Colourful basket- Who produces what?

[HomesteadingCox]

Im looking to add a few more chickens to my current flock (without the husband noticing, they dont understand chicken math, right?) Haha, I have already, Columbian Rock(1R, 2H), RIR (1H), BSL (1H), RSL(1H), I am currently getting a medium brown egg colour from my girls, and creamy white eggs from my ducks, I would love to add some colour! What breeds are "common" (not looking for $100 hens that are only 1 in 10,000) that lay coloured eggs? I am hoping some are cold hardy as our winters get quite harsh. I would love blue, green, kidney bean red, speckled, etc. I don't know what to look for, who to breed who with, what breeds lay what colours, etc. I am new to the whole egg colour cross breeding thing. Any input on breeds or where I can find them in Ontario (that ships if they are far away) would be wonderful!

 

[lomine]

The least expensive option for adding color would be Easter Eggers (often falsely labeled as Americana or Ameraucana). They are sort of a mixed bag, not a real breed. With EEs you won't know their egg color till they start laying. They can lay blue, green, brown, pink (pale brown), or rarely white. There are also some mixed breeds called Olive Eggers that can lay a darker shade of olive green egg.

If you want guaranteed blue eggs you can get true Ameraucanas, true Araucanas, or Legbars. Getting the real deal with require a bit more research/work and they will be more expensive than EEs. There are hatcheries that sell true Ameraucanas and Legbars. With the Ameraucanas and Araucanas you want to make sure they are sold with their color. If no color is listed it is likely an EE.

By "kidney bean red" I'm going to assume you mean a dark brown egg. Some breeds that lay dark brown are Marans, Welsummer, and Barnvelders. All these are available from hatcheries. However, some of the hatchery birds won't lay eggs that dark. For the darkest eggs you'd probably have to go with a breeder that has been careful about breeding for egg color. (That being said, I plan to get from a hatchery when I am ready to expand my flock.)

Marans and Welsummer can sometimes lay speckled eggs.

It's a lot more complicated than this but here is a simplified chart on egg color that should give you a good start.

 

[HomesteadingCox]

The least expensive option for adding color would be Easter Eggers (often falsely labeled as Americana or Ameraucana). They are sort of a mixed bag, not a real breed. With EEs you won't know their egg color till they start laying. They can lay blue, green, brown, pink (pale brown), or rarely white. There are also some mixed breeds called Olive Eggers that can lay a darker shade of olive green egg.

If you want guaranteed blue eggs you can get true Ameraucanas, true Araucanas, or Legbars. Getting the real deal with require a bit more research/work and they will be more expensive than EEs. There are hatcheries that sell true Ameraucanas and Legbars. With the Ameraucanas and Araucanas you want to make sure they are sold with their color. If no color is listed it is likely an EE.

By "kidney bean red" I'm going to assume you mean a dark brown egg. Some breeds that lay dark brown are Marans, Welsummer, and Barnvelders. All these are available from hatcheries. However, some of the hatchery birds won't lay eggs that dark. For the darkest eggs you'd probably have to go with a breeder that has been careful about breeding for egg color. (That being said, I plan to get from a hatchery when I am ready to expand my flock.)

Marans and Welsummer can sometimes lay speckled eggs.

It's a lot more complicated than this but here is a simplified chart on egg color that should give you a good start.

Thank you!
I will have to source private breeders, our hatcheries sell only white layers, brown layers and meat birds (Thats where I got my current flock)

 

[donrae]

I agree Easter eggers would be a good start.

You might check out the "where am I, where are you?" section and see if there's a thread that's local for you. Or, try your local wanted ads, you never know who may have birds for sale nearby.

 

[HomesteadingCox]

I agree Easter eggers would be a good start.

You might check out the "where am I, where are you?" section and see if there's a thread that's local for you. Or, try your local wanted ads, you never know who may have birds for sale nearby.

Yeah no luck so far. If the borders weren't so harsh I would just order from one of the States hatcheries. Alas, I assume I will be left with just browns for now. I hate the swap/trade meets up here, There is one up town from me 2x a year... but they bring all sorts of animals, and you see the abuse, and SOO many people either get sick animals or transfer back to their flock just by wearing the same shoes.. Yuck. Not for my kids! I am uber bio-aware from having the horses, my flock deserves the same level of security I know of EEs just no one sells them here, or atleast none that don't come from the sketchiest places on Earth. I was hoping there were other breeds.

 

[3riverschick]

Im looking to add a few more chickens to my current flock (without the husband noticing, they dont understand chicken math, right?) Haha, I have already, Columbian Rock(1R, 2H), RIR (1H), BSL (1H), RSL(1H), I am currently getting a medium brown egg colour from my girls, and creamy white eggs from my ducks, I would love to add some colour! What breeds are "common" (not looking for $100 hens that are only 1 in 10,000) that lay coloured eggs? I am hoping some are cold hardy as our winters get quite harsh. I would love blue, green, kidney bean red, speckled, etc. I don't know what to look for, who to breed who with, what breeds lay what colours, etc. I am new to the whole egg colour cross breeding thing. Any input on breeds or where I can find them in Ontario  (that ships if they are far away) would be wonderful!

Look for a breed with a rose comb or a pea comb or a cushion comb. these breeds will do better in colder climates.
You just need a blue egg layer.
there's a chart here on BYC some place that shows the genetics of it all. Maybe go looking in Canada from blue egg laying chickens that solve your problem. All you really need is a blue egg layer , a brown egg layer, and white egg layer to create just about any color of eggs there is.

Here's a website in Canada, WildAcres.ca It looks like they take lots of care breeding their birds. they have a waiting list but their blue eggs are beautiful. they sell chicks and I think they sell eggs too. check them out.

Best,
Karen

 

[3riverschick]

Cream legbar Blue Egg
welsummer dark brown egg
Marans dark brown egg
Ameraucana​ blue egg
Olive Egger Green Egg
here's some ideas.
There is a BYC thread called : Canadian Breeders List . It has 420 posts on it, the last one on 2-24-17. Maybe check there for a breeder near you.

Best,
Karen