Marans Thread for Posting Pics of Your Eggs, Chicks and Chickens

[kathyinmo]

Another (stupid) question ... What is, "at the end of their laying cycle?" I thought that meant right before they molt? I don't know why I thought that. I probably just made it up in my mind!

 

[ILOVEFRIZZLES]

Maran Eggs
Marans tend to lay a nice sized brown egg. They are well known for laying a dark chocolate brown egg, but in practice the colour can vary from lighter brown to darker brown and sometimes also speckley. Even within the same hen changes in egg colour can occur – usually being a gradual change from darker brown at the beginning of her egg laying cycle to a paler brown by the end (often returning to a darker brown again at the beginning of the next).

This a quote form WWW.Chickenbreeder.info

 

[evonne]

Quote:

Maran Eggs
Marans tend to lay a nice sized brown egg. They are well known for laying a dark chocolate brown egg, but in practice the colour can vary from lighter brown to darker brown and sometimes also speckley. Even within the same hen changes in egg colour can occur – usually being a gradual change from darker brown at the beginning of her egg laying cycle to a paler brown by the end (often returning to a darker brown again at the beginning of the next).

This a quote form WWW.Chickenbreeder.info

does the "cycle" coinside with molting though?? os is the start of the cycle when they start laying and lasts for a year... i have a pullet that is molting right now and not laying, so is her first cycle over? or is she in the middle of it and the next cycle doesn't start until she's laid a full year??

does that make sense??

does molting come at the end of a cycle, or in the middle ? i guess is a better way of asking it??

 

[kathyinmo]

Yes, evonne, that is what my question is, too!

 

[Knight Hawk Ranch]

I would think that molting would be the end of the cycle as it is 'normally' the rest period for the hen.

I have had several of my flock molting. NO EGGS. The last 2 days I have gotten 4 eggs (layer flock not marans), hopefully, they are finishing up their molt and I can start eating eggs again and have extra to sell.

 

[ILOVEFRIZZLES]

This is just what I have noticed my chickens will lay about 15 to 18 eggs then stop for a couple of week. Some breeds will go brood in this time they will sit a day or two and done with that and other will not give up but do not molt. I guess what I am trying to say is molt and egg cycle to not got together in my hens. I have a hen that molt about a month ago but was not laying eggs at that time. I am sure other people have a different opinion on this matter

 

[kathyinmo]

Quote:
So, is what you are saying, then, is that each 15 - 18 eggs is a cycle? Then each time they start up again, the eggs are darker? They do not stay consistently dark?

Just trying to learn here....

 

[ILOVEFRIZZLES]

yep marans egg get light as the cycle goes

 

[kathyinmo]

See how dumb I am ... I thought a cycle was generally a year. I thought it was when they begin to lay until they quit laying (to molt). All chickens quit laying while they molt .... right? I hope I got that part right, as I am still neew to poultry!

 

[ILOVEFRIZZLES]

mine do not lay while molting. But like I said other people might have a different opinion. Just tell you want my birds do and I have a lot. lol