Polish x Marans = egg color?

NapsWithChickens

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13 Years
Feb 22, 2009
311
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San Francisco Bay Area
Hi,

I have a gorgeous French feather legged Splash Marans and I am toying with the idea of adding a Polish hen to his flock, just for fun.

He carries the makings of dark chocolate brown eggs (lovely eggs from my non related, French feather legged SM hens)... If I cross a Polish with him, do I just get light brown eggs?

Thanks, Peeps!
Laura
 
Hi,

I have a gorgeous French feather legged Splash Marans and I am toying with the idea of adding a Polish hen to his flock, just for fun.

He carries the makings of dark chocolate brown eggs (lovely eggs from my non related, French feather legged SM hens)... If I cross a Polish with him, do I just get light brown eggs?

Thanks, Peeps!
Laura

Possibly plain brown or some variations in between, my theory also since I have crested polish egg hatching in incubator that has Black Copper Marans rooster, we shall see.:pop
 
Both males and females contribute to the egg shell color genetics and several different genes are involved. Some are dominant, some recessive, and some only act if other genes are present. There is even one gene that sort of bleaches out certain brown genes if it is present and if certain brown genes are present. That's why you can get so many different shades of colors even with chickens of the same breed. It can get pretty messy when you start crossing breeds.

Marans hens should lay dark chocolate brown eggs but not all do. The eggs can get lighter as you get later into their egg laying cycle. Polish should lay white eggs. You say your rooster is not related to your other Marans hens. Do you happen to know what color/shade of egg he hatched from or what color/shade the hens in the flock he came from laid? That will give you an indication of the genetics he is adding to the mix.

What normally happens when you make a cross like that is you will get brown eggs. The shade is usually lighter than the Marans normal egg. The exact shade will depend on which genetics get passed down from the parents. Even full blooded sisters can lay different shades of brown. So expect some shade of medium brown but don't be shocked if they are lighter or darker than you expect. That should make waiting for that first egg really exciting.
 

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