The Olive-Egger thread!

[Manningjw]

I have a color genetics question:
So I hatched on OE from my blue copper Marans over my white EE.(hatchery bird that said it was a white AM)
The chick hatched all yellow except for 3 tiny black dots on it's body.
It's feathered to be beautiful almost all white with maybe 2 light grey feathers on the body and a black dot on the head.
I wouldn't call it splash only because it hatched out yellow and not the light grey.
Long story short:
But I can't find on color genetics what a blue and white cross will produce for color feathering. Wondering what this is AND what would this pullet give if crossed back to a blue Marans. I think it's a pullet . 4-5 weeks

More than likely your white Ameraucana was dominant white over black or silver. When you cross a double dominant white bird over black you will get white offspring with occasional black feathering. Because you crossed Blue(single diluting gene) over the white bird, I would put money on your white bird with occasional grey feathers to be carrying diluting gene under a single dominant white gene - not splash.

I would put money on a second cross back to a black bird to produce 25% White with occasional black feather, 25% that look like your current pullet, 25% black 25% blue off spring carrying no dominant white genes.

 

[chrissyr]

Use blue x splash. You would get half splash and half blue.

More than likely your white Ameraucana was dominant white over black or silver. When you cross a double dominant white bird over black you will get white offspring with occasional black feathering. Because you crossed Blue(single diluting gene) over the white bird, I would put money on your white bird with occasional grey feathers to be carrying diluting gene under a single dominant white gene - not splash. I would put money on a second cross back to a black bird to produce 25% White with occasional black feather, 25% that look like your current pullet, 25% black 25% blue off spring carrying no dominant white genes.

Thank you both. I believe it's a pullet, I'll try to breed her back to see what I get with her.

 

[Manningjw]

Thank you both. I believe it's a pullet, I'll try to breed her back to see what I get with her.

I missed the part about you asking what you would get breeding her back to a blue.

If what I presume is true, and that she is carrying 1 dominant white gene 50% will be white with either 'blue' or black feathers mixed in - a different look than true splash.

The other 50% should consist of Blue/Black/Splash in the proportions of 12.5% Splash, 12.5% Black and 25% blue, just like Ronotts chart shows. If she is merely dominant white over black, then you should get 25% blue and 25% black. By doing this test hatch you can determine her genetics which is just so much fun isn't it?!

 

[chrissyr]

I missed the part about you asking what you would get breeding her back to a blue.

If what I presume is true, and that she is carrying 1 dominant white gene 50% will be white with either 'blue' or black feathers mixed in - a different look than true splash. 

The other 50% should consist of Blue/Black/Splash in the proportions of 12.5% Splash, 12.5% Black and 25% blue, just like Ronotts chart shows.  If she is merely dominant white over black, then you should get 25% blue and 25% black.  By doing this test hatch you can determine her genetics which is just so much fun isn't it?!  

No worries, I don't think you missed it. I've just been a little sleep deprived and My post was rambling .
This helps a lot because I didn't know exactly what she was. I do like experimenting but it works best for me when they turn out to be pullets
I think I may be happier with this cross. Im wanting less blacks in the mix.
I'm breeding my Lav AM to my blue copper Marans and I swear 80% are blacks and the rest are blues. Now they aren't supposed to be sexed linked but the 4 blues Ive heard of: the people say are pullets .

 

[Lauravonsmurf]

I was bumping around the net, and decided to go to Meyer hatchery (having not checked them out yet) to see what they offer in stock... they are developing their own Olive Egger Strain a cross of Legbar, Maran & Ameraucana and yes you can order them. Oh one could get in trouble on their site... they have 2 kinds of Ameraucana, EEs, Legbars & now Olive Eggers.

Not to mention all the breeds you would need to make your own OE or EE strains... yikes.

 

[aart]

I was bumping around the net, and decided to go to Meyer hatchery (having not checked them out yet) to see what they offer in stock... they are developing their own Olive Egger Strain a cross of Legbar, Maran & Ameraucana and yes you can order them. Oh one could get in trouble on their site... they have 2 kinds of Ameraucana, EEs, Legbars & now Olive Eggers.

Not to mention all the breeds you would need to make your own OE or EE strains... yikes.

I'm a little leery of hatcheries saying they have Ameraucanas/Araucanas, when they are really Easter Eggers.....is Meyer better at this than other hatcheries.

 

[Ihilani Coffee]

I'm a little leery of hatcheries saying they have Ameraucanas/Araucanas, when they are really Easter Eggers.....is Meyer better at this than other hatcheries.

I'm sure you all saw the pricing also.... I prefer to buy from local breeders for many good reasons. The thing about OE is they just don't breed true and the person who can perfect the self-perpetuating OE will have accomplished something for sure! Only the first cross is really reliable, and that only if the there are two blue egg genes on the blue egg side of the equation.

As to Meyer Hatchery, my experience is less than stellar in the health and production categories, as well as type being pretty much hatchery low quality. Seriously, a BLRW huge hen that lays a bantam size egg? Not worth the feed she ate. Speckled Sussex also big hens laying medium eggs? No thanks.

 

[quailtrail]

If my OE mates with my Buff Orpingtons the off spring will not lay olive correct?

 

[ronott1]

If my OE mates with my Buff Orpingtons the off spring will not lay olive correct?

They will lay a rainbow of eggs. Some will be green because blue egg shell genes are dominant.

 

[quailtrail]

They will lay a rainbow of eggs. Some will be green because blue egg shell genes are dominant.

oh thats great news! I thought I read that the roo was dominant so thought that meant they would lay a light brown egg