Can a Cuckoo Maran lay a PALE egg?

[SpeckledPullet]

I just bought a new Cuckoo Maran pullet. She is under a year old, but close to it. The breeder I got her from showed me the eggs she collects every day. She has Marans and Dominiques and the eggs were all either very dark or very pale. I just assumed this new Maran I bought would lay a dark egg (she's supposed to, anyhow). Today, I found a very pale tan egg in the spot she likes to hang out. She has yet to use the nest box because she is bottom of the pecking order.

So, what are the chances she laid this egg? I assume she did and am very disappointed if that turns out to be the case. I bought her because I really was looking forward to medium to dark eggs, NOT pale eggs. My Australorp's egg is darker than the one I found today.

I know hatchery quality Marans can lay lighter eggs, but do they lay THIS light?

 

[Buck Creek Chickens]

yup, hatchery or 'bad' marans can lay light eggs

 

[Illia]

Indeed they can. Hatchery Marans and bad quality Marans in general can. Also, Cuckoo Marans sold as so, but really just Barred Rocks can as well.

Sorry to hear of that, hopefully it is just someone else's egg. I know I almost fell into getting a whole bunch of black coppers who had VERY pale eggs. Good thing I asked for an egg photo.

 

[jeremy]

Was the person you bought her from a breeder? Where did he get his birds from?

Chances are if they're hatchery birds you won't be getting those dark, dark eggs you hoped for. I've got a Cuckoo girl and she only lays about a 3, sometimes a 4 on the Marans egg color chart. She's a hatchery bird.

OR she could be at the end of one of her laying cycles, that usually causes the egg color to lighten. She might be getting ready to molt, so her body will put all of it's energy into that, egg production may even stop completely. After she starts a new cycle/ends her molt (if applicable.) then she should start laying darker eggs again.

I've always been told that the Cuckoo variety doesn't lay the darkest egg. Black Copper Marans, Blue Marans and Wheaten Marans are the way to go if you want a rich chocolate color.

 

[SpeckledPullet]

Ugh, I am disappointed! I was really hoping all of you would assure me that a Maran cannot lay this pale of an egg.

I also paid $20 for this bird because I thought she'd have darker eggs (based on the eggs I saw).

If I had wanted light colored eggs, I could have bought 4 hens for the same price at the local swap meet.

I do know, for a fact, that she came from Ideal Poultry. That is what the woman told me who sold me the bird.

Now I am worried about buying more hens. Even if I SEE dark eggs in the nest boxes, there is no way to tell which hen laid which egg, is there? I guess if I want more hens, I will just be taking a gamble