Dark Egg Breeds Thread

[pinkchick]

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Sounds like if you were doing this I would judge each breed seperate and then pick Super egg from the winners. Don

Sounds like a good idea. I'll play along, just don't have any eggs now. At the Wisconsin and Ohio shows they had a separate group for each color of Marans' eggs, which a judge voted on and awarded 1, 2, 3rd place in each color group, and then they let everyone who attended the show and stopped at the table pick out their favorite overall eggs - and they awarded a People's Choice trophy for that.

Only downside to a photo contest is that photos can be altered and photos don't depict the real color and it's hard to judge size. Steve's first photo of eggs looks like they are very dark red and shiny but the second shows a totally different look. Flashes and lighting wash them out. So, not sure how you can go by photos. Maybe you can have everyone submit eggs to one person who could photograph them all at the same time and put the pictures up anonymously or submit the pictures to one person who can upload them anonymously. They are doing this with a Judge My Bird contest on one of the Marans Yahoo Groups. All pics are submitted to one person who uploads them without anyone knowing who's birds they are and then everyone gets to critique and vote on them.

If you're going to do pics, maybe there should be at least a white egg and a brown or blue/green egg also in the picture so color, size and shape can be judged.

Or....can you tell I'm thinking out loud as I type???? Take a picture from the Marans egg color chart, blow it up to real egg size, crop it out and post it (I can do this) and then let anyone who wants to enter an egg, print the photo egg and lay their egg beside it for comparison. That way everyone's eggs will be next to something that is the same color and shape and size.

Thank you for thinking out loud Monique. Very important factors that you bring up. I agree 100%, it is very hard to get accurate egg colors in photos so this is definitely something to work out.

 

[geebs]

Or a dollar bill.. we all have those... then the judges can match up the colors... (I don't know how to do this myself but I probaly own a kid that can.. I am still making payments on a couple of em...)

 

[drom]

Quote:
Steve~ Nice! Is that photo without a flash in a darker room or area? Do you have a photo of them with a flash?

Here is with a flash. We just have a cheapo camera, the flash washes the shell color out.

http://i244.photobucket.com/albums/gg37/sandspoultry/chickens/DSCI0220.jpg

Steve

Beautiful eggs Steve!! I actually like the second picture better because you can see each egg a little better with the extra light, but mainly because it shows that really gorgeous, unique red color. And they still look plenty dark enough. If you have different flash settings on your camera, you might be able to find a setting that produces just the right amount of light that shows a clear bright picture but also shows the depth of color accurately. Sometimes it helps to simply move the camera back a bit so the light isn't washing the eggs out.

I agree with Ruth about how it is hard to get pictures that show exactly what your eggs look like. Indoors of course, it's the flash. And outside, for whatever reason the picture angle or amount of light that gets in to the shutter can also play tricks. I think you just have to take lots of pics and then eyeball them to choose the ones that look the most like your eggs really do.
And we all should be sending eggs in to the shows

Geebs you and Pink in particular have posted some beautiful eggs. I really wanted to send some in this fall , but pullet eggs were just too darn small.

I think both of the national clubs are doing a great job

but, do wish they would have more eggs shows and wish they would maybe co-sponsor some egg shows so that they are an even bigger event and everyone takes part.

For instance there are lots of poultry shows in California where I live, but I think there is only one egg show at Stockton coming up. In 2009 when I entered, I think Fresno was the only show all year.


Edited to add that I almost forgot about KathyinMo's eggs. She posted some killer eggies that she hatched out and I think her stock will be laying in the first quarter. I'll bet those pullets lay some really dark eggs.

 

[drom]

Quote:
Yes that is good idea with a Cyber contest, and state that the pictures have to look natural, clear and light so the color can be accurately judged.

I will enter your fine contest and humbly present my best offering.

 

[drom]

Actually here's a good illustration of what everyone is talking about.

I went outside yesterday and took 4 pictures of pullet eggs. I sat the plate out on a stone pedestal near the wood pile (not a very appealing background, I know)

Anyway this picture made the eggs look the prettiest. The shells look bright and glossy.

But they looked darker in this picture than they actually really are. I love they way they look in this picture

but the color wasn't exactly accurate.

So I posted this picture instead. The other two pictures were like this one. The shells look a little dull in the pic but the color is accurate.

I intend to enter more egg shows ( at least as soon as I have something a little larger

) so it doesn't do me any good to post pics that look better than my eggs do.

as they say; that s*** will come back to haunt you-

 

[Steve_of_sandspoultry]

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They are looking sort of shabby right now.

Steve

 

[VillageChicken]

I'm sure someone's posted this before, but does anyone have tricks for nestbox bedding/substrate to keep those beautiful eggs from getting strawprints?

 

[pinkchick]

Quote:
I would love to find something that would help, but I have found nothing. Has anyone ever tried those nextbox pads things that are washable? They kind of remind me of a door mat that we wipe our feet on.

 

[pinkchick]

Steve~ That girl has a great body!!!!!!!

Thanks for sharing them!

 

[VillageChicken]

Quote:
I would love to find something that would help, but I have found nothing. Has anyone ever tried those nextbox pads things that are washable? They kind of remind me of a door mat that we wipe our feet on.

Is my typo contagious (nextbox)? or did you do that on purpose?