Dark Egg Breeds Thread

[Arielle]

Thank you Arielle and Braclin. Keep your fingers crossed that my eggs darken up, and that Pat either crows or lays an egg!

Which would you rather have? A Pat or a Patricia?

 

[Kansaseq]

Which would you rather have? A Pat or a Patricia?

Would definitely prefer a Patricia, as at least she could lay eggs. If it's a Pat, well, he will become dinner!

 

[Arielle]

Ok.

it's a Patricia !

 

[Kansaseq]

Ok,so now that I'm getting some nice, dark eggs, I am already planning next year's breeding project. I plan to cross my Delaware roo wit either a Welsummer or Marans hen, and my Welsummer hen(pullet) with one of my Marans roos. Trying to keep darker eggs but increase production. I may then cross the resulting chicks to each other, or back to either, or back to either the Marans or Welsummer. I think the latter would probably give me the darkest eggs, although if I decide to use the Welsummers for the last cross, I'd have to save an extra mix roo to do it. Any thoughts, suggestion, etc? Pics if someone has already done part or all of this?

 

[Arielle]

Interesting project : dark eggs, more consistently.

Have you considered using a darkish layer of the prodution types? I have seen a fairly dark egg from one of my hens, don't know which one, and it looks like a light marans egg. Certainly not as dark as my marans, but not the medium color of most egg producers.

I ahve a couple hens that are black sexlinks x marans. THe way I know this is because I can scrape off the outer coloring. Darker than the original color but not nearly as dark as the marans.

 

[Kansaseq]

Arielle, yea, I so wish I still had my rsl's--they laid a very nice, dark egg. They would have been perfect for my project, but, alas, I no longer have them. I'm trying to keep a closed flock, so don't really want to buy a started hen, and starting with eggs would slow things down even more. So, I've decided to try working with what I've currently got. I've heard that both Delawares and Welsummers are pretty decent layers.

 

[Arielle]

Dellies were selected to be heavy layers right? HOw about WEllies? Or does this depend on the line, like old heritage lines v. hatachery?

What color egg is from the DEllies?

 

[Kansaseq]

Most Dellies seem to lay a very light brown egg, although someone (maybe Speckled Hen?) had a hen who laid a nice, darker egg. I can only say they are supposed to be good layers, because my two girls will be my first experience with the breed., and they won't start laying for another few weeks. Same with the Welsummers; I hear they are fairly prolific, though not near as much as a sexlinked. I am planning to (have a friend) process a few roos for my freezer, so the Dellies will add/maintain size, along with the Marans. Should make for a nice, all around chicken that lays a good amount of pretty eggs.

Wanted to add my experience with Marans/Barred Rocks. They were awesome! I got eggs from Halo, and the resulting 'Marockans' laid very nicely colored dark brown eggs, and with good frequency.

Marans x Rock

Barnevelder and Ameraucana (top row 2 darkest eggs are Rock x Marans)

L to R Barnevelder, Ameraucana, Rock x Marans, Speckled Sussex

And a lovely mix from my former flock.

 

[Arielle]

WEllies are more prolific than I had imagined. How are the temperaments? A dutch bird I think.

 

[Kansaseq]

WEllies are more prolific than I had imagined. How are the temperaments? A dutch bird I think.

My two are a bit flighty, but then I haven't handled them much. Other people say they are friendly, but don't want to be touched. Guess it varies with the line.