Dark brown eggs

[Chiknmma]

I keep seeing these really dark brown eggs online. Like super dark brown almost milk chocolate looking. What breed lays these eggs? When I look it up online I only get light brown egg layers. Could it be something the chicken is fed? I've always been under the impression that egg color was based off breed. Please and thank u for the help. I need whatever chicken lays these

 

[Egg Snatcher]

Black copper marans lay really dark eggs. Im pretty sure if you want the ones that will lay the really dark eggs you have to buy them from a breeder because hatcheries dont breed for quality.

 

[wrathsfarm]

Black Copper Marans lay the darkest eggs, like said there's no guarantees you'll get dark eggs by just buying a BCM hen tho.

Here's the egg shade card that a lot of BCM breeders use for color comparison...

My darkest layer lays a good 6 to 7 on the chart. And by hatching her eggs consistently her progeny's eggs should get darker over generations especially if mated to a Rooster that came from a dark egg also.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Welsummer can also lay a dark brown egg. How dark for Marans or Welsummer depends on the person selecting which chickens get to breed. If egg color is one of their criteria then you can get a real dark egg. If not they should still be fairly dark but not spectacular.

Something else that happens is that the first eggs they lay when they start laying of after a break are the darkest. Often the longer they lay the more the egg color lightens. Sometimes it is not noticeable, sometimes it is pretty dramatic.

 

[wrathsfarm]

Welsummer can also lay a dark brown egg. How dark for Marans or Welsummer depends on the person selecting which chickens get to breed. If egg color is one of their criteria then you can get a real dark egg. If not they should still be fairly dark but not spectacular.

Something else that happens is that the first eggs they lay when they start laying of after a break are the darkest. Often the longer they lay the more the egg color lightens. Sometimes it is not noticeable, sometimes it is pretty dramatic.

Yes sorry, I forgot about the Welsummers. I've seen pics around here of some really nice dark eggs from members.

 

[SandyRiverChick]

You are correct that it's breed, not feed. My dark egg layers are Black Copper Maran (very dark,) Barnevelder(dark,) Welsummer(dark and speckled.) They are not from a breeder, they are from a Hatchery, Privett. My Kitty and I keep track of who layed what......

 

[aart]

Penedesenca lay dark brown eggs too, but rarer than the other mentioned.
I think @ChickenCanoe has them.

 

[wrathsfarm]

So if there is a list of dark brown layers....
Black Copper Marans
Welsummers
Penedesenca
Barnevelder

Any others?
Any opinions of a rank of darkness? I know BCM's are #1 but what would others say comes after as far the breeds? Like said, I've seen some very dark eggs from Welsummers posted here but not sure on the others, and I'm sure there's exceptions of that occasion darker egg, just thinking a majority breed average.

 

[nuthatched]

I think langshans can lay dark egg with heavy bloom to look purple.

 

[Folly's place]

We have French Marans from Cackle, and a Barnevelder, and their eggs are in the '5 to 7' range from that chart, as it appears on my computer here. Not darkest, but nice dark brown.
The clean legged cuckoo Marans from several hatcheries produce tan eggs, barely a shade darker than any other brown egglayer breeds.
Mary