Specific colored chickens & characteristics

[ackie]

My housemate wants to influence my chicken breed decision making, which is whatever, but shes convinced that blue chickens are better egg layers.

Specifically, she suggested blue copper marans, blue laced red wyandotte, and production blue.

Production blue looks like it might not be a color (idk if it counts as a breed or its just a mix though), but what I'm really asking is:

Are there breeds of chickens where different colors within the breed have substantially different characteristics?

i.e. is the blue copper maran better (or worse) in any specific way than any other color of maran?

 

[FuzzyCritters]

My housemate wants to influence my chicken breed decision making, which is whatever, but shes convinced that blue chickens are better egg layers.

Specifically, she suggested blue copper marans, blue laced red wyandotte, and production blue.

Production blue looks like it might not be a color (idk if it counts as a breed or its just a mix though), but what I'm really asking is:

Are there breeds of chickens where different colors within the breed have substantially different characteristics?

i.e. is the blue copper maran better (or worse) in any specific way than any other color of maran?

Except for color, varieties of a breed are the same. Sometimes the fancier colors of a breed have worse egg production than the more normal colors. For instance, jubilee orpingtons might have a worse egg production because they were selected for color, while buff orpingtons are mass produced and are more selected for egg laying. The only breed I can think of where a color variety has a substantial difference is leghorns. The white leghorns have been very specifically bred for egg production, at 7 eggs a week. The other varieties have an egg production of 5-6 eggs per week.

Blue Copper marans don't lay as dark of a brown egg as a Black Copper, but thats the only difference other than color. If your housemate really wants blue chickens that are also good layers, I would recommend Blue Andalusians or Sapphire Gems. Blue Andalusians are productive white egg layers, and Sapphire Gems are a sex linked mix of Blue Rock and Barred rock.

 

[ackie]

@FuzzyCritters
yeah I couldnt imagine breeding for a fancy color would increase egg production lol

my personal requirements are:
predator averse
good layers
good foragers

any thoughts on that?

 

[ackie]

anyone else want to weigh in?

 

[FuzzyCritters]

@FuzzyCritters
yeah I couldnt imagine breeding for a fancy color would increase egg production lol

my personal requirements are:
predator averse
good layers
good foragers

any thoughts on that?

Some great breeds for all of those requirements are Andalusian, Leghorn, and Legbar. The brown leghorns also have the bonus of being camouflaged. Rhode Island red, Dominique, and Wyandotte are also good, but not quite as aware as the first 3. Since most Red Sex Links are half Leghorn, they are probably good foragers and pretty predator averse, but I've never had them so I don't know for sure. I do know they are great layers, but are prone to reproductive problems because of all the eggs they lay. California Whites and Austra whites are also White Leghorn hybrids, so I would assume they have many of the same qualities as a Leghorn.

 

[ackie]

Some great breeds for all of those requirements are Andalusian, Leghorn, and Legbar. The brown leghorns also have the bonus of being camouflaged. Rhode Island red, Dominique, and Wyandotte are also good, but not quite as aware as the first 3. Since most Red Sex Links are half Leghorn, they are probably good foragers and pretty predator averse, but I've never had them so I don't know for sure. I do know they are great layers, but are prone to reproductive problems because of all the eggs they lay. California Whites and Austra whites are also White Leghorn hybrids, so I would assume they have many of the same qualities as a Leghorn.

oh yeah, I've seen so so many posts about egg problems killing hens D:

 

[HuffleClaw]

Personally, my blue birds weren’t great layers. Then again they were Orpingtons. Idk if that affected it. But I don’t think color has much ( if anything ) to do with egg laying.

 

[LateBirdFarms]

anyone else want to weigh in?

Hamburgs. I adore my hamburgs and while their eggs are on the small side, I can always expect one a day out of each and they're super aware and are great foragers.
Not blue, but still very pretty.

 

[Jabebee13]

Blue Cochin... and blue laced red wyandotte... Meyer hatchery on bing website has Blue Orpington Chickens are a slate blue color with dark lacing. Hens tend to go broody and make excellent mothers. Quote from bing website search. Meyer.

 

[ackie]

Blue Cochin... and blue laced red wyandotte... Meyer hatchery on bing website has Blue Orpington Chickens are a slate blue color with dark lacing. Hens tend to go broody and make excellent mothers. Quote from bing website search. Meyer.

I'm not sure what youre saying.