Dark Egg Breeds Thread

[blackdotte]

What should a person do with their Marans that end up having too dark of eyes? ...are they useful for anything in a Marans breeding program

I presume you are referring to Coppers? It should not be difficult to get the correct eye colour if the birds have the correct,Birchen ER, 'e' allele.
Two possible reasons why you might have dark eyes
1. The birds have excess melanisers - are the hen black or nearly so? are the cockerels solid black breasted, or have black eye pads? do your birds have very dark/black legs? If so mate them to birds that are too light. or
2. They may have been crossed with an Extended Black E based bird, such as a Cuckoo Marans,(or if Blues maybe Blue Orpington or Blue Langshan) in which case it is the E allele that is providing the additional melanisation. You would have to breed out the E allele.​

 

[pinkchick]

Quote:
I presume you are referring to Coppers? It should not be difficult to get the correct eye colour if the birds have the correct,Birchen ER, 'e' allele.
Two possible reasons why you might have dark eyes
1. The birds have excess melanisers - are the hen black or nearly so? are the cockerels solid black breasted, or have black eye pads? do your birds have very dark/black legs? If so mate them to birds that are too light. or
2. They may have been crossed with an Extended Black E based bird, such as a Cuckoo Marans,(or if Blues maybe Blue Orpington or Blue Langshan) in which case it is the E allele that is providing the additional melanisation. You would have to breed out the E allele.

Yes I was referring to Coppers ...SORRY, I should have stated that. Thank you!!!!!!! Your the GREATEST!

 

[Freckle Face Farm]

Beautiful I love that wheaton

 

[chasehope]

I have a beautiful blue copper Marans pair that I purchased from PinkChick, and I just bought a flock of golden Cuckoo Marans. I am not sure about the color on the golden cuckoos. I will try to get pictures of everyone when I get home tonight! My blue copper hen is not laying yet, and my golden cuckoos just got home this morning so they havent started laying yet! I cant wait for my first eggs!

 

[pinkchick]

Quote:
HEY GIRL!! How are you?? I think about you and your babies often and keep telling myself to get in touch with you. How are the chickies doing? I suspect they are growing like weeds. Photos of them are a must when it is possible. Good to see ya here....its about time.

I am a goob....I missed that you are going to post photos later. Can't wait to see them.

 

[drom]

Very exciting

Would love to see pics of the birds and their eggs when they settle, and when Pink chicks Blue Coppers start to lay!

 

[Germaine_11.20]

Quote:
I presume you are referring to Coppers? It should not be difficult to get the correct eye colour if the birds have the correct,Birchen ER, 'e' allele.
Two possible reasons why you might have dark eyes
1. The birds have excess melanisers - are the hen black or nearly so? are the cockerels solid black breasted, or have black eye pads? do your birds have very dark/black legs? If so mate them to birds that are too light. or
2. They may have been crossed with an Extended Black E based bird, such as a Cuckoo Marans,(or if Blues maybe Blue Orpington or Blue Langshan) in which case it is the E allele that is providing the additional melanisation. You would have to breed out the E allele.

Pinkchick, thanks for asking that and Blackdotte thanks for answering. I also have one BCM who I think is great but his eyes are dark. Not black like some but deeper red than most. I think he has great coloring, nice feathered shanks and he came out of one of the darkest eggs I have seen personally.

So... I guess I just need to breed him to a lighter hen and see what the chicks look like? Sounds like fun. I was worried that he wouldn't be good for much but I was keeping him anyway.

One last question for anyone who may know-- does a hen pass on a genetic tendency for the size of egg? I seem to recall the answer is yes but wanted to double check.

If I have a hen who lays a big egg, will her girls lay bigger eggs? Do any roos she has pass on an egg size factor?

Thanks!!!

 

[drom]

Quote:
I presume you are referring to Coppers? It should not be difficult to get the correct eye colour if the birds have the correct,Birchen ER, 'e' allele.
Two possible reasons why you might have dark eyes
1. The birds have excess melanisers - are the hen black or nearly so? are the cockerels solid black breasted, or have black eye pads? do your birds have very dark/black legs? If so mate them to birds that are too light. or
2. They may have been crossed with an Extended Black E based bird, such as a Cuckoo Marans,(or if Blues maybe Blue Orpington or Blue Langshan) in which case it is the E allele that is providing the additional melanisation. You would have to breed out the E allele.

Pinkchick, thanks for asking that and Blackdotte thanks for answering. I also have one BCM who I think is great but his eyes are dark. Not black like some but deeper red than most. I think he has great coloring, nice feathered shanks and he came out of one of the darkest eggs I have seen personally.

So... I guess I just need to breed him to a lighter hen and see what the chicks look like? Sounds like fun. I was worried that he wouldn't be good for much but I was keeping him anyway.

One last question for anyone who may know-- does a hen pass on a genetic tendency for the size of egg? I seem to recall the answer is yes but wanted to double check.

If I have a hen who lays a big egg, will her girls lay bigger eggs? Do any roos she has pass on an egg size factor?

Thanks!!!

Hi, according to the French site the Spherical shape is a genetic characteristic:

"The shape of the egg is an inherited feature that often enters in correlation with the extra-russet-red colour of the eggs.

In the best stock, one often notes a globulous form for which it its sometimes difficult to distinguish the point from the base; a distinction, however, necessary for the correct placement of the egg point down in the racks of forced-air incubators.

This characteristic of an almost spherical rather than ovoid shape is to be sought because all the old writings and testimonies describe this phenomenon. Probably, the genes responsible for this characteristic are incompletely dominant."

I have one hen who lays a very big round egg-larger than all my hens-and I hatched fewer of hers in the spring because she doesn't lay the darkest of all my hens, but my hen who does lay the super dark really doesn't have nearly as nice a shape to her egg. Now I am kind of wishing I had hatched more of the big roundies.

I was focusing so much on the color, I wasn't really concentrating on all the other characteristics that make them so appealing. Her's are the front left and right rear in this pic.

 

[Germaine_11.20]

Drom, that was great! How interesting and may I add that you have more information tucked away than I will ever hope to have in my life.

The two rounded eggs are lovely-- I love the shape! And they are almost as dark... compared with the other two.

Even though the other two are darker, my eyes go back to the large round ones! Again and again.

I appreciate your sharing that with me.

 

[geebs]

ditto