# olive eggers



## earl

Who has them and are they turning out like you hoped, I cant keep them, i keep them till they start laying and sell them for $15 each, sold $300 worth last sunday.
shair your stories and pics


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## Sundancers

I have one ... and she is not going anywhere. LOL


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## earl

I love mine, well the few I have left, I am working on an auto sexing olive egger now


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## Sundancers

Good luck .......


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## Lady_Alia

What's an olive egger?


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## aussiechicks

An olive egger chicken has the blue egg gene and the brown egg gene which produce an olive green colored egg.


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## earl

Lady_Alia said:


> What's an olive egger?


if you look at my avitar, here is an olive egg in there, that is first generation, I have the second generation chicks now, they will be darker green


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## Energyvet

Earl, would you please post that photo. As we can enlarge a posted photo, but not an avatar photo. I predominantly use my phone and not a computer so this would be very helpful for me. Thanks in advance!


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## billy1947

*olive egg layers*

i have some bantams i have a hen that lays an olive green egg but i dont know which one what bantams lay olive green eggs


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## earl

there ya go


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## Energyvet

Lovely collection. Beautiful eggs! Almost a shame to eat them. Thanks for the photo.


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## Lady_Alia

Ohh my!! I love the dark brown and the olive. What laid the brown one?


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## Energyvet

Don't the Marens lay the chocolate eggs?


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## earl

yes it was a marans egg black copper to be exact


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## Lady_Alia

earl said:


> yes it was a marans egg black copper to be exact


Wow! It's beautiful!


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## mstricer

I am. Here are some of my eggs


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## Lady_Alia

mstricer said:


> I am. Here are some of my eggs


Omgosh!! Love love love those colors!!!


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## cosmicsquirrel

Those egg colors are just awesome! I love the deep colors.


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## CapeCodGarden

Wow! I love these eggs - they are beautiful! Will you be selling any of these chicks online in the Spring? [email protected]


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## cindi

I live in Joplin, Mo. would like to buy a couple of these chickens, any suggestions where


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## redmaples

Hmmmm maybe I will have to get some of those next time I need chicks!!! I really like those!!!


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## earl

I will be selling fertile eggs next spring, I will have olive that are darker green than that or I can get you some of those, the best thing about the second generation is that when you breed them together, you get different shades of dark green, I love this cross


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## Sundancers

redmaples said:


> Hmmmm maybe I will have to get some of those next time I need chicks!!! I really like those!!!


They are cool ... I love the different shades one can get ... my kids on the other hand didn't care for them ... How can you color an egg that has color. lol

Kids ... what can you say.


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## Camilla

Hi, I am new here...wanting to learn as much as I can absorb!
I have never seen Olive or Black Copper eggs before, they are stunning .
Are there particular breeds that lay these colors?


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## Energyvet

Welcome from NJ Camilla. Hope you enjoy your visit.


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## Camilla

Thank you Energyvet, I am sure I will learn all I need from this forum.


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## earl

Camilla said:


> Hi, I am new here...wanting to learn as much as I can absorb!
> I have never seen Olive or Black Copper eggs before, they are stunning .
> Are there particular breeds that lay these colors?


the dark brown eggs are from marans, all marans lay dark brown eggs but the black copper and wheatons lay the darkest, although people are working egg color on the other varieties. Marans (single or plural spelling) are from france and prized for their egg color.
the olive green eggs are created by crossing a blue egg layer such as an ameraucana or an easter egger with a dark egg layer such as a marans and the crossing the offspring from that mating to fine tune the egg color or features of the bird to your likeing, that is why you will hear first second third ect. generation


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## Camilla

Thank you for that information Earl, appreciate it!
I am thinking it may be hard for me to come across some of these breeds here locally, we live in a pretty small town. 
The local feed store gets in chicks every spring, but I think they are of your more common breeds.
I do not plan on getting any chickens until next summer, so I guess that gives me plenty of time to to my research anyway....


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## mstricer

earl said:


> I will be selling fertile eggs next spring, I will have olive that are darker green than that or I can get you some of those, the best thing about the second generation is that when you breed them together, you get different shades of dark green, I love this cross



No need to say that. Those are mainly my 1st generation eggs. Plus you don't know what you will get. I just purchased some Blue Cooper Marans eggs that are on the 6 - 7 on the color scales to add to my Olive Eggers. As they set right now the are covered by a 2nd generation Olive Egger.


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## mstricer

Camilla said:


> Thank you for that information Earl, appreciate it!
> I am thinking it may be hard for me to come across some of these breeds here locally, we live in a pretty small town.
> The local feed store gets in chicks every spring, but I think they are of your more common breeds.
> I do not plan on getting any chickens until next summer, so I guess that gives me plenty of time to to my research anyway....


