What are the best chickens to get for really dark eggs?

[StrawberryHouseMouse]

My husband is a fanatic I just found out, for dark eggs. He bought a rhode island red hen cause he wanted some brown eggs. I thought it would be a treat for him if I got him a couple really dark egg laying hens. What would be the best hens for the job?

 

[sherrydeanne]

Marans and welsummers are the most common

 

[Year of the Rooster]

Either Marans or Welsummers. Those are the only two breeds that I know of that lay dark eggs.

 

[tdgill]

or.....

with easter around the corner

take some dye and mix some red and green? (how do you make brown - just add all the colors together?)

voila! brown eggs.

hahahahahaha

 

[StrawberryHouseMouse]

lol

 

[Chickndaddy]

Marans and Welsummers are the most common in the US that will lay dark eggs. Penedesencas and Empordensas are rare but they lay dark eggs as well, although in my experience they lack in the personality department. Barnevelders are supposed to lay dark eggs, but in the US we are still working on egg color. But they are gorgeous birds though.

 

[EweSheep]

Quote:
I agree with this too! I've had Wheaton and Partridge Penes and I hated them because of their crazyiness, throwing themselves against the wall and so flighty. Beautiful egg colors tho!

 

[preppy*hippie*chick]

I've heard that the Marans are great, but not all lay the really dark ones so you should contact a breeder to make sure you get something from dark egg laying stock. My understanding is also that the darker the egg a hen lays the less often she lays. I read that somewhere, I don't know it to be fact.

 

[StrawberryHouseMouse]

I looked at a few photos of the breeds and I think I will go with martans. I like the way they look.

 

[Mahonri]

Quote:
Just to clarify for you. They are Marans... not martans.