Dark Egg Breeds Thread

[1 Bad Rotti]

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Sorry Jim, I can't say. I have never had Welsummers to compare to, but I have considered it.............. Are they better layers even though the color may not be as dark? Do they like to go broody more? Are the Welsummers chunky enough to be a good dual purpose bird or do you even consider meat? Is their tempermant as mellow? Do they play with others niceley?... It really comes down to what you yourself want out of them. I like several but will not put up with an aggressive bird. I don't want my grandchildren to grow up "afraid" of my chickens.

My Welsummers came from Kummer Poultry and are the easiest going chickens I have, they aren't overly friendly, but very laid back. They appear chunky enough for dual purpose. The eggs mine lay are VERY speckled and also pretty dark. As to broodiness and egg production compared to marans... I don't know, I've only had mine for a few months. I have two hens and have been getting an egg everyday but they just started laying. Apparently the blue marans I had were not very good quality and possibly crossed up, so I sold them this morning. I really like both, just seems a decent maran is hard to find.

 

[ksf59]

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Here is some of mine. Bottom Right corner is a barnevelder. Spekled one right by it and scattered aroud are from My one line of weelles. The larger lighter eggs are from another wellie that has been in lay sice 4th of july . They have lightend some
The dark eggs are from my BCM, but they have been in lay since 1st of Agust and have lighten up some.

 

[magoochie]

They all look great. I may have to get both the Wellsummers and the BCMs. I love the looks of brown eggs! Light or dark!

 

[drom]

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Well, some people feed animal based protein and meat to chickens and you would never feed any animal-based food to a horse.

Actually I was thinking more in terms of pelleted and processed feeds, because some minerals and supplements that would be great for horses in a certain percentage might not be so great for birds and visa-versa.


Although, I have one very naughty mare who has actually has reached over the fence in to the bed of my truck on two different occasions and pulled 50 pound sacks of feed out of the truck with her teeth, opened up the sack and gorged on it. I woke up one Saturday morning last summer and came out to feed and found she had devoured almost a half a sack of Flockraiser. I was worried she might colic.

 

[drom]

I will say though that there are some really popular pelleted feeds that are specifically marked for use with several species. Like Calf Manna. Manna pro states that Calf Manna can be fed to horses, cattle, rabbits, goats, poultry, swine, and deer.
And I have heard a lot of people mention they feed Omolene to their chickens.

 

[Lotsapaints]

Drom for my palomino mare I fed her foal lac pellets it did darken her coat color that was animal protein same goes for calf manna......whey is found in several horse feeds and my horses love eggs in their feeds. I was reading the ingredients in a supplement block and it had feathers in it to up the protein I guess molasses makes most anything taste good............

 

[pinkchick]

Marans eggs on the left, couple of Lavender Ameraucana eggs, Olive eggs and Wellie eggs on the right.

Rotti~ Wellies are not known for being broody and is does not happen that often but I have read about a few lucky folks getting a broody Welsummer, they are lucky!

 

[pinkchick]

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Lovely Barnie egg color! I can't wait to see what my Stephanie gives me. I look wishfully everyday in her coop and nothing yet!!!!!

I can't stand it...her comb is nice and bright red and I can tell that she or my roo have been in the nest box but I think they are just messin' with me.

 

[pinkchick]

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https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/46679_253.jpg
Here is some of mine. Bottom Right corner is a barnevelder. Spekled one right by it and scattered aroud are from My one line of weelles. The larger lighter eggs are from another wellie that has been in lay sice 4th of july . They have lightend some
The dark eggs are from my BCM, but they have been in lay since 1st of Agust and have lighten up some.

Love all the speckles!!!!!!!!

 

[sewandgrow]

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Nice eggs Kim, I guess I am gonna need some of those OEs for sure.....