A Visual Representation of Various Olive Egger Backcrosses

I collected a great representation of what you can expect color wise from various Olive Egger Backcrosses.

This picture features eggs layed by:

A first generation Olive Egger (F1) - her parents were a true blue laying (homozygous for blue egg genes) hen underneath a Marans rooster.

A Back Crossed Olive Egger (BC1) / Crossed back to a Marans Rooster - Mom was an F1 Olive Egger who was bred underneath a Marans Rooster.

A Back Crossed Olive Egger (BC1) / Crossed back to an Ameraucana Rooster - Mom was an F1 Olive Egger who was bred underneath an Ameraucana Rooster.

Personally, I love the variety of colors that comes from various breeding set ups with Olives.

In my experience, the way to keep Olive lines “pure” - because let’s be honest, they’re a glorified mutt breed - I am mindful to only use True Blue Layers, Marans and Olives whose genetics I know, in my Olive Breeding programs. Within those parameters, I give myself lots of room to “paint” with genetics.
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And let’s not forget that traits like Speckles and Heavy Blooms are also typically passed down genetically