So I'm thinking about moving one of my Isa Browns (production red) in with a blue ameraucana dude I have on the farm. I seem to keep getting too far on the dark scale with some of my olive eggers, and I'm wondering if it's because my Marans lay so dark? When crossed to the EEs or Ameraucanas, the first generation lays beautiful, like the olive egg in my avatar. But, when crossed back to the Marans, the eggs are so dark olive green they almost look brown.
My Isa Browns lay a darker brown that most...they would probably run maybe a 3 on the Marans egg colour chart (I've never graded them, though). So - maybe the pullets from the above cross, put in with my Marans rooster, would yield just the right shade? What do you think?