Where Did This Green Egg Come From??

[willowvale]

I have two Barred Rocks hens and a bunch of Orpingtons of varying ages and colours: Black, Buff, Blue, and Lavender or Gray. I'm used to seeing light brown eggs. Imagine my surprise at finding a blueish green egg this morning! The farmer I bought my most recent batch of pullets from said they were all purebred Orpingtons, but he must have been wrong. They certainly all look like normal Orpingtons... Is it possible that one of my hens is a cross, even though she doesn't look it?

 

[ThePRfan]

Lavender Orpingtons lay those colored eggs.Or another bird may be mixed.Or a robin came in and decided to lay a egg

 

[aart]

Hmmm! How bout that!

Well, she must have a blue egg gene hidden somewhere in her back story.
Know nothing about the genetics of those color mixes...or Orps...curious tho.

 

[Happy Chooks]

Orpingtons of any variety don't lay green eggs. You have one that is a cross with a blue egg layer. Blue eggs with brown pigment = green eggs. Do you have pictures of the birds, we might be able to tell you which one it is.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Orpington lay brown eggs. That’s a requirement from the Standard of Perfection. They are not Orpington if they don’t lay brown eggs. Last I heard Lavender Orpington had not been officially accepted as a color though there are people trying to get them accepted. They will not be accepted as Orpingtons if they don’t lay brown eggs.

It is very possible that one or more of those hens is a cross. Some people only breed for what the judge sees and ignore the other requirements of the SOP. They can win ribbons at chicken shows but that does not mean they are true representatives of the breed.

There is a blue egg gene in the background of one of those hens. You are looking at the proof. That will make the egg basket more interesting, at least in my opinion.