Welsummers or Marans?

[suburbanfarmer]

I know both lay dark eggs, but whose are darker? My neighbors are not that far away so I was also wondering which is known to be a calmer breed. If you could tell me your experience with either breed that would be awesome because I want to add a clam dark brown egg layer to my posse and I am not to familiar with them. Thanks so much!

 

[Buster]

I'm looking into these breeds too- if responding, could you add your experiences on barnevelders or penedesencas as well?

 

[Katy]

My Marans lay a darker egg than my welsummers. I'd say my Marans are the calmer of the two breeds, but the welsummers certainly aren't what I'd call skittish. The Welsummers are the more consistant layers tho. The Marans tend to go broody after their first year of laying, but none of my welsummers has ever gone broody. If you want the really dark eggs you need to get eggs or chicks from a breeder that can show you how dark their shells are. I see eggs on ebay all the time that are no darker than my BR's, but they're sold as Marans.

 

[suburbanfarmer]

Thanks for that advice. Do you know if McMurray Hatchery is known to sell Marans that lay dark eggs?

 

[Picco]

Dark egg layers that lay the really dark eggs are hard to come by. The hatchery varieties usually lay a light egg. Marans that lay darker eggs are easier to come by and there are a lot of breeders with all sorts of varieties. Welsummers are more rare. I had a few cuckoo marans over the summer and they were really nice and calm birds.

Penedesencas lay a beautiful egg. Some supposedly lay an egg the color of chocolate but most lay a reddish brown terracotta color. I have a few pullets now that are laying eggs the color of wet terracota (clay flowerpot). There seems to be a lot of variability in the pigmentation. Sometimes I get a nice dark solid color while other times I get a lighter color egg covered in dark speckles.

 

[suburbanfarmer]

First off, that is a beautiful egg Picco! Secondly, did the cockoo marans you had lay dark eggs for you?

 

[Katy]

Quote:
I don't know about MM's hatchery's Marans. Most hatchery's don't breed for the dark eggs....they're more interested in number of birds hatched. The eggs in this picture are from my Marans.

 

[suburbanfarmer]

Those are also some gorgeous eggs Katy! How often do your Marans lay?

 

[Katy]

Right now I only have 2 (survivors of a coop massacre last winter) that are laying and they're going on 5 years. They quit for most of the winter, but are laying again now fairly good for their age. I've got some young ones coming up that should start laying this spring and I've got some of their eggs in the bator now.

 

[kstaven]

If you plan on selling eggs later in the season Katy, drop me a PM.

Overall I would have to say that Marans lay the darkest eggs. I have never seen a maran come from a hatchery that layed a decent colored egg. best to stick with good breeders when dealing with chickens like those discussed in this thread.