The Olive-Egger thread!

The specific site of insertion - according to the research referenced, is the same between American (north and south) and European chickens who possess blue egg laying genetics. According to the paper, the same type of ERV responsible also inserted itself in a different but closely related section in the Chinese fowl creating the same phenotype and these remained geographically isolated to China. So far, 2 separate ERV insertion points are known. I imagine that they included the Cream Legbar in this research considering it is an older breed.

I FINALLY FOUND IT! The original paper which I am going to save!




We have to keep in mind ERVs are not like a normal virus. They insert themselves into the genome of the animal and are passed down to the next generation. When they insert themselves, it is never in the same place each time. Meaning if you find an ERV in the exact same location in two different animals those animals shared a common ancestor that the ERV was inserted into.
Thanks!

It is great to have these post here.
 
What birds have blue ear lobes? Silkies have a turquiose colored lobe, but they don't lay blue eggs. Ameraucanas and Easter eggers have red lobes, not blue. That's just not true.

White egg laying birds have been bred to have white earlobes in many cases, but the two aren't genetically linked like say, pea comb and blue egg genes. It's just how they were bred. There are exceptions to the white = white and red = brown rules, also.

And when you mix and match, you get funky things...



this hen lays pretty aqua colored eggs.
 
 I have a question about olive eggers. I know you breed a blue egg layer and a dark layer breed. And that the 2nd generation would be the really dark eggs. But what I don't know is, if you have an f2 OE Hen and an F2 OE roo and breed them, will you continue to get olive layers?

If you read up above your post just a little bit, Henk69 and Nicalandia (who are very respected members on the forum) have weighed in on this very question and the answer is yes, you can mostly expect olive egg laying offspring, though the odd hen might throw white/brown/blue eggs. But, in my experience and in all the OE's I have only seen/heard of olive f2xf2 lay green eggs of some shade. I suppose with any blue/green cross it's possible to get an 'off color' but I wouldn't 'plan' for it per se. Conceptually stabilizing OE seems like a bit challenging, and most of the beautiful eggs I have seen are just olive crossed back to a brown-egg roo, which is no longer f2 + f2 = f3; it's f2 + maran which is technically a backcross. Good luck with your project and keep us all posted!
 
Last edited:
So excited to get back into the OE breeding process! Counting the days until July 1 when we move from Philly suburb (where we've been for 2 yrs--had to leave my birds behind in Arkansas) to the mountains of NC. You can see my olive eggs in my avatar picture.
 
So excited to get back into the OE breeding process! Counting the days until July 1 when we move from Philly suburb (where we've been for 2 yrs--had to leave my birds behind in Arkansas) to the mountains of NC. You can see my olive eggs in my avatar picture.
Congrats on being able to get back to chicken friendly country! I am in the boat you are escaping... lol. I am plotting my new breeding goals for the day I make the great escape!
yippiechickie.gif
 
Does anyone have pics of offspring from a splash Ameracauna x black copper Marans? I have searched all morning and can't seem to bring up any images.
 
Last edited:
I need help deciding what to breed...I will need to narrow down my flock in the upcoming months (I'm not supposed to have roos so having 3 or 4 might raise suspicions!) SO, this is what I have to work with for creating OE's...:

Females
Silver AM Hen
F1 OE pullets (2)(just started laying) Blue Wheaten AM/Splash Marans
Cream Legbar Pullet 12weeks
Silkied Splash Ameraucana chick...not sure what this will be yet...Keeping it no matter what sex...
I could pick up a Black Copper Maran if it made sense..

Males
Black Copper Maran cockrel 12 weeks
Cream Legbar Cockrel 12 weeks

Also have various Wyandottes but I don't think they play into my OE breeding...I think...although I have some eggs in the bator right now from my BLRW roo over the OE and Silver AM, so I'll see what I get...

I'm definitely keeping the BLRW..and if I could only keep one more roo/cockrel....what should I do? Does it matter if the male or female is the blue egg carrier? Are there more sought out breeds for people to purchase? Other stuff to consider?

If I keep the Cream Legbars I can breed both OEs and Cream Legbars...if I pick up a Maran pullet...(but I really love my Maran cockrel...more than the Legbar...)

Thoughts? I can add photos if it helps....?
 
I need help deciding what to breed...I will need to narrow down my flock in the upcoming months (I'm not supposed to have roos so having 3 or 4 might raise suspicions!) SO, this is what I have to work with for creating OE's...:

Females
Silver AM Hen
F1 OE pullets (2)(just started laying) Blue Wheaten AM/Splash Marans
Cream Legbar Pullet 12weeks
Silkied Splash Ameraucana chick...not sure what this will be yet...Keeping it no matter what sex...
I could pick up a Black Copper Maran if it made sense..

Males
Black Copper Maran cockrel 12 weeks
Cream Legbar Cockrel 12 weeks

Also have various Wyandottes but I don't think they play into my OE breeding...I think...although I have some eggs in the bator right now from my BLRW roo over the OE and Silver AM, so I'll see what I get...

I'm definitely keeping the BLRW..and if I could only keep one more roo/cockrel....what should I do? Does it matter if the male or female is the blue egg carrier? Are there more sought out breeds for people to purchase? Other stuff to consider?

If I keep the Cream Legbars I can breed both OEs and Cream Legbars...if I pick up a Maran pullet...(but I really love my Maran cockrel...more than the Legbar...)

Thoughts? I can add photos if it helps....?
Keep the Marans Rooster if you want Olive eggs. The Marans X Silver AM will make nice sexlinked babies too. The CL should also.
 
Last edited:

New posts New threads Active threads

Back
Top Bottom