I ship eggs.


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## Camilla

mstricer said:


> I ship eggs.


Oh, thanks I will keep that in mind!
Do you have a minimum that you ship at one time, what method do they ship by? 
I am in NW Montana, zip code 59901, if you would not mind giving me an idea on price plus shipping?
Or you could e mail me the info if you prefer at [email protected]

Thanks!


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## earl

Mine are $30 a dozen including shipping


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## mstricer

Camilla said:


> Oh, thanks I will keep that in mind!
> Do you have a minimum that you ship at one time, what method do they ship by?
> I am in NW Montana, zip code 59901, if you would not mind giving me an idea on price plus shipping?
> Or you could e mail me the info if you prefer at [email protected]
> 
> Thanks!


I doesn't pay to ship less the 6. I can make arrangements with you.


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## livingmydream

*Olive-eggers?*

Earl-
I live in North Florida, and there are not many chicken farms in our area. The chickens I have area different breeds, all of which I ordered as chicks from MurrayMcMurray Hatchery. I only have 7 left ( thanks to a black bear that tore the door off my old hen-house and let my birds out for the foxes ), but I would love to have more birds. If you have Marans, Welsummers, Olive-eggers, or any other type of birds that are dependable large-extra large egg layers, I would be interested in having some. My birds are free range during the day, then in the evening they go into their new hen-house, and I close them up securely at night. I have a lot of people who buy eggs from me, and I can't keep up with the demand. I am interested mostly in brown or other colored eggs- not really white ones. I appreciate your help! [email protected] (livingmydream) Since I live in North Florida, where the winters are mild, I have incubated many eggs during the winter, and had birds ready to lay in the spring.....any chance you might be willing to sell some eggs now? I've always wanted Marans, and would love some Wheatons also, but will take an assortment of eggs if you are willing....email me, or message here on the forum what you think, ok?


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## earl

well, my hens have shut down for winter, but if you want to wait, I'll tell you what I will have in the spring

sweedish flower hens
black, blue and lavender split orpingtons
black, blue, white and lavender split amerucanas
welsumers
black copper marans
olive eggers and
royal purple guineas

let me know if I can help you

Earl


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## Lady_Alia

earl said:


> well, my hens have shut down for winter, but if you want to wait, I'll tell you what I will have in the spring
> 
> sweedish flower hens
> black, blue and lavender split orpingtons
> black, blue, white and lavender split amerucanas
> welsumers
> black copper marans
> olive eggers and
> royal purple guineas
> 
> let me know if I can help you
> 
> Earl


Do you ship eggs or chicks? I'd love some chicks!


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## earl

I don't usually ship chicks, but I can given the correct weather, where are you from and what kind of birds do you want


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## Lady_Alia

earl said:


> I don't usually ship chicks, but I can given the correct weather, where are you from and what kind of birds do you want


I'm in Indiana but I wouldn't want any till spring. This is my first winter with birds, and more than a little nervous. I sure don't want babies going into this lol. 
I'd want the black copper moran and an olive egger :-D


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## earl

Where in indiana? I am in fort wayne and I will be happy to set you up with birds nex spring as well as help you out through the winter weather


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## Lady_Alia

earl said:


> Where in indiana? I am in fort wayne and I will be happy to set you up with birds nex spring as well as help you out through the winter weather


How cool is that?!?!!! I'm in Waveland. It's about 45ish minutes directly west of Indy. It really is a small world! lol
Heck, I'll just come there in the spring, no shipping necessary lol
So how do you prepare for winter? One of my big concerns is their water. I have ducks and they make a mess!! How do I keep them watered?


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## livingmydream

Earl, that would be fine- since I have a lot of friends who love fresh, free-range eggs, I would be proud to have any eggs that you would concider selling. When you are ready, just email me at [email protected], and let me know how you want to proceed. I like the assortment of colors, so I'm not going to be picky- I would like some marans to raise, just to increase the number of breeding pairs, and so they don't dissapear, like some species have. I never eat my birds, but do sell the eggs, and my leghorn is very broody, so she will be glad to hatch the eggs and takes very good care of the chicks. She has one with her now that's about 4 months old, and it still sleeps under her wing! I will look forward to hearing from you....cj


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## earl

I will get in touch with you then


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## Lady_Alia

earl said:


> I will get in touch with you then


And me and me!!


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## earl

lol you got it


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## BuckeyeChickens

earl said:


> well, my hens have shut down for winter, but if you want to wait, I'll tell you what I will have in the spring
> 
> Earl


Hey Earl, you should add some Buckeyes to your flock....they lay all winter long!!! Even in Fort Wayne, Indiana I bet they would be laying for you right now.


