fuzzi's Chicken Journal

[NanaK]

I have 3 Wyandottes that lay light brown eggs. They each have their on shade and one often lays brown with speckles. So each hen's egg color can vary a bit.

Sometimes they will lighten in color after they have laid a while. When they take a break and start back laying, they will be darker again. This is more noticeable in my Marans who lay very dark brown eggs.

As for the boys watching, I've had rooster's escort the hen's to the nest box. Sometimes get in the nest and rearrange the shavings and cluck. I think they were begging the hen's to lay and showing them where to put it! "Here's a good spot, honey, put it here."

 

[fuzzi]

I thought I was going to choose eggs to hatch by color, as I wanted to breed the Sussex. Guess that's not going to work...

 

[fuzzi]

Martha pecks my skirt to get attention, she probably thinks I have extra treats just for her!

She is definitely top hen, at least for now.

 

[NagemTX]

Those eggs don't look cream colored to me? Even the lighter ones look more light tan to me. Like my Orpington eggs.

I have Phoenix and get cream eggs from them and they are much lighter than yours. (Guess they could be the lightest on the cream color chart.)

 

[fuzzi]

Those eggs don't look cream colored to me? Even the lighter ones look more light tan to me. Like my Orpington eggs.

I have Phoenix and get cream eggs from them and they are much lighter than yours. (Guess they could be the lightest on the cream color chart.)

Light tan? Okay. They look more creamy (not white) to me.

I probably need an egg color chart..

 

[NagemTX]

Hope this helps! Excuse my bad drawing.

 

[fuzzi]

Hope this helps! Excuse my bad drawing.
View attachment 3644541

That's a big help!

This is what I am getting from my Sussex and Dominique pullets (7 and 6 months old):

(large eggs carton)

 

[Wyorp Rock]

That's a big help!

This is what I am getting from my Sussex and Dominique pullets (7 and 6 months old):
View attachment 3644542
(large eggs carton)

Looks like what I get from my Doms and 1 Speckled Sussex. Various shades of brown/tan.

I think your eggs look just fine!

 

[NanaK]

I thought I was going to choose eggs to hatch by color, as I wanted to breed the Sussex. Guess that's not going to work...

Ŵhen you cross a barred hen to a solid color rooster you get sex linked chicks. Pullets will be solid colored and cockerals will be barred.

I did this cross with a Black Copper Maran rooster and a Cream Legbar hen. (This cross also gave me green egg laying hens.) I knew the sex of all chicks at hatch.

Must be solid color roo and barred hen. Opposite does not work.

I do not know how the speckled pattern of your roos would act with your barred Dominiques. You could ask on one of the breeding genetics forums.

Or maybe @Wyorp Rock knows?

Sexing chicks at hatch can be of benefit to people who don't want or can't have roosters if you want to sell chicks.

 

[fuzzi]

Look at the BIG speckles!!!

Only two eggs today... someone's getting slack...