Disappointed, but an Egg is an Egg

[MedSchlFarmers]

I added a Black Copper Maran, Blue Copper Maran, and Splash Maran to my flock a couple months ago. I was excited to see some pretty dark brown eggs in my basket this month. Two of the 3 have started laying and the eggs are cream colored (same as my Silkie's egg) lighter than my Barred Rocks, Lavender Orpington, Black Sexlink, etc. They are closest in color to my Brown Leghorn's bright white egg.

Here are some pictures of the three. I got them from a guy that only had Marans. What happened? Here's to hoping the Splash Maran's eggs are darker.

 

[redsoxs]

Wow! That a puzzler. I've only had cuckoo marans and they lay the darkest eggs of any of the birds in my flock but I had always heard that BCMs laid the darkest of all the marans so I don't know what's up with yours. Particularly if they just started laying as I understand that's when the eggs are the darkest shade during their laying cycle. I guess it could be nutritional but they look pretty healthy. You might ask some others that keep the same breed. Post in the marans thread of this link https://www.backyardchickens.com/f/14/general-breed-discussions-faq
Maybe someone there has an idea. Good luck to you.

 

[aart]

Not all Marans eggs are that luscious dark chocolate brown...many are not.
Depends on the lines of birds and if they've been bred to keep/deepen egg color.

Did you see the eggs that the guys birds laid?
Did you ask him what lines his breeding stock came from?

Many 'breeders' start with hatchery stock then use the highly sought after breed name as a marketing tool to sell birds with high expectations.
I learned this early on in my chickeneering when searching for Ameraucana and Marans. It's hard, and expensive, to find good quality pure breed birds.
Caveat emptor.

 

[MedSchlFarmers]

Good to know. Thank you. I just can't believe their eggs are cream/off white. Not even light brown. The guy showed me his eggs (I asked to see them) and they were beautiful. Not the absolute darkest shade Ive seen online, but much darker than my flocks light brown eggs. I do know his birds are hatchery stock.

 

[aart]

Good to know. Thank you. I just can't believe their eggs are cream/off white. Not even light brown. The guy showed me his eggs (I asked to see them) and they were beautiful. Not the absolute darkest shade Ive seen online, but much darker than my flocks light brown eggs. I do know his birds are hatchery stock.

Are you absolutely positive the Marans laid the cream/off white?

 

[MedSchlFarmers]

fairly certain. i had two smaller identical cream eggs and I had one more egg than I have chickens that were laying. I only have one silkie.

 

[aart]

Maybe check their vents and especially their pelvic points....just hoping for ya.

Signs of onset of lay---I've found the pelvic points to be the most accurate.
Squatting:
If you touch their back they will hunker down on the ground, then shake their tail feathers when they get back up.
This shows they are sexually mature and egg laying is close at hand.

Combs and Wattles:
Plump, shiny red - usually means laying.
Shriveled, dryish looking and pale - usually means not laying.
Tho I have found that the combs and wattles can look full and red one minute then pale back out the next due to exertion or excitement, can drive ya nuts when waiting for a pullet to lay!

Vent:
Dry, tight, and smaller - usually not laying.
Moist, wide, and larger - usually laying

Pelvic Points 2 bony points(pelvic bones) on either side of vent:
Less than 2 fingertip widths apart usually means not laying.
More than 2 fingertip widths apart usually means laying.

 

[MedSchlFarmers]

Great information for a newbie! Thank you! I'll check it out tomorrow.

 

[donrae]

I"m also wondering if the Marans are the ones laying the eggs. If those pics are recent, they don't look mature enough.

They do look like decent Marans, though. I'd expect at least a darker brown egg, if not a good rich color.

Maybe someone had a glitch? Or you have another new layer?

How old are the Marans?

 

[MedSchlFarmers]

That would be great! Maybe both of the cream eggs I got one day are
From my silkie. Maybe one was covered with hay and was a day old? The black copper and blue copper Marans hatched mid April. The splash Maran is younger but from the same guy. She hatched very end of May.