Is there any way to tell what color egg gene a cockerel is carrying?

[Catmoose1347]

I have a three month old Amercuana. I'm debating on wether or not to keep him for breeding because I want different colored eggs. I will not be showing these birds.

I've heard that some Americuanas don't lay blue eggs and/or don't have the blue gene. Is this true, and if so, how do I tell?

Oh, and while I'm here, I'm going to ask if he's a good bird if I should ever consider showing them in the future. Thanks for any input!

 

[enola]

He is an Easter Egger. Sorry.

 

[Catmoose1347]

Oh well, it's good I'm not showing them then. How can you tell?

 

[Catmoose1347]

I mean, is there a trait that he has (or doesn't have) that screams, "EE!", or does he just not look like an amercuana in general. It would be great to know for future reference.

 

[mak2001]

you can have blood drawn and they could break down the genetics but that would be quite expensive

there is this thing on the side of their head my dad says is the ear canal the color that it is should be the color egg gene

 

[Chris09]

there is this thing on the side of their head my dad says is the ear canal the color that it is should be the color egg gene

That there ear lobe and that will not tell you the color of the egg.

 

[dheltzel]

The principle reason he's not showable as a Ameracauna is that his color doesn't match any of the accepted colors. You can look at the Ameracauna Association's website to see the colors that are accepted into the SOP (standard of perfection).

It is impossible to determine the genotype of a rooster's egg color genes by it's phenotype. I really don't think there is even a DNA test available for this. The only way is to cross him with a non-blue egg layer and see what color eggs his daughters lay. This is called a test mating and if you raise enough pullets, is very definitive. If all the pullets lay blue eggs (or green if the mother is a brown egg layer), then your roo is homozygous for the blue egg gene. If about half the pullets lay blue eggs, then he is heterozygous (only 1 of the 2 alleles is blue). If none lay blue eggs, then he's a dud as far as ever producing blue egg laying offspring.

As easy as pure, show quality, Am roos are to find, it's a lot better to just find one to buy with known genetics. Watch the forums here and maybe CraigsList. You could ask in your state's thread also, there may be local breeders that would be happy to part with a roo.

 

[Catmoose1347]

@mak2001, The ear lobe generally determines the color of the egg for brown and white egg layers. Red earlobe is usually a brown egg and a white earlobe usually is a white egg. There are breeds that are an exception to this rule, though.

@dheltzel, thank you so much for your answer, it was super informative! I don't know anything about this. I will get around to learning it eventually, when I'm not too lazy.

 

[mak2001]

That there ear lobe and that will not tell you the color of the egg.

We'll that what our does green lays green and white lays white

 

[Chris09]

We'll that what our does green lays green and white lays white

??