Who Has The Dominate Dna?

[newchickens2009]

Wow! This Has Been Interesting And Very Educational To Me. I Never Realized That There Was So Much Going On With The Coloring Of The Egg. I Am Going To Keep Reading These Over And Over And Try And See If I Can Remember It All. Thank You All For All The Great Info! God Bless!!

 

[becky3086]

This was good information. Another for me to save as well.

 

[SteveH]

Quote:
True oocyanin , a byproduct or component in the formation of bile , is thought to be the agent causing the blue pigment in chicken eggs and it is distributed through out the shell . On the other hand the brown pigment painted over the outer surface is thought to be caused by hemoglobin , a byproduct of the break down of blood . Assuming both of these theories to be correct , its still easier for my visional type memory to think in colors LOL . I actually suspect that are other factors and chemicals involved in the production of blue egg shells ; but I'm content to say " Yep , that there chicken lays blue eggs " .

 

[Akane]

You also have to take into account that "brown" is not one gene. There are many and breeds that lay brown eggs have a mix of them. If you cross a brown laying breed and a white laying breed you get a brown egg but you may not get the same shade of brown as the other breed. That's one way you get pink eggs. If a breed has not been bred for any specific color of egg you have a mix of different brown genes in each parent. If some of the lighter shades combine just right we have pink. If we cross several breeds that lay darker brown eggs you can get all sorts of dark shades and speckles from the different genes. I have some 50% welsummer and then penedesenca x maran hens that lay interesting chocolate brown eggs with black spots. Then I crossed the roo back with the hens plus with a barred rock and 3 standard EE hens laying green. Now I get every shade from the chocolate brown to a barred rock's lighter tan eggs with black spots and one lays a deep reddish egg with no spots that tends to get an extra calcium layer so it turns purple. I haven't seen any shades of green yet.