For a dark egg layer, which would you recommend and why: Welsummer vs. Barnvelder vs. Marans

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Thank you all again for the great input.

Didn't get a lead on Barnies or Wellies locally, but I was able to get Marans eggs from a local breeder so I have 6 under a broody due to hatch in 2 weeks. They are a pleasing color from hens that are laying well in winter.Here's hoping.
Lady of McCamley
 
Well one of my grab bag eggs gave me a surprise and hatched a Welsummer who is now laying a lovely dark egg...and I found a local breeder for BCM's, hatched those eggs, so now I also have two 13 week old Black Copper Marans girls...one is a "mossy back" which is supposed to lay the darkest eggs...we will see...in about another 10 weeks.
pop.gif


Then I'll have something to compare
smile.png


Lady of McCamley
 
I love my marans. They lay jumbo dark chocolate colored eggs, never go broody, and they're just as calm and relaxed as a chicken can be. The only downside is mine are huge and it costs a lot to feed them compared to my ameraucanas. I like really big chickens though so I dont mind too much . Just look at the beautiful eggs~!

 
Well, since I started this thread I have hatched 1 Welsummer from a grab bag of eggs (to my surprise) and have purchased fertile eggs and hatched 2 Black Copper Marans.

I like the BCM's...thus far...they have just started to lay, at 16 weeks, and are quiet, pleasant birds.

The Welsummer is a sweet bird but tends to be noisy at times...she has also gone broody for the last 5 weeks, but not secure enough that I want to use her (which I would do if she would settle).

The eggs are about the same shade for either breed. I purchased the line of BCM knowing it would not be the absolute darkest as I had been told that those that lay really, really dark also do not lay prolifically....I gave up some color for more frequency.

You can see the Welsummer's eggs in the photo below...obviously the darkest ones at the top....which are about the same shade as the Marans.




And now the BCM's first efforts...somehow the photo is more muted in color...they actually are a close match in color to the Welsummer above...maybe a shade darker.




I haven't had them long enough to say one over the other, other than the Welsummer tends to be noisier so I am right now favoring the Marans...but the Welsummer is a good layer (when she isn't broody) and time will tell with the Marans.

Lady of McCamley
 
I'm impressed that your BCMs are starting to lay at 16 weeks! Usually they are the later ones - 22-23 weeks sometimes and later....
I have BCMs that I am slowly breeding for both dark eggs and SOP. It's a challenge and I am starting to keep a separate lot of dark egg layers only as opposed to ones I keep for better SOP. I do find that of my 2 darkest egg layers, one is mossy and the other is technically overmelanized. Someone on one of the BCM threads mentioned that you probably get 5 -10% that are worth keeping and the rest are culls if you are really going for SOP. They are not the most prolific of egg layers - but their eggs are beautiful and my birds are mellow, the roosters are laid back and lovely with the females and not flighty or aggressive at all.
 
They are petty nice. Our Welsummer and French Wheaten Maran has started to lay. Nowhere near as dark as what is available in the states, but I am pretty happy with them.

I will have to come back and load a pic from my phone of todays collection.
 

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