. It's really pretty.

That being said, there's no excuse for white/tan eggs popping up in ANY Legbar lines anymore regardless of color. This is not a brand spanking new variety, this should be worked out by now. I hope the OP tests their flock to elemenate any heterozygous birds from the gene pool, and reports this issue to the person they bought from so they can do the same.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Opal legbars were developed from Isabella leghorns which were in turn developed using lavender Orpingtons. I have Isabella leghorns and the eggs are ever so slightly tinted rather than stark white. It makes the eggs of my Opal Legbars kinda teal. It's really pretty.

That being said, there's no excuse for white/tan eggs popping up in ANY Legbar lines anymore regardless of color. This is not a brand spanking new variety, this should be worked out by now. I hope the OP tests their flock to elemenate any heterozygous birds from the gene pool, and reports this issue to the person they bought from so they can do the same.

Ah, okay. I wasn't sure since my isabel leghorns both laid bright white eggs, I figured they didn't have anything to do with lavender orpingtons

 

[nicalandia]

Ah, okay. I wasn't sure since my isabel leghorns both laid bright white eggs, I figured they didn't have anything to do with lavender orpingtons

I believe I mentioned that the Tinted shell DNA is actually coming from Legbars and not Leghorns. People summon me here and don't take heed?

Legbar SOP also accepts green eggs(the shade is not specified but it's likely light green)

 

[The Moonshiner]

The Opals were created right up yonder from me. I also had the same line of Isabel as were used.
I know the birds that were used and I know who created them. There was a second breeder also simultaneously working on them. The project unfolded in threads here and then split to Facebook and a website.
Sorry didn't feel the need to heed when I watched it unfold live.

 

[nicalandia]

Sorry didn't feel the need to heed when I watched it unfold live.

I will post this in hopes it makes sense to some but I will not hold my breath as many here don't view genetics the same way I do.

The likelihood of Opal Legbars inheriting The tinted eggs from Isabella Leghorns is very slim to begin with because most of those are now laying white eggs as they should due to the egg shell color inhibitors found on Leghorns(Zinc White is one of them)

Legbars in the other hand are known to lay green eggs(It's on the SOP) many Turquoise blue eggs hide a tinted shade under it.

the way the breeding program was executed it ensured that the tinted genetics persisted on the Opals.

That's about it.

 

[chfriedmam]

Then wouldn't the eggs be white and not brown/tan?

what I've learned is if they are heterozygous for the blue egg gene, they lay tinted (i.e., beige) eggs. You can send samples to IQ Bird Testing in Florida for testing if you want to isolate only the homozygous chickens and breed only them.

 

[The Moonshiner]

what I've learned is if they are heterozygous for the blue egg gene, they lay tinted (i.e., beige) eggs. You can send samples to IQ Bird Testing in Florida for testing if you want to isolate only the homozygous chickens and breed only them.

If they are heterozygous for the blue egg gene they'll lay blue or green eggs but when the heterozygous birds are bred together they'll produce some offspring that won't lay blue or green.
That's what happened to the OP.

 

[chfriedmam]

If they are heterozygous for the blue egg gene they'll lay blue or green eggs but when the heterozygous birds are bred together they'll produce some offspring that won't lay blue or green.
That's what happened to the OP.

Ya, brain fart on my part. I was referring to the o/o offspring