Which EE would be better for breeding?

[Mama_in_the_Dell]

I’m only breeding amateurly so not looking for perfection but in your opinion which of these two would be the best choice? These two are so different and I like things from each. Ideally I would like to breed the one with the best colored egg gene but I don’t think I’m going to be able to keep both long enough to figure this out through their offspring.
Rooster #1 This one looks a lot like a silver ameraucana but obviously not pure so I wonder if it would be more likely to carry the blue egg gene. It’s legs are blue/slate color and he has a nice distinct beard. I love his coloring as well.

Rooster #2 size wise this guy is big! He’s got a very sweet temperament and a deep crow. He has a really nice 3 row pea comb and green legs.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Personally since they're not a real breed, I'd breed number too to keep that temperament in the gene pool

 

[Chickenhappy8708]

If breed for temperament, because you most likely won't be able to breed them back to blue. If you want ours Ameracuna, Meyer and My Pet Chicken have them.

 

[CluckerFamily]

I agree. With EEs I would breed for temperament.

 

[Mama_in_the_Dell]

Personally since they're not a real breed, I'd breed number too to keep that temperament in the gene pool

He’s been my top choice since he was little and then #1 surprised me and I started questioning if I was going to be making a mistake by not keeping him. I have some blue egg laying hens and don’t want to dilute that out if the egg color just isn’t there.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Unfortunately you won't know until their offspring lay, but odds are he lays blue or green eggs

 

[NatJ]

I would pick number 2, with the pea comb, if you want blue eggs.

There is a linkage between the genes for blue/not blue eggs, and pea/not pea combs. In Ameraucanas, blue eggs are linked to pea combs, and that usually (not always) gets passed down to Easter Eggers as well.

So the Easter Egger with a clear pea comb is more likely to have the gene for blue eggs.

(Cream Legbars have blue eggs linked to not-pea combs, and Brahmas have not-blue eggs linked to pea combs, so comb type does not always tell egg color--but it often is helpful when dealing with Easter Eggers.)

There are probably other genes that affect how much blue goes on a "blue" egg, and I have no idea what they may be linked with. So if you really wanted the bluest eggs, and if you could keep both roosters, then it would make sense to try them both. But that's not what you're asking

I also agree with the suggestion to keep the one with better temperament. That is a trait you know something about now, rather than guessing about who "might" have better genes for blue eggs. (And it's handy that both methods pick the same bird, #2)