Suggestions: Looking for the darkest egg-layer

[ParksPoultry]

Hi everyone,

Currently I have an assortment of colors in my egg basket, including one Black Copper Marans, a Copper Rock, a few different types of Cuckoo Marans, Welsumers, and Blue Wheaten Marans . I’m interested in finding very dark or even heavy bloom French Black Copper Maran hatching eggs or even chicks. What are your favorites hatcheries? I’m in Oregon, so pretty far from most.

Thank you!

 

[nuthatched]

I think quality croad langshans lay very dark.

 

[Rose the Legbar]

If you are looking for those dark, dark eggs from BCM, then you would probably want to get one from a breeder who specifically breeds for egg color. Hatcheries normally don’t have the darkest of egg colors as they don’t breed for them.

 

[ParksPoultry]

If you are looking for those dark, dark eggs from BCM, then you would probably want to get one from a breeder who specifically breeds for egg color. Hatcheries normally don’t have the darkest of egg colors as they don’t breed for them.

Yeah, that’s what I was thinking. Do you know of any breeders that ship?

 

[DemeterAD9]

Check out ebay and be sure to read all the info and customer reviews. I purchased 3 batches of eggs from 3 different sellers. Hatch rates were meh but that's to be expected with shipped eggs and an admittedly cheap incubator (plus human error via lack of experience). 6/13, 2/16, and 3/10 were my hatch rates. But fertility rates were nearly 100%.

 

[Rose the Legbar]

Yeah, that’s what I was thinking. Do you know of any breeders that ship?

I know of a few farms in Washington state that have some good BCM that I believe ship chicks and eggs, I will see if I can find them

 

[cubalaya]

penadesencas lay darkest eggs

 

[BigBlueHen53]

penadesencas lay darkest eggs

I believe there is a breeder of Penedesencas in St Louis area. Maybe?

 

[Perris]

The strain and the individual matters as well as the breed; I have 3 Penedesenca hens and only two of them lay really dark eggs, e.g.

(this was at the end of her second season).

If you want dark eggs, follow Rose the Legbar's advice to find a breeder who breeds for egg colour rather than get whatever breed you decide to try via a hatchery. Since you already have a selection of Marans etc., which are supposed to lay dark eggs, and are still looking for some, I guess you've discovered already that hatcheries have other aims in their breeding programmes.

 

[ParksPoultry]

Thank you, all!!