6 hens-none of the eggs are as they should be!

[donrae]

I do believe your Marans are Marans, those eggs are darker than I get from my barred rocks, plus the coloring looks cuckoo vs barred. It has been my experience here the Cuckoos don't lay as dark an egg as some other varieties, and as stated too many breeders aren't culling for correct egg color. Especially on a breed this popular, and from a hatchery, the egg color isn't going to be all that great.

From the nice pea combs on your Easter eggers, I'd sure expect them to lay some blue or green eggs. Their combs are looking nicely red, so I'd expect them to start laying soon. Don't be completely discouraged by the winter/short days--I had a pullet start laying just today--the 2nd shortest day of the year!

 

[mertel]

Well right when I got impatient, I got 2!!!!!! blue eggs today. I guess they are more blue green, but they sure are pretty and they clearly are from 2 different hens. They are different shape and size and they were both slightly warm when I collected them.
Thanks for letting me vent and rant for no real reason!!
I'll post pics after my hubbies birthday party

 

[SIMZ]

Yay on your colored eggs!!

I was going to mention that sometimes those EE's can take FOREVER to start laying. I had given up on getting any pretty blue/green eggs and then, one day, it happened. LOL

Your marans are cuckoo marans - very pretty girls, by the way! They won't lay a super dark egg like the Black Copper Marans. Mine still lay a pretty brown, though.

Finally, the eggs won't get darker in the spring. They'll be darkest when the hen/pullet start laying and will lighten over time. After a break in laying the eggs will be darker again - it's not due to the time of year.

Congratulations and enjoy your first flock!