The EE braggers thread!!!

[Summer98]

I am going to order some EE from McMurray Hatchery. Does anyone have EE from that hatchery? How are they? I really hope I end up with a variety of color patterns like the pictures on this thread.

 

[meepitqueenie]

I ordered mine originally from Cackle Hatchery and am still very pleased.

 

[verlaj]

I got 5 EEs from Ideal a couple of years ago. One turned out to be a rooster; the others are nice, hardy blue/green egg layers. Only one has a beard - the rooster did too. One of the hens is all white; the others are various patterns of gold and brown.

I hatched out some beautiful chicks from them this year, crossing them with a white/wheaten Ameraucana rooster. I'm very happy with my Ideal EEs.

 

[littlels]

Quote:
Each girl will lay a unique color and you will get to where you know who laid what egg. EE are like a box of chocolates, you never know what you get inside.... till she lays. EE can lay any color egg, thus the name. Most lay Blue-Green eggs, but some lay brown. Any color egg is ok with EE. The pea comb USUALLY means a blue egg gene, but it will not tell you if that egg will have a brown coating too.

So if I understand you correctly, a hen will lay the same color egg though, right. One hen won't lay a blue/green egg one time and then a brown and then a green then a blue, etc. Are these the ones that also lay pink and turquoise eggs? So you won't know the color of the egg until a pullet decides to lay for the first time, right?

 

[Grumpypantsmomma]

Quote:
EE's are awesome, they come in a variety of colors and can lay pretty eggs like green, light pink, olive and sometimes blue! As for the hen once you get her first egg from her that will be the color she will lay for the rest of her laying days, the eggs will get a little darker right after they first laying, and lighten as they reach 3 or so. but the egg color will stay the same up until she passes. As for being able to tell what hen will lay what color thats the surprise unless you go to a breeder who has bred a roo with lets say a green egg gene to a hen from a green egg, an so on and so forth! As for me I like the surprise of not knowing what color she will lay!
All the green eggs in this pic below are from my one EE Hen. the color differs a little but they are all green!

 

[flower]

Egg development and the laying of eggs is more like science, a combination of genetics and hormonal changes. The egg of each hen is something you will be able to identify. If a bird makes a dark greenish eggs that is more pointed than round each egg she makes will be similar. But toward the end of her laying cycle the color may lighten in intensity. And yes some chickens lay brown colored eggs, a few lay turquoise and a few lay pinkish colored. The most usual color that EEs lay is blue green in various tints. But think of their feathers each year they will loose feathers that are damaged and new ones replace the broken ones that fall out. The new replacement feather will be very similar to the older ones. Just like a humans hair. When you have black hair and get a haircut or shave your legs, the hair that grows in is similar due to genetics. But sometimes it is a darker or lighter shade due to other factors such as nutrition and or health changes.

Plus when young females chickens are ready to lay, or POL/ point of lay, their behavior changes. They begin to squat as if waiting to be mounted by a male chicken. They also often become noisy and do what we call the egg song. After laying eggs becomes just a routine they are not always so noisy. Soon you will see what color eggs that each bird will make. Soon is actually at five to six months and some birds take longer to develop to that point and it usually seems to take forever when you are waiting.

 

[DMRippy]

Quote:
Each girl will lay a unique color and you will get to where you know who laid what egg. EE are like a box of chocolates, you never know what you get inside.... till she lays. EE can lay any color egg, thus the name. Most lay Blue-Green eggs, but some lay brown. Any color egg is ok with EE. The pea comb USUALLY means a blue egg gene, but it will not tell you if that egg will have a brown coating too.

So if I understand you correctly, a hen will lay the same color egg though, right. One hen won't lay a blue/green egg one time and then a brown and then a green then a blue, etc. Are these the ones that also lay pink and turquoise eggs? So you won't know the color of the egg until a pullet decides to lay for the first time, right?

Pretty much! The first egg will not be the color of her mature egg, but close. If she lays a blue egg it will stay blue and close to that color, green eggs might get greener, brown eggs might get darker.

 

[Mother_Hen2011]

Quote:
Wow what great pointers hun! Thanks Flower!! Great wonderful advice!

 

[flower]

Gee i hope that you mean that my post was informative and if that is the case I am thrilled that you think so.

 

[Mother_Hen2011]

Quote:
It was very informative. Ive learned everything I know about chickens from the people on this website. I just bought my first chickens ever in April and I absolutely love them. I bought 6 and 3 were roos and i didnt want any roos.. I kept all of them up until the 3 roos started attacking my 3 year old so they have all since gone to rooster heaven.

I loved them but couldnt have them drawing blood from my daughter. Anyways, I just got my first egg yesterday and boy was that a thrill!!!!!! It was the prettiest green!! Im going to shake it blow it out and keep it forever!!!!

(Weird I know.

)

Anyways I truely love this website and have become completely addicted since joining

The people here are truely amazing and polite! So yes the information you shared truely was great! So when the others start to lay I will know who lays which eggs

That is really good to know seeing has how the other two havent laid their first eggs yet and Im wanting to keep all three of their first eggs

(Even weirder I know lol ) I just cant resist

First chickens and their first eggs

Its going to be a tradition from now on I demand it!!