What would happen?

[Chickem707]

Hi there, i have a splash Jersey Giant pullet and a French BCM cockerel, and am thinking of breeding them at some point. Anyone know what the offspring would look like? And would the lovely brown egg gene be passed on?

 

[Sneebsey]

All offspring will be blue, possibly with a little leakage in the cockerels.

Regarding the dark egg genes, it's up to chance, really. I hatched some Marans x earlier this year, three lay mid-brown, one fairly dark, but nothing close to that deep rich brown of the Marans.

 

[Chickem707]

All offspring will be blue, possibly with a little leakage in the cockerels.

Regarding the dark egg genes, it's up to chance, really. I hatched some Marans x earlier this year, three lay mid-brown, one fairly dark, but nothing close to that deep rich brown of the Marans.

Blue? That’s not too bad, leakage as in copper? And as long as i can differentiate the eggs that’s great

 

[Sneebsey]

As your hen is Splash, she has two copies of the 'blue gene'. Your cockerel has none. All their offspring together will get one copy of the gene from the mother, none from the father, and will be blue.

Your hen is likely Extended Black, whilst your cockerel should be Birchen. This ought to result in mostly black birds (diluted to blue, due to Mum's influence), some with slight colour bleeding through. This can be Copper, but if Mum is hiding Silver (no way to know), you may see white in the cockerels, but not the hens, as it is sex-linked.

 

[Chickem707]

As your hen is Splash, she has two copies of the 'blue gene'. Your cockerel has none. All their offspring together will get one copy of the gene from the mother, none from the father, and will be blue.

Your hen is likely Extended Black, whilst your cockerel should be Birchen. This ought to result in mostly black birds (diluted to blue, due to Mum's influence), some with slight colour bleeding through. This can be Copper, but if Mum is hiding Silver (no way to know), you may see white in the cockerels, but not the hens, as it is sex-linked.

Very helpful, thank you!