Dark Egg Breeds Thread

[Cowgirlgrace]

Just for the record, I use the Marans to cross with the Barnevelder as a project to try and darken the Barnevelder egg color. I also thought it would be fun to try and create my own Golden Cuckoo. But, like Snowbird says, I pay the feed bill so I get to do what I want. Haven't tried the kitchen sink yet though! Some of the resulting offspring I keep for the projects and the rest get sold as mixed breed laying/eating stock. So if BC Marans are showing up with unwanted traits and colors it's not a dishonesty on my part. Count me out on that one.

 

[kathyinmo]

I started adding Thyme leaves, also. Known for use for worms, parasites, lice, fungal infections.

http://www.bulkherbstore.com/Thyme-Leaf-Cut

 

[Medicine Man]

Quote:
thank you kathy i am always looking for something like this.

 

[Medicine Man]

Quote:
Gray Area. You created it, can it be mistaked for a pure one of either's breed?

 

[Medicine Man]

Quote:
14 zips for $4.50-like at the FoodMaxx. (one pond minus two zips)
Cinnamon - 1.83 per pond at the WinCo
Paprika - 2.99 per pond at the Grocery Outlet

its a lot for me to shop for my chicken food all over the city but its worth it.

 

[Cowgirlgrace]

Quote:
Gray Area. You created it, can it be mistaked for a pure one of either's breed?

Not sure what you are asking. Just wanted to clarify I use Marans for working on some projects but do not sell the surplus offspring as anything pure. Only mixed breed and layers not for breeding purposes. If someone decides to breed them anyway and tries to pass them off as pures then the issue is with them. Maybe I should just cut their heads off and bury them. Sorry if someone thinks I'm messing up the breed. Not my intention as I have a flock of BCM I am trying to bring up to the SOP as I think that is important even though I do not show. Lots of the Marans colors are created by crossing the different existing colors. As far as the Barnevelders go I still have many generations to go on them as far as egg color and type before I have anything close to having as Barnevelder that lays a dark egg and not selling them as such. Most breeds were developed by combining several breeds. The Barnevelder being one of them. The dark egg being introduced by useing the Croad Langshan I believe. Since it is difficult to find those and probably impossible I am trying to use the Marans. The Barnevelder is seen as a dark egg layer but their eggs are far from dark so I see nothing wrong with going this direction. Just trying to bring the egg color back. Like I said, sorry if the BCM APA SOP people get miffed by this but I am breeding responsibly and I pay the feed bill.

 

[Cowgirlgrace]

And while I'm venting my opinions I think the people who breed BCM strictly for the proposed APA SOP are doing the breed a diservice. The beautiful egg color is what makes this breed special and they are going to ruin it just they did the Barnevelder.

 

[snowbird]

Quote:
Grace, I do not see what your problem is as no one is signing on to argue . Breed whatever you would like and sell them to whom ever you like, your conscience is the only one that matters. Don

 

[Cowgirlgrace]

Quote:
Kim, My early background was in the Gamefowl, When you have different colored fowl that are crossed , most likely you will see a color difference after every major molt. With the Marans we know for a fact that they have been crossed from the beginning. We also know from the different forums they are being crossed with everything but the kitchen sink now. I know for a fact a lot of crossing is being done and sold as straight bred Marans and it is not just the small backyard breeders either. Don

Well, the kitchen sink thing is the reason I am commenting about any of this as I have posted previously about crossing my Marans with the Barnevelders and just wanted to clarify I for one do not sell my crosses as straight bred Marans or anything else straight bred for that matter. Hard to know from reading your posts if you are/are not targeting someone in a roundabout way. My apologies

 

[Medicine Man]

Grace I agree in entirety about that- the breeding of them for showing purposes and being so worried over small and pettiness. My SOP is stewardship and cultural heritage and nature and happy birds and egg color. Only the one thing I want to clarify is the potent of problems to happen if a mix gets to be mistaken and breeding with the purebreds. You will do what makes you comforted but I do not ever let one such mix go out of my hands because then somebody will no longer be able to have it and it gos to a new home and someday that bird will easyly be thought to be a pure Marans or Barnie or something and be bred and eggs and peeps sent out to newer homes and you can you see where I am going? It is not my intention to say you are wrong but only to say here is this to think of. Sometmes the kitchen sink is in my SOP also.