Should all Cuckoo Marans lay dark eggs?

[Sunny Side Up]

Should all Cuckoo Marans be expected to lay the signature dark eggs or is it just a percentage of them? You know, like the way blue coloring or frizzled feathers show up in only a percentage of certain breeds. I ask because none of the few Cuckoo Marans in my experience have laid anything but pale tan eggs.

I had 2 I bought at the feed store and sold at POL at the county fair. They each had a cage-mate so I couldn't be certain the pale eggs were coming from them, but I never saw a dark egg come from either of them. One did lay a speckled egg one day.

Then someone else gave me 4 Cuckoo Marans pullets she ordered from Ideal and again, only pale tan eggs, nothing darker.

What could be the explanation?

 

[SpringChickens]

They're hatchery quality birds. Those aren't necessarily bred to have ALL the breed specific traits - they just want a bird that can be classified as a specific bird. Best way to ensure a dark egg layer is to get eggs from someone you know and trust (or someone on here). If they come from a dark egg, they are more likely to lay a dark egg.

 

[BlackBart]

Some of my Cuckoos from Murray McMurray lay darker eggs than a breeder who has FBCM. But their FBCM egg color is very poor.
Maybe it is the Hatchery breeding willy nilly for appearance without regard to egg color?

The darkest brown eggs in the picture are from my Cuckoos.