What would happen with a mix of hens and an EE roo?

[paceysgl5]

We are neweggs at this. Are getting our shipment of baby chicks on March 23rd. No roo this year probably, but we may introduce 1 or 2 next year (15 chicks, if they all survive by next year...).

We will have:

5 EE's
2 Columbian Wyandottes
2 Buff Orpintons
2 Barred Rock
1 RIR
1 Golden Campine
1 Golden Laced Wyandotte
1 unknown

I was thinking of getting an EE roo when we do, so that at least the EE eggs, which will hopefully be colored, will be EE's and we can sell the chicks as EE's instead of some unknown cross (yes, I know that EE's are crosses too).

What about the other hens? Will any of the babies be potential colored egg-layers since their dad will be a EE?

Would you suggest a different breed of roo?

Thanks!

 

[SpringChickens]

Yes, chicks from an EE roo can lay colored (usually green) eggs. I'm not sure what the ratio is - I had 2 EE X hens (BR roo over EE hen) who both laid green/olive eggs.

I think your logic for wanting an EE roo is sound. Good luck!

 

[NicoleRM]

It depends on if the roo is homozygous for the blue egg gene or not. If he is, then any of your brown egg layer hen's babies should lay green eggs, and white egg layer hen's babies should lay blue. If he is heterozygous, then half should still lay green or blue statistically speaking. I think a true Ameraucana rooster might give you a better chance of being homozygous.

And technically, you could sell any of the babies as EEs, since EEs are really just mixes with the potential for blue or green eggs, as you said. Sounds like a good way to get the "Easter basket" of eggs effect!

 

[emjay]

My first flock, and my flock who have produced me several hatches, of which I kept 2 new flocks. Are of the same basis. I have an EE roo with purebreeds and EE's, so far they have produced me blue egg layers. I have my initial flock of 7 hens and my EE roo. I now have 17 EE babies from the first flock, all so far are blue/green egg layers, I am waiting on 4 girls to lay, then I will know if I was 100 % successful in keeping all blue egg layers. so far looking pretty good.
My EE roo has some very dominant blue genes.
Good luck.

 

[Qi Chicken]

We have just about the same flock and am looking forward to getting some chicks out of our roo. I think if they have whitish earlobes they are more likely to carry the blue/green egg gene. That might be completely wrong but I know I read it somewhere!

 

[MyKidLuvsGreenEgz]

FYI: I have 6 ee girls. 3 lay green eggs and 3 lay brown eggs. Would need to cross the brown egg layers with a blue-gene-dominant roo to get green from them. Which actually I just got.

Just wanted to let you know that not all EEs lay green, pink or blue eggs.

 

[emjay]

these are the eggs I'm getting from my EE pullets from the babies of the result of breeding/hatching of my First flock ( The EE roo, with purebreeds and EE hens.)

 

[paceysgl5]

thanks for the replies!! awesome!! I am more thinking about when it's time to sell the baby chicks since the ones we keep we'll love no matter what egg colors they lay! brown, blue, green, etc doesn't matter to me much besides the cool factor of having an easter egg basket. So you think I can sell them (say on craigslist) as EE's? In 1 generation we'd know the roo's gene-dominancy I guess. Good idea to maybe go purebred with him for an Araucana to get the best chances....anyway thanks again

 

[hallerlake]

Sexing chicks is only 90% accurate. Don't be surprised if you end up with a rooster in your shipment.

 

[paceysgl5]

Quote:
That's true. If it's an EE rooster we'll prob keep it, hopefully our neighbors don't complain! Otherwise find a good home, which I feel will be really hard! Guess we'll wait and see. Thanks for the heads up though, that was another reason for ordering 15 off the bat.