Olive Eggers

Crooked Arrow Ranch’s line of Olive Eggers were created in 2017 by breeding Ameraucana hens to Black Cooper Marans roosters. This breeding combination produced predominantly Blue and Black hens that were strikingly similar to the blue/black Ameraucanas except they had yellow in their legs and disproportionate pea combs. At just 5 months of age these girls begin to lay their first eggs. Although small (as expected for first pullet eggs), the shades of Olive that these girls produce is stunning.  The combination of dark brown and occasionally speckled brown egg color genetics from the Marans with the blue egg color genetics from the Ameraucanas allowed for this natural phenomena to occur.

 

In the latter part of 2019 our first generation Olive Eggers from 2018 were back crossed to a Marans Rooster in hopes to darken their OLIVE colored eggs. This offspring now consists of birds that range widely in color, form and comb type. Even so, all of the varieties are quite beautiful and their eggs have become even more beautiful. Every year we continue to breed back our Olives to further our colors. These shades include Dark Olive/Moss/Cocoa/Golden/Copper/Chocolate. 

 

In 2021, Crooked Arrow Ranch added Ameraucanas to our list of available breeds because we wanted to know the background of ever bird on our ranch. Adding this flock has allowed us to breed Olive Eggers back to Ameraucana Roosters which in turn will give us Sage/Spearmint Layers (another variation of Olive Egger).

 

Unlike our other breeds, the Olive Egger is not a recognized breed of the American Poultry Association. Rather, these birds should be considered a hybrid. It would take years upon years to breed Olive Eggers to develop a consistent offspring that could be bred amongst itself and breed true each time. It's important to note that while the breed is called an Olive Egger due to it's ability to lay Olive colored eggs, it's still possible that some offspring will revert back to laying a brown or blue egg depending on its genetic make-up when bred to another Olive Egger, Ameraucana or Marans.

 

Crooked Arrow Ranch employs flock breeding, so when you place an order for day old chicks please indicate if you’d like Lighter Olives or Darker Olive backcross. Lighter Olives you will get a mixture of Olive, Spearmint, Sage, Grey, Mint Chocolate Chip chicks. And Darker Olives you will get Dark Olives, Moss, Cocoa, Golden, Copper, Chocolate chicks. Basically, whatever Olive color ratio hatches out that week.