Ok, so here's the deal. Hopefully this spring I'll be ordering my last batch of chicks (it will put me up to my limit of 25 so will be maxed out after that). I'm doing it mostly for the banties I want but am also getting a Salmon Favorelles and hopefully a BLRW (waiting for those to be available). I am ordering from MPC because it will be a small order and I'm considering adding a chocolate egger for the really dark eggs. Here are the breeds they have listed for chocolate eggers.
Silver Cuckoo Marans
Black Copper Marans
Welsummer
Barnevelder
Partridge Penedesenca
Rare Marans Collection (Black Copper, White, Golden Cuckoo, & Blue Splash) - don't think I'll risk this one because the blue splash are supposed to be lighter & I won't know what I'm getting
If I'm getting one more just for dark eggs, I want them to be really dark since I already have a flock of brown egg layers. The other reason I want to know is because only the Welsummer and Silver Cuckoo are normal priced chicks at $3.75 (which really means $5.25 after marek's vaccination and the extra for a pullet). While I'm not completely opposed to spending $6 for a chick (plus the $1.25 for the vaccine and female) I want to make sure it's worth it. I also would love a chicken that looks different from the other breeds I already have. I think the Silver would get lost among my barred rocks and dominique, plus I read their egg color can be lighter so I'm almost positive I've ruled that one out. If I go with the Welsummer would it be easy to tell her apart from my Brown Leghorn? (Easy enough for my non-chicken hubby to tell.)
I am leaning toward a Black Copper I think, but would she get lost in my four Black Australorps?
Also, do marans have feathered legs? In the pictures MPC has, all of them look like they do except the Silver and Gold Cuckoo.
HELP!!! I feel like...
trying to decide.
Lastly, because all of us love looking at them, if anyone has any pictures of the breeds I'm considering and their eggs that would help I think.
Silver Cuckoo Marans
Black Copper Marans
Welsummer
Barnevelder
Partridge Penedesenca
Rare Marans Collection (Black Copper, White, Golden Cuckoo, & Blue Splash) - don't think I'll risk this one because the blue splash are supposed to be lighter & I won't know what I'm getting
If I'm getting one more just for dark eggs, I want them to be really dark since I already have a flock of brown egg layers. The other reason I want to know is because only the Welsummer and Silver Cuckoo are normal priced chicks at $3.75 (which really means $5.25 after marek's vaccination and the extra for a pullet). While I'm not completely opposed to spending $6 for a chick (plus the $1.25 for the vaccine and female) I want to make sure it's worth it. I also would love a chicken that looks different from the other breeds I already have. I think the Silver would get lost among my barred rocks and dominique, plus I read their egg color can be lighter so I'm almost positive I've ruled that one out. If I go with the Welsummer would it be easy to tell her apart from my Brown Leghorn? (Easy enough for my non-chicken hubby to tell.)
I am leaning toward a Black Copper I think, but would she get lost in my four Black Australorps?
Lastly, because all of us love looking at them, if anyone has any pictures of the breeds I'm considering and their eggs that would help I think.