Dark(er) Egg Laying Breed: Welsummer or Maran?

[dheltzel]

What are welbars? More info please

Welbars are really Crele Welsummers, as opposed to the normal Welsummers that are called Partridge, but most people drop that because that is overwhelmingly the most popular color.
I added the gene for barring to my Welsummers to make them autosexing. They are otherwise identical to Welsummers. I have a bunch of links to information about how they were originally created on my website: http://welbars.com

 

[ChickenCanoe]

It all depends on the line of birds you acquire. I had a welsummer that laid a very dark egg and I bought 4 varieties of marans eggs that were supposed to be from the famous lines and apparently they didn't select for egg color . Only one variety was slightly dark. The rest were normal brown eggs and I was very disappointed. If one doesen't select for egg color, it can be quickly lost.
My welsummer eggs were much darker. After that, I started researching dark egg breeds. I discovered Penedesencas. Some lines' eggs in Europe are as dark or darker than any Marans egg. I started raising black Penedesencas years ago and that is all I now breed.

I've always found my marans to be even tempered and calm, especially when hand raised. You will want to get proof of their egg coloring before going for it though. Most people will advertise them as chocolate layers and their birds won't carry the very dark egg gene. It took me 3 years to get decent chocolate eggs from marans after buying from multiple sources. I do not have experience with welsummers though. (Eggs are darker than they appear lol)

View attachment 1212868

very pretty eggs

What are welbars


What are welbars? More info please

http://www.feathersite.com/Poultry/CGA/Auto/BRKAutosex.html

 

[FlomatonsFlocks]

It all depends on the line of birds you acquire. I had a welsummer that laid a very dark egg and I bought 4 varieties of marans eggs that were supposed to be from the famous lines and apparently they didn't select for egg color . Only one variety was slightly dark. The rest were normal brown eggs and I was very disappointed. If one doesen't select for egg color, it can be quickly lost.
My welsummer eggs were much darker. After that, I started researching dark egg breeds. I discovered Penedesencas. Some lines' eggs in Europe are as dark or darker than any Marans egg. I started raising black Penedesencas years ago and that is all I now breed.


very pretty eggs

http://www.feathersite.com/Poultry/CGA/Auto/BRKAutosex.html

Do you sell them? What can I find more information?

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Do you sell them? What can I find more information?

I do sell eggs and chicks. I did a lengthy writeup on them in the following post.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/black-penedesenca-hatching-eggs.1235753/#post-19829873
http://www.turismevilafranca.com/en/agenda/fira-del-gall-rooster-fair

https://www.galldelpenedes.cat/criadors