Dark Egg Breeds Thread

[Arielle]

I have a number of different chickens. I bought 5 breeds from McMurray and raised them together under the same conditions. My most social were the speckled sussex; as adults they still remember us weeding and they helped them selves to the exposed worms. THe silver spangled hamburg is very flighty and can only be caught at dusk after going to roost. THe only bird I have the loves to be stroked are the 2 month old buff orpingtons. Even then, some more than others.

Seems to be many factors that can play into how "friendly" a bird can be, I guess.

 

[Kansaseq]

Has anyone else gotten eggs like these? They are from my Marans pullets who just started laying. These eggs have a strange beige coating over the brown, which can be scraped or washed off. When wet, you can see the 'true' egg color underneath. All 3 eggs are the same color, but the one on the far right has been washed more (and is slightly damp).

And for fun, here is a pic of my splash Marans pullet's egg, with two Delaware pullet eggs beneath. The Dellie eggs are TINY as they just started laying this week. All photo are with a flash, so are a hair darker in person.
,

Aargh! Photos not uploading for some reason. Will work on this, sorry!

<a href="http://s770.photobucket.com/albums/xx343/Kansaseq/?action=view&amp;current=DSC_3170.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i770.photobucket.com/albums/xx343/Kansaseq/DSC_3170.jpg" border="0" alt="Splash Marans egg"></a>
http://i770.photobucket.com/albums/xx343/Kansaseq/DSC_3170.jpg
http://i770.photobucket.com/albums/xx343/Kansaseq/DSC_3170.jpg
http://s770.photobucket.com/albums/xx343/Kansaseq/?action=view&current=DSC_3170.jpg

 

[Kansaseq]

One more time!
Ok, weird Marans eggs with odd beige coating.

3 weird eggs, but far right egg has been washed off

'Normal' Splash Marans pullet eggs

And with a blue or black Marans pullet egg on either side

Same, but with two tiny Delaware pullet eggs beneath

 

[snowbird]

Yes, I get some of these chaulky colored eggs from my Wheaten Marans and also some from the same hens with the plume.

 

[sewandgrow]

Kansaseq, Yes I get eggs like that off & on & it does seem to be more from the Wheaten Marans that others. It is called a bloom & reported not to be easily hatched. I have had many breders tell me they are not hatchable so I have not even tried.

 

[mstricer]

I got one from my BCM pullet only one though.

 

[Kansaseq]

So this could be a 'kink' that will work itself out? I could get normal eggs from the pullet who layed them?

 

[Arielle]

THat would be nice if she could work out the kink! Then you would have another pretty chocolate egg.

On another note, my girls are not laying. I let the lights be off so if they want to molt they can. In a few months the lights will go "on" when the leaves fall off the trees. I'm very curious if this will be enough to promote egg laying again. Sure miss those dark chocolate eggs.

 

[math ace]

THat would be nice if she could work out the kink! Then you would have another pretty chocolate egg.

On another note, my girls are not laying. I let the lights be off so if they want to molt they can. In a few months the lights will go "on" when the leaves fall off the trees. I'm very curious if this will be enough to promote egg laying again. Sure miss those dark chocolate eggs.

I tried lights one winter and had blood spots appear in my marans eggs. According to some research I did, some breeds of chickens can be extra sensitive to lights suddenly coming on and off. As soon as Spring came around, I stopped using the lights and the blood spots went away. Some folks suggested that I use a dimmer to gradually introduce the light. Others suggested that I use a lower wattage lightbulb. I decided to do nothing and have not use lights since

 

[Arielle]

I had the same issue last spring when I used lights. Tiny black-red spots in the eggs. HOnestly , I thought it was pigment in the wrong place; maybe I just don't fully understand what a blood spot looks like in an egg.

Otherwise you let the marans follow the natural light cycle??