Dark(er) Egg Laying Breed: Welsummer or Maran?

[Redhead Rae]

I want a “rainbow” basket and I’m looking for a dark egg layer. I’m considering between Welsummers and BCMs. I know BCMs have darker eggs but I’ve heard Welsummers are better tempered. And no, the answer is not “get both”. I’m looking into getting black/blue/splash Amerucana’s for colored eggs and black/blue/splash LF Cochins for broodiness.

I’m ordering the Amerucana chicks or hatching eggs from http://deerrunfarmmd.com/. The have Wellies and BCM as well.

I have this farm's Delawares and am pleased with their vigor and size (not so pleased with how bossy and pushy they are). I also like that they feed their chickens all organic feed.

They breed their Marans to the French standard and the keep both black and blue copper varieties. Although their Welsummers lay terracotta colored eggs instead of "chocolate" I am considering them because they are an autosexing breed and the breeders admit their Marans don’t lay as well as their 3 other breeds.

 

[LilJoe]

And just so you know...

Marans and Wellies don't ALWAYS lay dark eggs. Even if they hatch from super dark eggs there's still a chance they won't. Although, it's more likely.

 

[dheltzel]

I want a “rainbow” basket and I’m looking for a dark egg layer. I’m considering between Welsummers and BCMs. I know BCMs have darker eggs but I’ve heard Welsummers are better tempered. And no, the answer is not “get both”. I’m looking into getting black/blue/splash Amerucana’s for colored eggs and black/blue/splash LF Cochins for broodiness.

I’m ordering the Amerucana chicks or hatching eggs from http://deerrunfarmmd.com/. The have Wellies and BCM as well.

I have this farm's Delawares and am pleased with their vigor and size (not so pleased with how bossy and pushy they are). I also like that they feed their chickens all organic feed.

They breed their Marans to the French standard and the keep both black and blue copper varieties. Although their Welsummers lay terracotta colored eggs instead of "chocolate" I am considering them because they are an autosexing breed and the breeders admit their Marans don’t lay as well as their 3 other breeds.

I have had both breeds from the strains you are getting (when it was Whitmore Farm). The Welsummers were clearly better layers than the BCM, and I was not able to tell any difference in egg color or size. That varied a lot between hens, and even in a single hen over time. The BCM were abysmal layers, in a flock of 6 hens, I was ecstatic to get more than 5 eggs in a week's time -- from the entire flock.

Get the Welsummers, you will be happier with them.

 

[OneMountainAcres]

I've always found my marans to be even tempered and calm, especially when hand raised. You will want to get proof of their egg coloring before going for it though. Most people will advertise them as chocolate layers and their birds won't carry the very dark egg gene. It took me 3 years to get decent chocolate eggs from marans after buying from multiple sources. I do not have experience with welsummers though. (Eggs are darker than they appear lol)

 

[Leigti]

I have both. Got them at the feed store so they are hatchery birds. The Marans egg is slightly darker but the wellsummer egg has speckles One of my well summer chickens is so outgoing, and fearless. She is a lot of fun.

 

[Redhead Rae]

I saw this breeders eggs that he was holding for the next hatch when I went to pick up my Delaware chicks earlier this year. They were pretty dark. What I saw jives well with this picture from their website.

https://s3.amazonaws.com/sfc-dynamic-content/gallery/4568/w500/fertile_eggs.jpg

ETA: I think the top tray is half Maran and half Wellie.

 

[LilJoe]

My Marans lay pretty well. Two of mine just started laying a few days ago and today was their first "break" day. Usually, my other pullets wait about a week before laying again. I also have an olive egger that is about 3/4 Marans and she lays really well.

I have never had Wellies so...

 

[BYC910]

I like My BCMs all the hens are really gentle . But I have a Rooster that is the meanest one I have . He stalks me through the fence . While they aren't self sexing it's easy to tell the roosters at a few weeks old . Their combs grow so fast . Never had Welsummers. It was the very dark eggs that I liked about the BCMs . And yes some do lay lighter colored eggs sometimes .Also the dark paint will wash off to revel a tan egg . They have a tree colored shell . Dark drown over tan over white very cool I think . Their first year is their most productive year . So if your looking to have only hens I'd say they are as good as any .

 

[Redhead Rae]

I like My BCMs all the hens are really gentle . But I have a Rooster that is the meanest one I have . He stalks me through the fence . While they aren't self sexing it's easy to tell the roosters at a few weeks old . Their combs grow so fast . Never had Welsummers. It was the very dark eggs that I liked about the BCMs . And yes some do lay lighter colored eggs sometimes .Also the dark paint will wash off to revel a tan egg . They have a tree colored shell . Dark drown over tan over white very cool I think . Their first year is their most productive year . So if your looking to have only hens I'd say they are as good as any .

I'd like to play with breeding olive eggers, so i'd want roosters. Besides, the breeder I would get them from only sells eggs or straight runs.

 

[LilJoe]

My BCM rooster is very gentle. He is also fertile and a good watch-dog.