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## earl

BuckeyeChickens said:


> Hey Earl, you should add some Buckeyes to your flock....they lay all winter long!!! Even in Fort Wayne, Indiana I bet they would be laying for you right now.


I just added welsumers and they are just starting to lay at 15 weeks, I cant belive it


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## Berta

I have Olive Eggers too. They are a cross between a pure Wheaten Marans Roo and a pure Ameraucana Hen. I am in South Carolina and also sell the eggs, but won't have any hatching eggs for a few more months. Here are some of my eggs:


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## Lady_Alia

Berta said:


> I have Olive Eggers too. They are a cross between a pure Wheaten Marans Roo and a pure Ameraucana Hen. I am in South Carolina and also sell the eggs, but won't have any hatching eggs for a few more months. Here are some of my eggs:


Very pretty! I love the dark eggs. The olive ones are pretty cool too though.


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## earl

tell me about the pink one please


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## Happy

I have one olive egger hen. She's the sweetiest girl and she may not lay every day but easy to handle and great to have in my flock of birds. I think I might have another one from eggs I hatch about three weeks ago. I sure do hope it's another girl. Loves attention


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## BuckeyeChickens

Berta said:


> I have Olive Eggers too. They are a cross between a pure Wheaten Marans Roo and a pure Ameraucana Hen. I am in South Carolina and also sell the eggs, but won't have any hatching eggs for a few more months. Here are some of my eggs:


Really nice pics Berta!!! We have some ABC members in North Carolina that are starting to create "Olive Eggers" by crossing Buckeyes (brown egg layer) with Ameraucana's....mayby this time next year they will have some beautiful olive egg photos to share with us?!?!


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## eqstrnathlete

earl said:


> I will be selling fertile eggs next spring, I will have olive that are darker green than that or I can get you some of those, the best thing about the second generation is that when you breed them together, you get different shades of dark green, I love this cross


Contact me when you have the fertile eggs!


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## earl

I will indeed


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## BuckeyeChickens

Hey earl are you selling hatching eggs yet??? i have a few folks asking about EE's that I'd like to send your way!!! Let me know, thanks!


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## earl

BuckeyeChickens said:


> Hey earl are you selling hatching eggs yet??? i have a few folks asking about EE's that I'd like to send your way!!! Let me know, thanks!


not yet, the girls are holding out on me, I will post as soon as I start getting eggs and test fetility, this years should be beautiful, I'm all giddy and stuff


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## Lady_Alia

earl said:


> not yet, the girls are holding out on me, I will post as soon as I start getting eggs and test fetility, this years should be beautiful, I'm all giddy and stuff


I can't wait to get my chicks!! Mom is so excited too! We've already planned our route there lol. 
Question: how do you test fertility?


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## earl

Put them in the incubator for a few days and see if they start to develop


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## BuckeyeChickens

Lady_Alia said:


> I can't wait to get my chicks!! Mom is so excited too! We've already planned our route there lol.
> *Question: how do you test fertility?[/*QUOTE]
> 
> Two ways;
> 1.) incubate a batch and see what develops!
> 2.) crack a few egg and look for the "blastoderm" disc!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
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> 
> 
> (photo courtesy of Buck 'N Run Ranch)


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## earl

option two sucks cause those could be chicks, you can see if they start developing in three days with option one


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## BuckeyeChickens

earl said:


> option two sucks cause those could be chicks, you can see if they start developing in three days with option one


It only sucks if you aren't making omlets!!!


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## earl

BuckeyeChickens said:


> It only sucks if you aren't making omlets!!!


how true how true


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## livingmydream

Earl, I replied to a few of your posts last winter, and you told me that you would have some eggs and some birds hatched this spring for sale. I want some olive eggers real bad, and some marans!!!! I have quite a few friends, and some of my husband's co-workers who buy my eggs ( actually, I accept donations, because I can't legally sell in Fla. because they aren't inspected by the State) and I want to give them a variety of eggs- They all love the freshness of a free-range chicken egg, and how much better they taste than store-bought eggs. Do you have an idea when you may have some chicks for sale? I can get Marans from several hatcheries, but only straight-run. I want pullets!! Help me out? Many thanks!


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## mstricer

I am still working on my Olive eggers. I am working on a Barred Lavender Olive Egger. I got 3 chicks on New Years day. 2 boys and a girl. Yes they were sex linked. The only problem is I don't know what color egg they will lay as the Barred Rock is a brown egg and not a dark layer, the Lavender roo came from a very blue egg. I plan on taking the girl and covering her with a 2nd generation Olive Egger. I finally got my first Olive egg this year since December, set it on the counter and next thing I know my Pyr was having a nice egg snack.


