How to Darken Maran Eggs?

[Lilorp14]

So just today I picked up 15 Blue Copper Maran hatching eggs, and the breeder and I talked for a while. She told me she feeds her Marans a certain food that darken's the color of the eggshells, but she said she wouldn't give away her secret, and encouraged me to find it on my own. She also hinted it's region-specific, and she's from north-western PA. On my way up I saw a lot of sweet corn and beans, so maybe one of those?

Anyone who might know what it is, don't hesitate to comment. And yes, I am cheating through the power of the Internet.

 

[Chicken_Guru]

So just today I picked up 15 Blue Copper Maran hatching eggs, and the breeder and I talked for a while. She told me she feeds her Marans a certain food that darken's the color of the eggshells, but she said she wouldn't give away her secret, and encouraged me to find it on my own. She also hinted it's region-specific, and she's from north-western PA. On my way up I saw a lot of sweet corn and beans, so maybe one of those?

Anyone who might know what it is, don't hesitate to comment. And yes, I am cheating through the power of the Internet.

I think that she’s full of it, Marans usually lay dark eggs on their own, I wouldn’t worry about it!!

 

[chickengeorgeto]

I think that she’s full of it....

Most of if not all the corn that was seen is very likely Yellow Dent corn otherwise known as feed corn.

While sweet corn CAN be yellow everything that is yellow is not SWEET corn anymore than pineapples grow on apple trees.

 

[aart]

So just today I picked up 15 Blue Copper Maran hatching eggs, and the breeder and I talked for a while. She told me she feeds her Marans a certain food that darken's the color of the eggshells, but she said she wouldn't give away her secret, and encouraged me to find it on my own. She also hinted it's region-specific, and she's from north-western PA. On my way up I saw a lot of sweet corn and beans, so maybe one of those?

Anyone who might know what it is, don't hesitate to comment. And yes, I am cheating through the power of the Internet.

I'm guessing she's full of it too.....how dark are the eggs you got?
Tho there is a nutritive ingredient that may help boost coating color.
Ask here, they would know.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...er-marans-thread-breeding-to-the-sop.1122465/

 

[Brahma Chicken5000]

To get the darkest Marans eggs you have to selectively breed for it.

 

[Lilorp14]

I'm guessing she's full of it too.....how dark are the eggs you got?
Tho there is a nutritive ingredient that may help boost coating color.
Ask here, they would know.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...er-marans-thread-breeding-to-the-sop.1122465/

Pretty average, but her ebay pictures are really dark. Plus she has 850+ great reviews of people saying the eggs were dark. She claims they're end of cycle light.

 

[aart]

Pretty average, but her ebay pictures are really dark. Plus she has 850+ great reviews of people saying the eggs were dark. She claims they're end of cycle light.

So I guess the 'special secret ingredient' doesn't work near the end of cycle?<scoffs>

 

[Lilorp14]

So I guess the 'special secret ingredient' doesn't work near the end of cycle?<scoffs>

Lol. Now that I think about it it doesn't really make sense. I just hope that next spring when my birds from her start laying the eggs are as dark as what was in her ebay picture.

 

[aart]

I just hope that next spring when my birds from her start laying the eggs are as dark as what was in her ebay picture.

So you bought hatching eggs?
How was your hatch rate?
Old enough to tell male/female ratio?

 

[Lilorp14]

So you bought hatching eggs?
How was your hatch rate?
Old enough to tell male/female ratio?

I actually just stuck them into he incubator on Monday, so I don't know yet