Dark Brown egg layer chicks

[Jennifer A]

I'm wanting to order some of the dark brown egg layers chicks this spring. But they need to be cold tolerant. Any suggestions?

 

[XxMingirlxX]

Marans, Welsummers and Barnvelders are all quite cold hardy and good egg layers,

 

[Jennifer A]

And they all have dark brown eggs?

 

[McKinneyMike]

And they all have dark brown eggs?

Yes they do.

 

[XxMingirlxX]

And they all have dark brown eggs?

Yes they do.
Welsummers have a more terracotta brown egg whereas Marans and Barnevelders have a more chocolate brown egg.

 

[donrae]

Where are you located? How cold are we talking?

 

[Jennifer A]

I'm in the mountains of NC. It's been in the teens and my coop is too far a way from electricity to heat

 

[Folly's place]

Hatchery Marans may not produce as dark an egg as breeder quality birds, especially the more common clean legged types. My Black Copper Marans from a breeder have very dark chocolate eggs. Mary

 

[DanEP]

I have hatchery wellsummer that lays lighter eggs than my barred rocks. The only way to be sure of dark eggs is to get your bird from a breeder.

 

[donrae]

In your climate you don't need to worry about breed so much, you could do the Mediterranean breeds if you were so inclined. That could open up the Penedesenca in addition to the above breeds. You'll just want to do your research and, if you're really wanting dark eggs, go with a breeder that has selected for that trait. It may mean ordering hatching eggs and dealing with males you hatch out, a lot of breeders don't ship chicks.

Or, you can always advertise a wanted ad on CL or similar. A lot of folks think "Oh, no one around me raises X breed"....but honestly, does everyone in a 20 mile radius know what breeds you have? I've found folks breeding some very nice, very rare breeds within a decent driving distance with a simple wanted ad.