Dark Egg Breeds Thread

[Kansaseq]

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I can't speak for Egghead,but for myself, if I know that a breed only lays about 150 eggs per year, I'm not likely choose those because my birds need to be more productive. And though I do free range my birds, and agree that a happy, healthy bird will be more likely to lay to her full potential, I don't know that free ranging will significantly increase production on a bird that is genetically programmed to only lay approximately 150 eggs a year?
That's why I'm so interested in trying to find a happy medium with a cross bred.

 

[drom]

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Yes, well I think that if you want a very dark egg layer, you really don't want one that lays more than 3 or 4 eggs a week. It has been my experience that the more frequently they lay, the lighter their eggs are.
I agree with Geebs and Kansas, I think they need to be happy and healthy to lay well and also to lay dark; provided the right genetics are present and they have dark egg genes.

I also think they lay darker and better when they are in smaller flocks. But that is only my experience and others may have had great luck with birds all together in large flocks.

 

[drom]

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Wow-beautiful pictures-that is amazing.
It reminds me of the family farm on my father's side of the family. He grew up on a big working farm that has been in the family since the beginning of the 19th century. His family came to the US in the mid 18th century- Anyway, the farm had a huge barn that I remember from when I was growing up. It was built in 1876 without one nail. It was finally dismantled and taken down about 10 years ago. I wish they had restored it.

Here's a couple eggies

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/11818_februaryeggs2010_018.jpg


I do get some spotted eggs but mainly stippled eggs. I didn't get many in my first two generations and now I am getting all kinds of patterns from the 3rd gen pullets. Actually, I am not real happy with them. I think my 1st and 2nd gen are better layers-I hope I'm not going backwards!

Oh well, it's all just a fun experiment for me. I think I will breed the 2nd gen hens back to the 1st gen roosters and see what I get on that breeding. These 3rd gen pullets I have now were a result of 2nd gen pullets to 2nd gen rooster.

 

[geebs]

150 eggs is about average for a dark layer... You may do a couple better with Wellsummers and the barnes maybe a few more but the marans average that of about a Wyandotte or Orpington give or take a weeks worth... Not a bad lay... If you are after just eggs the Austrolorp and leghorn are by far the choice.. One could up the production of dark egg layers with the Penedesenca producing about 25 more a year than marans, however the tradeoff in size and temperment of the bird is a significant deviation... not for the timid.... I would have to say in the first year at peak lay my marans didn't quite match my wyandotte egg for egg but I was not dissappointed in any way by the production of my hens. The richness in color of the BC's from the Wade jean line and the incredible brightness and "svwung" that something extra from the DAvis line (just knocks my socks off).....Well it is the difference between a storebought egg and a fresh free range one... the difference between a homecooked meal at grandmas on Sunday and a meal at Denny's... It is all in what ya want. The difference between babysitting the nieghbors child and your own grandchild.. It is just a little something more... I never get tired of the kid in a candy store feeling I get when I find a little red ruby gems... Just can't get tired of it...

When I peek in the nest and I see this... after the nice friendly sweetie has sat on the porch sharing my breakfast and talking to me in her gentle way... I just get that little kid feeling all over...

 

[drom]

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Yes, Pink, I don't really know anything about carpentry but I guess you really don't have to use nails or screws or brackets to build a barn-ahahhah Back then I guess they just cut grooves, and notches and slots in to the wood and fit the pieces together.

 

[drom]

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Ooo very pretty

Are those dark red ones from your Cree WJ birds? Why did they give that flock up? They lay some nice eggs.

 

[geebs]

DROM... why did they give what flock up>>> ???? sorry didn't understand.. The eggs are from WJean... some Cree but Jesse Bryant and Donna Gherke also... The bottom pic is jesse bryant bird eggie...

 

[Kansaseq]

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Wow! Those are gorgeous

 

[berkeleysprings]

i sure like this thred better than the other thred on byc,,,
people here are not so up tight , the other byc thred is dominated by one or two people ,and they seem to be way to craby just for chickens .....

 

[drom]

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I'm sorry Geebs, I must have misunderstood. I thought you said they did not have WJ line any more.

I think was when you picked up some eggs or something.

anyway, nice eggies!