Egg Color

[Mike Gilbert]

Sounds like simple genetics.  Is it this simple?  

OO hen = blue eggs
Oo hen = white eggs

is that correct?  Or are there alleles (sp?) involved?

I know the words, lol. Our boys are named
Roo1, Roo2, Roo3,etc...  It\'s habit regardless of age for the main boys. The boys being sold are listed with the correct words to classify age when being sold.  That\'s the only time I\'m anal about using the correct words..  Otherwise I\'m pretty laid back.  

   

No.   OO = blue eggs (or green if brown egg genes are present).

Oo = blue eggs but generally not as good (same qualifier)
oo = non-blue eggs and non-green eggs.

If maximum respect from experienced poultry fanciers is important to you, may I respectfully suggest using proper terminology in the public forums?  If not, I guess it doesn\'t make any difference.

[NGaAmeraucana]

 No.   OO = blue eggs (or green if brown egg genes are present).

Oo = blue eggs but generally not as good (same qualifier)
oo = non-blue eggs and non-green eggs.

Yes, should have said colored as in not white.  lol

As far as the word \"roo\" goes... why is it ok for cockeral to be shortened to cock but it\'s not ok for rooster to be shortened to roo?   If it\'s soooo tabu not to say the dreaded word roo... there\'s got to be a historical reason behind it.. I\'d like to know what that is.    lol

[John]

cockeral to be shortened to cock

Cock isn\'t short for cockerel.  A cock is a male over 1 year of age and a cockerel in under.  
Cock is the official term for mature male chickens according to the APA.  It is used by breeders, fanciers, exhibitors, etc.  Rooster is a newer name for a cock and somewhere along the line backyard chicken keepers started shortening it to \"roo\", as near as I can figure out.  It took me off guard when I first heard it and \"kangaroo\" was the first thing that came to mind.  I guess one advantage to it is it can refer to either a cockerel or cock, but so does \"male\".  
I find myself shortening words like \"information\" to \"info\" and I\'m sure we all do it with many words.  
In the world of breeding and exhibiting \"rooster\" is a colloquial term.  I\'ll use the term rooster in conversations with folks that aren\'t into poultry, but I try to stick with the accepted names of cock, hen, cockerel and pullet when conversing with my chicken friends.

[Beth C]

While I agree on the point of using correct terminology, and attempt to do so, I prefer to use rooster. If I say \"I got a cock from Bob.\" SOMEONE is going to snicker, you know that they are - why set myself up?

(Although I likely just did... )

[NGaAmeraucana]

cockeral to be shortened to cock

Cock isn\'t short for cockerel.  A cock is a male over 1 year of age and a cockerel in under.  
Cock is the official term for mature male chickens according to the APA.  It is used by breeders, fanciers, exhibitors, etc.  Rooster is a newer name for a cock and somewhere along the line backyard chicken keepers started shortening it to \"roo\", as near as I can figure out.  It took me off guard when I first heard it and \"kangaroo\" was the first thing that came to mind.  I guess one advantage to it is it can refer to either a cockerel or cock, but so does \"male\".  
I find myself shortening words like \"information\" to \"info\" and I\'m sure we all do it with many words.  
In the world of breeding and exhibiting \"rooster\" is a colloquial term.  I\'ll use the term rooster in conversations with folks that aren\'t into poultry, but I try to stick with the accepted names of cock, hen, cockerel and pullet when conversing with my chicken friends.

Thank you!    

And yes Beth.. I feel the same way you do.  I\'m more comfortable with the word rooster.     Show dogs are the same way.. I still can\'t \'say\' (the b word) in reference to a female dog even though I owned a female show dog.  LOL  It\'s just awkward.  

[Beth C]

Exactly. Around poultry people I use cock, but everywhere else I say rooster or male. But seriously, if you don\'t want to hear Winnie the Poo jokes, don\'t use \"roo.\"