Marans eggs on ebay....

[Krys109uk]

with my dad's RIR, the color of their eggs changed dramatically when he changed their feed, from a very dark brown (for a normal brown egg anyway) to almost white. They are still almost white, and it's been about 8 months since switching their feed.

I'd be interested to see a study. It does seem rather curious. In order to be sure the chage in shell colour was truly a result of the new feed, rather than a coinidence, one would need to put the birds back onto the old brand of feed to see whether the egg colour changed back.
Unless one makes ones own feed, here, in US, most feeds are corn based & from what I've seen the ingredients don't vary vastly (I read the ingredients labels on everything).

Recently, I've been feeding a lot of veggies waste, including carrots & tomatoes, but have not noticed anything different about the egg shells......but wow the yolks are very bright.​

 

[Mrs MIA]

Yep, mine too.

But I have noticed the color of the shells fading over time. Different varieties of feed are extremely limited here where I am, so I can't really do a study (unless someone would like to donate feed... then I'd be ALL over it! LOL!)
Thanks for the info!

 

[My Little Sister's Farm]

Quote:
You have no trouble hatching marans, how about black copper marans out of real dark eggs? I've hatched marans quite easily myself, but they weren't black coppers out of very dark eggs. That is specifically where I've heard the trouble arises.

hmm... sounds like we're talking about some lethal genes in there somewhere???

FWIW, I've fed various feeds in my life, never saw my eggs change colors because of feed changes, even my exhibition birds in isolated pens.

 

[Steve_of_sandspoultry]

Quote:
I'd be interested to see a study. It does seem rather curious. In order to be sure the chage in shell colour was truly a result of the new feed, rather than a coinidence, one would need to put the birds back onto the old brand of feed to see whether the egg colour changed back.
Unless one makes ones own feed, here, in US, most feeds are corn based & from what I've seen the ingredients don't vary vastly (I read the ingredients labels on everything).

Recently, I've been feeding a lot of veggies waste, including carrots & tomatoes, but have not noticed anything different about the egg shells......but wow the yolks are very bright.

You can do a study all on your own that's what we did. We did an experiement with Fitch line Cuckoo's. For those that don't know the Fitch line is clean legged and depending on who you talk to, either the last of the unmixed "original" lines or one of the last.

We took birds in the middle of their laying cycle and fed them bagged store bought feed from Southern States feed stores. They were fed nothing but. From a 16% layer to a 20% start and grow the shell color darkened approx 1 shade, from 20% to 28% another shade darker. If you have a good line of birds try it yourself.

Corn based feed does lighten the shell color that's why alot of the breeders don't use corn.

Steve in NC

 

[McSpin]

My Little Sister's Farm :

Quote:
You have no trouble hatching marans, how about black copper marans out of real dark eggs? I've hatched marans quite easily myself, but they weren't black coppers out of very dark eggs. That is specifically where I've heard the trouble arises.

hmm... sounds like we're talking about some lethal genes in there somewhere???​

No, lethal genes would give consistent death rates. The people I've spoken with about this, significantly improved hatch rate by simply changing incubator parameters and procedures. This suggests the hatching trouble comes from the super dark eggs requiring something slightly different from the average egg. One person could have great success because they are providing this condition (maybe without even knowing it), while another struggles with the dark eggs because they are not providing the slightly different environment. So, while this may very well be genetic in nature, it's very unlikely that it has anything to do with lethal genes.

 

[Krys109uk]

They were fed nothing but. From a 16% layer to a 20% start and grow the shell color darkened approx 1 shade, from 20% to 28% another shade darker. If you have a good line of birds try it yourself.

My golden & silver cuckoo Marans have Fitch blood in them. I was kindly given some "Fitch" Marans by a good friend, Iona McCormick in North Carolina.

When you say you changed the feed from a 16% layer to a 20% starter is that the only change you made? Also are you saying that the various feeds you used were shop bought & not custom made?

Unfortunately the experiment you describe did not have a control & there is nothing on which to base the assertion that the change in shell colour was entirely due to the percentage change in protein.

From what I have ascertained from talking to the general manager at a couple of the local feed mills in our area, there is not much difference between the various feeds appart from the vitamin/mineral concentrate.

Also when you say "a lot" of breeders do not feed corn.....what do they feed & where do they get it? When I've asked a few feed mills about custom grind with non corn base & the inclusion of specific protein sources, this seems to be unheard of request. Protein source is another important factor but would make for more over lengthy posts.

 

[Steve_of_sandspoultry]

Quote:
My golden & silver cuckoo Marans have Fitch blood in them. I was kindly given some "Fitch" Marans by a good friend, Iona McCormick in North Carolina.

When you say you changed the feed from a 16% layer to a 20% starter is that the only change you made? Also are you saying that the various feeds you used were shop bought & not custom made?

Unfortunately the experiment you describe did not have a control & there is nothing on which to base the assertion that the change in shell colour was entirely due to the percentage change in protein.

From what I have ascertained from talking to the general manager at a couple of the local feed mills in our area, there is not much difference between the various feeds appart from the vitamin/mineral concentrate.

Also when you say "a lot" of breeders do not feed corn.....what do they feed & where do they get it? When I've asked a few feed mills about custom grind with non corn base & the inclusion of specific protein sources, this seems to be unheard of request. Protein source is another important factor but would make for more over lengthy posts.

Our Birds came directly from Iona -she lives about an hour away from us. Actually we are going to go visit her on Friday I'll tell her you said hello. She has always been a wealth of information and exactly one of the people that bred marans when people said "Marans who?" that I mentioned on a previous post. That sort of knowledge is priceless and based on word of mouth, barnyard experience over many years and in some cases even passed generation to generation. I take in every drop of info I can get from people like that.

Yes the change in protien was the only change made, and yes the feed was store bought. For the "control" the remainder of the flock was fed regular layer and that shell color did not change.

I don't know where you live but our local feed mill is very accommadating, they have no problem mixing what you want, other than the min order is 500 pounds. Maybe our buying 4000 pounds a month figures in but even when we first started using them they were super easy to get along with.

Steve in NC

 

[AHappychick]

I think I might try it, I will switch out my layer with starter and add oyster shell to give the calcium, my egg color oin my marans has been very consistent with each hen so I will notice a change if there is one.

will be interesting to see.... I wont be able to avoid corn though.... maybe I can supplement protein by adding sunflower seeds or split peas...

 

[Krys109uk]

Steve, yes, please do remember me to Iona. I hope she is keeping well. I have known her many years now, since long before moving over to US. She has been a very good & kind friend to us. One of the nicest people one could wish to know, with a great sense of humour & a wealth of good, sound advice.

I, recently, discussed custom grinding feed, with the main chap in charge of feed at the local cooperative. I think the prices he quoted were by the US ton, (I can't understand US measurements without a calculator). Whether it was my accent & he couldn't understand me, I don't know. He seemed completely nonplussed by my not wanting a corn based feed & had never heard of anyone wanting to feed fishmeal to poultry.

What do they use for the feed base at your feed mill?

 

[ChooksChick]

Quote:
Steve,

I'd like your 'recipe' for feed- our mill will mix for us, but I'm not sure what to ask for- I'm certain I don't want any of the HOG44 they lean on when upping the protein in their normal layer, though. I remember Glenda Heywood also reported at one point she didn't allow any corn for protein in her feed, as she bred white birds and it yellows them (boy, does it!!).

This is all very interesting!