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Egg Color
John:
--- Quote ---limit the breed to \"blue\" eggs
--- End quote ---
The breed is really already limited to blue eggs even though it is only mentioned in the notes in the Standards, with the exception of the ABA disqualification. Remember it doesn\'t just say blue, but also shades of blue and that can mean...well different things to different people. I know that some would like to see a deep blue color and although that would be very pretty it is not the blue of a \"pure\" blue chicken egg. I still maintain that when the inside and outside egg shell color is the same that is the desired color of a blue egg.
It is good advise to not show females that may lay an off colored egg at a show and be an embarrasement to the breed.
Guest:
Ok, define \"off color\".
I don\'t own any that lay pink, yellow or purple eggs, although I\'ve heard (lol) that they exist. No brown ones either, but I do have ugly olive green ones and they came from a Premier Breeder. I think that you\'re going to really limit yourself here. You\'re also going to have to depend on a subjective determination.
Heaven knows, the judges can\'t even get together on weights, how are they going to get together on color? You will be depending on the individual exhibitors to make the determination......hmmmm......I don\'t want to be the voice of doom, but I don\'t see it happening.
Again, would I show a great bird that layed an olive green egg? Yes...I will and I have. I don\'t see that as an \"embarrassment\" to the breed. I see it as a work in process.
Guest:
I purchased a set of gold laced wyandotte pullets their color and laceing is correct, one lays a green egg, instead of brown, i haven,t caught her yet as they are just starting to lay and it only happens every few days, don,t you think that its fair to sell chicks from her, to me the off colored egg shows crossbreeding and i am not getting what i paid for,
do you think that your ameraucana customers will be happy with olive green eggs out of pullets they raised from chicks, expecting a blue colored egg,
bantamhill:
Angela said something \"tongue and cheek\" about only showing cocks and cockerels . . . a note that has not been made in this entire discussion is the importance of the genes the cock is carrying related to color. Anyone wanting to improve shell color needs to test their male birds by crossing to a white shell laying breed and or keep track of the egg shell genetics of their male birds from hatch on.
I am less concerned about hatching from a hen of great type that lays a greenish or lightly tinted egg if I know the genetics of the cock bird in regard to shell color. That being said, also wouldn\'t show a hen that I was sure layed a non-blue tinted egg.
Just a friendly word of advise regarding the importance of the male bird in this discussion.
Michael
PS: I would also suggest that folks might want to cross from large fowl to bantam to improve shell color . . . then all you have to regain is size, which can be done quickly (2-3 generations!).
Guest:
You caught that, did ya?
First of all, anyone who thinks that they are consistantly going to get lovely blue eggs from Ameraucanas, is delusional.
Again, THEY ARE A WORK IN PROGRESS!!
Yes, I like the pretty little blue eggs, but that is not the sum all of the breed. You sell them short. There are certainly other aspects of the breed of which to be concerned.
The prettiest little blue eggs that I have from my \"pure-bred\" flock, actually came from a second generation leghorn cross. Still have her....great broody!
As for my customers, they know better!
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