Mystery Hen (dum, dum, DUM!)

[Rosechuk]

Bad news: a dog got 5 of my best layers.

Good news: I used this as an opportunity to get rid of a bunch of old, barely producing hens and to renew my flock with some young pullets and young hens.

One of the hens I got is pretty and lays a very dark brown egg. Any idea what this breed is?

 

[CapricornFarm]

maybe a wheaten maran?

 

[Rosechuk]

I was not familiar with that breed. The eggs are not that super dark–like what is shown on the wikipedia page. The coloration and shape look similar...

 

[Rosechuk]

Another picture, because I cant resist...

 

[mr_mojokitten]

What a pretty girl!

 

[Rosechuk]

Yeah! I think she is good lookin.

 

[froggiesheins]

She is gorgeous! Hav eno idea what she is but she is a looker!

 

[mama24]

She's very pretty! Also, Black Copper marans lay the darkest eggs of the marans, other colors lay lighter eggs. Also, within that group, some lay lighter than others. And if she has been laying a while, eggs lighten quite a bit toward the end of the laying cycle. They are only super dark at the beginning of a laying cycle.

How dark are her eggs? If they are a lot darker than store bought brown eggs, she is very likely a wheaten marans. That is what she looks like to me, but i am no expert!

 

[Rosechuk]

Well, reading more about it and with your response, I think that wheaten maran is a very good guess–I think that is what I will call her! Her eggs are definitely darker than store bought, and probably the darkest of any hen I have had. I was unfamiliar with that breed, but they seem like a nice breed to get more of in the future. Although, none of my catalogs list the wheaten variety. Thanks so much for replies!

 

[georgialee]

What color are her legs? Marans have white legs.

I have a wheaten marans and she looks different from your bird ... To be honest yours is much prettier, lol.