# Americana/White Leghorn



## Rowena (Feb 7, 2008)

A friend wants to borrow my Americana rooster and mix with his White Leghorns? Anybody done this? What do you think?


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## Sanza (Sep 8, 2008)

I mixed mine and hatched out some chicks that were white with black spots. I kept one and she lays a colored egg.


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## KSALguy (Feb 14, 2006)

if all he wants is chicks that would do the trick, 

the resulting pullets will lay a pale blue egg, and very probably be fairly colorful, they wont lay as many eggs as the White Leghorn hens but will lay better than a normal EE, 

honestly i would like a few hens from that cross lol too bad your in california lol,


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## wofarm (Nov 30, 2009)

A friend worked on a large project using Ameraucana X white Leghorns. He selected for the most blue shell color. The white Leghorn has shell color inhibitor genes which assists in keeping any brown pigment(ooporphyrin) from the blue(oocyanin) shells. Green shells result from both the ooporphyrin and the oocyanin being present, both are dominant . The blue egg shell, which is solidly blue, is coated with the oocyanin, a brown coating applied only to the shell surface, causing the shell to look green. He developed a good market for the blue shelled eggs and also thought a good blue shell might have some added resistance to breakage, a big concern to the egg industry. Havent spoken with him in several years so no idea where it all led. The genes for blue shells(O) is thought to be linked with the pea comb gene(P).


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## Rowena (Feb 7, 2008)

Wofarm, that makes sense I have a Rhode Island/Americana and she lays a beautiful olive green eggs, the brown layer coating the blue must result in this


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## wofarm (Nov 30, 2009)

If you can grab an egg soon as its laid you will see you can wipe the brown of, or scrub with something abrassive when dried and same thing. I have only ever heard of and seen photos 1 solidly brown egg shell; it came from the flock I mentioned above. I had posted on all the poultry boards at one time., 5-6 years ago, asking and no one had ever seen one.


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