Breeding Olive Eggers

I remember the first time I held an olive egg in my hand... It was such a magical moment—and from that day on, I was hooked. Most chicken breeders have a similar story: a single, unforgettable moment that draws them into the world of poultry breeding.

When breeding Olive Eggers, it’s important to understand key terminology. The first term to know is F1 Olive Egger (F1 OE). This is the first-generation cross between a blue egg layer (e.g., Ameraucana) and a dark brown egg layer (e.g., Marans). The resulting hens lay olive-colored eggs—a blend of blue and brown pigments. Fun fact: the inside of an olive egg shell is actually blue!

If your goal is to produce darker olive eggs, you’ll want to work toward first-generation backcross Olive Eggers (BC1 OE). To create a BC1 OE, breed an F1 OE hen back to a rooster that carries two copies of the brown egg gene, such as a Marans. The term “backcross” refers to breeding back to the original breed that contributed the brown pigment. Offspring from this pairing have a 50/50 chance of laying either dark olive or brown eggs. Keep in mind, with each generation, there's an increasing chance some birds may revert to laying brown eggs.

On the other hand, if your focus is variety in egg color—especially shades ranging from blue to vibrant green—you can breed your F1 OE to a rooster that carries two copies of the blue egg gene. This cross is often referred to as a Spearmint Egger due to the bright green hues it can produce. While not aligned with the typical aim of dark olive production, this type of backcross (to the blue-egg parent breed) creates a striking spectrum of colorful eggs.

Another rewarding challenge for breeders is the development of homozygous Olive Eggers. With careful multigenerational breeding, you can create Olive Eggers that carry two copies of the blue egg gene, leading to a consistent olive egg color across the flock. For example, breeds like Silverudd’s Blue have been selectively bred to maintain this trait reliably.

Flexible Goals, Firm Foundations

While the fundamentals of breeding Olive Eggers require using birds that are homozygous for the blue and brown egg genes, how you apply those genetics depends on your goals. Most breeders aim to intensify the olive shade through repeated backcrossing to brown-egg breeds. However, you may choose instead to focus on variety, color novelty, or even shell patterns by crossing back to blue layers.

Achieving homozygous Olive Eggers with stable traits takes diligence, recordkeeping, and a clear plan—but with consistency and time, it’s entirely possible.