My first Marans hen and I am super dissapointed. :(

[sweeterdeeter42]

I got my first Marans hen yesterday. She is Cuckoo and is about 1 year old. I specifically asked the guy how dark her eggs are and he said very very dark brown. Well, DOES THIS LOOK VERY VERY DARK BROWN TO YOU?!?!?!? I dont know if I would have gotten her if I would have know that she would only lay regular brown eggs Although they are HUGE. Same size as my turkey eggs! But that is not the point! lol. If anyone in Northern Illinois/Southern Wisconsin has a Marans hen that lays dark eggs for sale, I would be interested in buying her! I was so dissapointed when I pulled this thing out of the nest box tonight.

 

[welasharon]

If that's the first you may want to give her some time. Mine is not quite a year old and sometimes has some misfires like that. Some of her eggs are only tipped in brown! The move could have thrown her off some.
sharon

 

[sweeterdeeter42]

Certainly something to think about, thanks! But if I got her yesterday and she layed it today, would it have already been formed before the move and such? I dont know how long it take for them to make eggs.... probably should look that one up. It was really big, maybe it is a freak egg. I am going to keep her either way since I need more egg layers, I just really really have been wanting a Marans hen for the dark eggs and thought I finally got one.

 

[Illia]

So sorry

Cuckoo Marans, most of them being production bred by hatcheries, are very well known to have horribly pale egg color.

 

[EweSheep]

Quote:
2x

 

[icemanchicken]

I have a batch of cuckoo marans in the bator right now, and most of them are that color.

 

[sweeterdeeter42]

SON OF A........... lol. Oh well. That's usually how it goes for me!!! My buying request in the original post still stands. Pretty ticked the guy told me very very brown, when he knows darn well they were not. Unless he only has ever seen a white egg or very pale brown egg, because it is darker than my Silkie and turkey eggs. Maybe to him that is very very brown.

 

[Cold Canadian]

Sorry , but my Cuckoo Maran egg color is WAY darker then that , my RIR's lay a darker egg then that .Something must be off ? maybe it's as was suggested , give her a few days to get familiar with her surroundings and then see what she gives you ??

 

[ginormous chicken]

I know it is super disappointing and I am reminded of myself 4 months ago. I posted this exact some post pretty so much word for word. I have a BCM c1 Bev Davis line. The breeder I bought her from, swore to me she laid dark eggs. So, the eggs I saw come out at first were light like yours. I was PO'ed

! I am happy to report, about 3 eggs in. She started to lay some gorgeous eggs!

It took her a while to get there. I wasn't lied to. It just took a while even though she was over a year old and had a laid a season. Not laying in the winter changed the egg color. Here are before and after pics. Sometimes it takes a while for them to get going. If you have a hatchery line bird it is more likely they will lay lighter eggs.

This was her first egg for me:

This was todays egg, I just took the pic.

I know the lighting is off on the second one. But there is a huge difference. Be patient. If it doesn't work out then get another bird.

 

[sweeterdeeter42]

Well I just had a thought, how do I tell if she is a cuckoo marans or a barred rock? Maybe the guy was confused?