Ameraucana Genetics Clarification

[Amer]

Amer, did your lavender blue hen look any different than a regular black with lavender? Did you only find out through test breeding or is there any way to tell by looking at the bird? Do you have a picture of her? Thanks!!

She did look different.
She was lighter in color and had dark feather shafts. Unfortunately that was a long time ago and the picture is bad

 

[Slothinc]

She did look different.
She was lighter in color and had dark feather shafts. Unfortunately that was a long time ago and the picture is badView attachment 4066635

Thank you!! What a pretty bird!! I am raising some lavender babies right now and have noticed that some of the shafts are white and some are dark. Wondered if this was normal. I had one genetically tested and it is lav/lav so they aren’t a blue that just looks like a lavender. I drew a couple of little arrows pointing to different color shafts on this bird.

 

[Amer]

Thank you!! What a pretty bird!! I am raising some lavender babies right now and have noticed that some of the shafts are white and some are dark. Wondered if this was normal. I had one genetically tested and it is lav/lav so they aren’t a blue that just looks like a lavender. I drew a couple of little arrows pointing to different color shafts on this bird.

Hey, maybe they could have the blue gene. Certainly, when I got Luna I didn't know she had the blue gene at first. It came out through crossing her with blacks.
Another sign the lavender might have blue is on roosters the hackles and saddles tend to be darker than the rest of the body.

 

[Slothinc]

Hey, maybe they could have the blue gene. Certainly, when I got Luna I didn't know she had the blue gene at first. It came out through crossing her with blacks.
Another sign the lavender might have blue is on roosters the hackles and saddles tend to be darker than the rest of the body.

Thanks!! I will have to test breed to check. I recently realized that one of my girls that I thought was black is actually a dark blue, and I had planned to use her to test breed with lavenders. However I guess that won’t really work… although if she is blue and they are blue then I could end up with splash babies, and that would let me know for sure

 

[JesWith3]

Welp, here are the eggs! Some are very light. Some just right (imo), I'm putting the two lightest (and smallest) in the fridge. All of them have detached air cells (surprise, surprise!), most of them free-floating. While I don't have high hopes, I'm going to give it a valiant effort and try hatching with some extra TLC. They are resting until tomorrow evening and then I'll put them in the incubator.
For shipped eggs with detached air cells, some say to leave them blunt end up through the entire incubation, some say to let them turn for a week or two in the very beginning and THEN set them up for the remainder, then some say leave them blunt end up for about the first 5 days before letting them turn the rest of the time. I've always let them sit upright initially (3-5 days, turning later on in the game), but I think I'll try my hand at early turning and THEN sitting blunt end up this time around. Do you have a preferred way?
Seller has stated she is willing to work with me on a partial refund, so no matter the outcome, not all is lost. Still, fingers crossed for these eggs, as baby chicks are awesome no matter what AND I can take the advice of the person who recommended the gene test. We shall see what transpires.
Thanks again, everyone

**Some of them look really light, for sure, but they do all have some level of blue(ish), the camera on my phone isn't good at conveying what's really there and I don't have great lighting. Also, they're in a yellow carton which is throwing a touch of greenish on some of them.

 

[Slothinc]

Welp, here are the eggs! Some are very light. Some just right (imo), I'm putting the two lightest (and smallest) in the fridge. All of them have detached air cells (surprise, surprise!), most of them free-floating. While I don't have high hopes, I'm going to give it a valiant effort and try hatching with some extra TLC. They are resting until tomorrow evening and then I'll put them in the incubator.
For shipped eggs with detached air cells, some say to leave them blunt end up through the entire incubation, some say to let them turn for a week or two in the very beginning and THEN set them up for the remainder, then some say leave them blunt end up for about the first 5 days before letting them turn the rest of the time. I've always let them sit upright initially (3-5 days, turning later on in the game), but I think I'll try my hand at early turning and THEN sitting blunt end up this time around. Do you have a preferred way?
Seller has stated she is willing to work with me on a partial refund, so no matter the outcome, not all is lost. Still, fingers crossed for these eggs, as baby chicks are awesome no matter what AND I can take the advice of the person who recommended the gene test. We shall see what transpires.
Thanks again, everyone

**Some of them look really light, for sure, but they do all have some level of blue(ish), the camera on my phone isn't good at conveying what's really there and I don't have great lighting. Also, they're in a yellow carton which is throwing a touch of greenish on some of them.

Awesome, good luck! If there is room in your incubator, why not put the lightest ones in too and then you can sell them to someone as Easter eggers. I always like to give every egg a chance, and this year should be very easy to rehome chicks.

I have tried almost every method with shipped eggs and I have had the best results with leaving them fat end up in the incubator while also turning them from day one. That would be my suggestion, but I know opinions differ and you just need to do what will give you the most peace of mind!

 

[JesWith3]

Awesome, good luck! If there is room in your incubator, why not put the lightest ones in too and then you can sell them to someone as Easter eggers. I always like to give every egg a chance, and this year should be very easy to rehome chicks.

I have tried almost every method with shipped eggs and I have had the best results with leaving them fat end up in the incubator while also turning them from day one. That would be my suggestion, but I know opinions differ and you just need to do what will give you the most peace of mind!

You make a great and valid point and I agree with you, but I picked out the "less desirable" two for a couple of reasons. First one being that one of my two incubators is MIA and the famous "I don't know" has come to visit our household again (imagine that!) Alas, the incubator I have fits only 12 chicken eggs.
Also, I wanted to check for two things...are the insides of the eggs blue and, since the air cells are free floating, are the yolks scrambled, too?
I figured having a peek inside would clue me in to what the other eggs might look like. I am grateful for the two bonus eggs I received and I am putting them to good use for dinner tonight. I am happy to report that the yolks are intact and the shells are truly blue inside and out. I am going to contact the seller and let her know a refund isn't necessary. I'm ready to just let whatever is going to happen...happen

 

[Slothinc]

You make a great and valid point and I agree with you, but I picked out the "less desirable" two for a couple of reasons. First one being that one of my two incubators is MIA and the famous "I don't know" has come to visit our household again (imagine that!) Alas, the incubator I have fits only 12 chicken eggs.
Also, I wanted to check for two things...are the insides of the eggs blue and, since the air cells are free floating, are the yolks scrambled, too?
I figured having a peek inside would clue me in to what the other eggs might look like. I am grateful for the two bonus eggs I received and I am putting them to good use for dinner tonight. I am happy to report that the yolks are intact and the shells are truly blue inside and out. I am going to contact the seller and let her know a refund isn't necessary. I'm ready to just let whatever is going to happen...happen

I hope you have great success! You may want to start a “hatch along” thread in that category on here if you want people to be able to follow along in your hatch journey!

I personally have not had great luck with eggs that have completely detached air cells, especially when the cells look “watery”. I think if they are at that point they have very little chance of survival. However I always set them in the incubator to give them a chance anyways!! Good luck with your incubation!

 

[JesWith3]

I hope you have great success! You may want to start a “hatch along” thread in that category on here if you want people to be able to follow along in your hatch journey!

I personally have not had great luck with eggs that have completely detached air cells, especially when the cells look “watery”. I think if they are at that point they have very little chance of survival. However I always set them in the incubator to give them a chance anyways!! Good luck with your incubation!

I'm sure gonna give it the old college try. Thanks so much Slothinc