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## earl

livingmydream said:


> Earl, I replied to a few of your posts last winter, and you told me that you would have some eggs and some birds hatched this spring for sale. I want some olive eggers real bad, and some marans!!!! I have quite a few friends, and some of my husband's co-workers who buy my eggs ( actually, I accept donations, because I can't legally sell in Fla. because they aren't inspected by the State) and I want to give them a variety of eggs- They all love the freshness of a free-range chicken egg, and how much better they taste than store-bought eggs. Do you have an idea when you may have some chicks for sale? I can get Marans from several hatcheries, but only straight-run. I want pullets!! Help me out? Many thanks!


I will be happy to sell you some chicks but mine will be straight run as well, they are not sex able at hatch, as for the marans, I culled heavily down to three hens and one room, I lost two hens to a fox this winter so they are in short supply but the olive eggers should be good how many would you like


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## Lady_Alia

earl said:


> I will be happy to sell you some chicks but mine will be straight run as well, they are not sex able at hatch, as for the marans, I culled heavily down to three hens and one room, I lost two hens to a fox this winter so they are in short supply but the olive eggers should be good how many would you like


Welcome back!!!!

Will I still be able to get two olive eggers and three or four Marans?


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## earl

Sure can, I'll get you set up, but shipping that few chicks is not a good idea, were you planning on picking them up?


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## Lady_Alia

earl said:


> Sure can, I'll get you set up, but shipping that few chicks is not a good idea, were you planning on picking them up?


Yes sir! Mom wanted to pick them out lol. She's very excited about it lol. Just lemme know when to be there and I'll be there with bells on!


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## earl

the girls are going at it and they are cool, I'll post a pick sometime this weekend


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## farmhand

Not sure how all the sex-link genes work; but I know one of the telling links is using a barred chicken. So what if you crossed a Golden Cuckoo Marans with a Cream Legbar? Both of these are sex-linked and the golden cuckoo Marans is barred. I'm sure it is more involved than I am thinking. But would not the chicks be sex-linked?


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## BuckeyeChickens

farmhand said:


> Not sure how all the sex-link genes work; but I know one of the telling links is using a barred chicken. So what if you crossed a Golden Cuckoo Marans with a Cream Legbar? Both of these are sex-linked and the golden cuckoo Marans is barred. I'm sure it is more involved than I am thinking. But would not the chicks be sex-linked?


Generally a sex-link is created using the Barred hen and a non-barred breed (Rhode Island Red or New Hampshire) to produce chicks that are easily identified by color. Breeding two barred fowl (Golden Cuckoo Maran and Cream Legbar) might make sexing the chicks simply by color a bit more difficult since both breeds are barred?!?!? I know a breeder of Hambars who claims the male offspring is lighter or pale compared to the females which are slightly darker but in photo's it is very difficult to tell the two sexes apart, he can because he is used to the breed. Perhaps the same would hold true in the two breeds you mentioned?!?!?


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## Alyssa

I would love to get an olive egger or maran pullet! Any prices for a guaranteed girl by any chance?


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## Jim

Alyssa said:


> I would love to get an olive egger or maran pullet! Any prices for a guaranteed girl by any chance?


If you are near me (Houston, tx area) I will be selling some of each in a few weeks, once I can sex them and know I have a hen of each, the rest of my hatch will go up for sale.


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## Alyssa

Alas, no I am in California.


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## Jim

Alyssa said:


> Alas, no I am in California.


Awe, well, I am sure you will find some.


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## LittleWings

This is my second olive egg from my BA X BCM hen. It is a little more olive colored then the first which was greener. 

First pic is the first egg and second pic is the second egg.


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## Barnbum374

Those are beautiful! I would love to buy some Olive Eggers one day!


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## LittleWings

Barnbum374 said:


> Those are beautiful! I would love to buy some Olive Eggers one day!


Thank you. OE hens are hard to find. I had to make my own. 
One of the bad things about OEs is it's not like breeding other chickens. Just because you breed a blue egg layer to a brown egg layer, it doesn't mean you will get an OE. The offspring have to inherit the blue egg gene and the brown egg gene. Some may get one or the other but not both. Some will have straight combs. These _usually_ won't lay olive they will lay brown. Hens with pea combs are _more likely_ to lay an olive egg because the pea comb gene is closely related to the blue egg gene. You pretty much have to wait until they lay to know what you will get for sure.

So, when you buy them before they are laying, look for hens with pea combs and you will have the best chance of getting an OE.

Good luck.


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## 2rain

mstricer said:


> I am. Here are some of my eggs


They look like beans!


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## Barnbum374

Very interesting! Thanks for the info!


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## MatthewBK

Always wanted to get some OE's.
Love the color.


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## jennifer

If you breed a maran hen with a Americana do you get olive eggers? Or vice versa! I have a pair of marans and a pair of americanas.


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## LittleWings

Either way works.


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