Supposidly these are Easter Eggers? Thoughts?

[klinderman]

Hi All!

We picked up some chicks today! They were being sold to us as Easter Eggers, though they didnt really look like easter eggers to me. The woman showed us some eggs, which were blue/green looking, and assured me that these chicks are easter eggers, but the chicks are awfully black looking. They said they primarily own BC Marans, so I'm wondering if this could be a cross, or maybe they gave me the wrong chicks. I dunno, anyone have any thoughts to what these chicks could be? Thank YOOOOU!!

 

[Kev]

Look at their combs, if they are miniature versions of single combs- the typical chicken comb with serrations, ask her about it... because most easter eggers have the colored egg gene linked with pea comb gene. pea comb on chicks either looks like flat combless area or a thin ridge with no serrations.

They could very well be a personal project breeding easter eggers with marans. Many on here are doing that for olive eggers.

 

[dacasodivine]

Maybe a mix? Any feathers on the legs?

 

[klinderman]

I will keep a watch on the combs, as for the feet, there are no feathers.

 

[Wyandottes7]

It is very possible that they are Easter Eggers, since there are no set colors or body shapes for Easter Eggers (they must simply lay colored eggs). However, your chicks, to me, look more like pure Marans than Easter Eggers.

 

[klinderman]

Yea that was my thought too, but I didn't want to argue the lady because she was SO CERTAIN that these were the right chicks! I guess I'm really just going to have to wait and see!

 

[klinderman]

Heres some close up shots of their combs

 

[Kev]

are first two the same bird? It has a pea comb... can't see the other chick;s comb in last pic too clearly but think I do see the serrations as on a single comb.

At least the first one definitely is not a pure marans. the second... could be either a pure marans OR it is a cross/mix but did not inherit the pea comb= most likely it would lay brown eggs if a pullet.

If you are set on green or blue eggs, I would contact the seller about exchanging the second chick for one with a pea comb. Keep the first chick, with the flat comb area. They should know exactly what I am talking about.


The only exception to pea comb rule is if they happen to use legbars or isbars as the cross for colored eggs but since the one chick has a pea comb I think this is very unlikely and they did use easter egger or ameraucanas as the cross for colored eggs, and in this case the single comb chick definitely won't lay colored eggs.

btw the BCM color is dominant so if you cross it with almost any other color chicken, all chicks will come out just like yours.

and it is right that easter egger really is any bird that lays colored eggs but does not match the standard for any breed- araucana, ameraucana, isbar, legbar... so by that, at least one chick really is an easter egger.

 

[klinderman]

Yea first two pics are the same chick. Heres another pic of the blacker chick

 

[Kev]

You're taking great pics- right angle and everything but unfortunately not enough pixels to see sharp details at full size... it does look like a pea comb too.

If you're not seeing very clear saw-like serrations along the top, it is not single comb and should be good for colored eggs..