The Poultry Keeper

alicem · Joined: 04 Aug 2005 Posts: 6 Location: Warwickshire

I have a maran x crested legbar cockerel (don't ask), and a number of assorted layer hens, such as bluebelles, buttercups, sussex stars, and marans. If they were to breed, what chance would I have of getting layers who produce those lovely green/blue eggs? Any ideas?

Deb_Moderator · Joined: 13 Apr 2005 Posts: 3661

My understanding is...is that only the Araucana's lay the green-blue eggs. Confused

George · Joined: 14 Apr 2005 Posts: 5661 Location: London

Do any of your hens lay white or cream eggs, or are they all brown?

Think brown is probably a dominant gene so they are likely to give offspring which also lay a brown egg

alicem · Joined: 04 Aug 2005 Posts: 6 Location: Warwickshire

I didn't realise that you are not in the UK, the cotswold legbar is a registered breed here which lays beautiful green/blue/olive eggs. You can find their website which is something like cotswold legbars co.uk or legbars of broadway or something similar. THeir breeder claims that they are not related to the aracunas but are similar in some ways. He charges a fortune for each hen!
Still wondering about the eggs though...what would be dominant, the maran or the legbar side ? Any idea about the eggs?

nigel · Posted: Mon Sep 05, 2005 10:09 pm Post subject:

Cotswold Legbar are not a true breed, they are a commercial hybrid bred to lay large blue eggs in commercial quantity. The Cream Legbar (originally crosses between Brown Leghorn, Barred Plymouth Rock, and Araucana) are sometimes referred to as Crested as they have the topknot from their araucana heritage. These two are not the same thing.

It's been quite a while since i did genetics but this is what I understand, but by no means am I an expert in poultry genetics. If your cockerel is a marans x 'crested' cream legbar he should have only one gene for blue egg laying. If crossed with the other breeds on your list you may get some khaki/green eggs but I don't think you'll get any sky blue ones. Sorry Sad

alicem · Joined: 04 Aug 2005 Posts: 6 Location: Warwickshire

Thanks, that's very interesting, I guess I'll just have to wait and see!
Are aracunas difficult to get hold of? I would really like to have some blue/green layers.

NannyP · Posted: Tue Sep 06, 2005 5:26 pm Post subject:

I have a Shetland hen (George has 3 Sad

) and Jaydee has several. They lay khaki, green eggs, not sure about blue, but you could ask Jaydee Very Happy

George · Joined: 14 Apr 2005 Posts: 5661 Location: London

alicem · Joined: 04 Aug 2005 Posts: 6 Location: Warwickshire

What is a shetland hen?

jaydee67 · Posted: Tue Sep 06, 2005 6:02 pm Post subject:

There has never been a concensus of opinion on the Shetland Hen. Some believed it to be a small black bird about the size of a pigeon, others believed it to be a heavier bird which produce blue/green eggs in reasonable quantities.

...the large type it is likened to the Araucana hen but with the exception of the beards and ear tufts,....has the characteristic tuft or 'tapp' of feathers on it's head....

The other smaller black hens and black/red cocks have a glossy black plumage throughout with some of the breast feathers having a narrow red/brown stripe down the vein. ...legs and beak are black,very small comb - bright red...lay a good number of white bantam size eggs which incubate for 21 days idicating it is a hen not a bantam.

It was thought that the first type to be brought to the islands were the smaller type which most resembles the wild 'jungle fowl' ancestor of all chickens... brought from the continent centuries ago.

The 2nd type may have been brought to Shetland by a Spanish Galleon (2 of which are known to have wrecked on Shetland's shores.

See also: http://www.araucanas.co.uk/history.html

NannyP · Posted: Tue Sep 06, 2005 6:21 pm Post subject:

Sueeltringham · Joined: 05 Aug 2005 Posts: 10 Location: Northumberland

Hi alicem!

If your cockerel came from cream legbars that were blue egg laying stock, then he should carry an allele for blue eggs (from the cream legbar) and an allele for brown eggs (from the Maran). Both are dominant. If you wanted blue eggs, then you should cross him with a white egg laying bird. Half of the offspring should lay blue eggs and half brown eggs (hens only of course!). White is a recessive allele. I hope that makes it clearer. The problem is confused further because cream legbars do not always lay blue eggs (though they should), some lay green eggs, so you would need to check on your roosters history.

Sue