Why are costco brown eggs so incredibly dark?

[Echelontheory101]

I spent 40 dollars on 3 maran pullets to hopefully get eggs that dark from my own chickens, lol.

Haha well my fingers and toes are crossed that you end up with beautiful chocolate eggs!!

 

[Echelontheory101]

I heard they have great personalities! I bought a Blue (BBS) Birchen, Splash, and a Wheaten. I didn't get the black copper even though they lay the darkest, because I like all my chickens to look different. I have a BSL Girl Who looks exactly like a BCM, lol.

I have a black splash birchen maran as well! Her name is Morticia haha hoping to add 2 BCM next summer

 

[kkmchicks]

Do cuckoo Marans' lay a deep dark egg like their FBCM cousins, or more like any ol' brown laying hen, do you know?

Sorry, can't answer your question. Should I start another thread?

My cuckoo lays the most beautiful pecan-colored eggs, some of which are spotted. She’s 9 months old and lays 5 eggs/week.

 

[ella2025]

My FBCM (she's around 5 months old here, I think), for comparison!
View attachment 4250744

Pretty girl! Is the French kind of maran any different from "regular" Marans? I heard only the French ones have feathered legs, but also seen some normal Marans with feathered legs.

 

[ella2025]

I have a black splash birchen maran as well! Her name is Morticia haha hoping to add 2 BCM next summer

How are her eggs?

My Marans are supposed to arrive in May and I told them if any of the breeds run out form my order to substitute for Marans. So fingers crossed I'll get lots of Marans!

 

[ella2025]

I'll try to remember all 17 chickens I ordered arriving in may:
Wheaten maran
Splash maran
BBS Birchen maran
Splash ameraucana bantam
Mottled Frizzle Cochin Bantam x2
Calico Cochin Bantam
White crested black polish bantam
Porcelain duccles bantam
White crested Blue polish
Golden laced polish
GLW
SLW
Dark Brahma
Cream leg bar
FREE Homestead helper (roo)
FREE Meal maker

YAY I DID IT!

Does anyone have experience with polish chickens? I am so incredibly excited to get them, but with the vaulted skull I understand they'll be a bit harder than normal chickens.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Pretty girl! Is the French kind of maran any different from "regular" Marans? I heard only the French ones have feathered legs, but also seen some normal Marans with feathered legs.

French Marans should have feathered shanks, it's the British I believe that started breeding Marans without them. So a Black Copper Marans shouldn't have them, a French Black Copper Marans should, but with hatchery birds you never know what to expect.

 

[ella2025]

French Marans should have feathered shanks, it's the British I believe that started breeding Marans without them. So a Black Copper Marans shouldn't have them, a French Black Copper Marans should, but with hatchery birds you never know what to expect.

Thanks.

 

[chicken-tender]

I bought 3 French Copper Black Marans pullets in Oct. They just started to lay. I am getting 2 - 3 eggs every day since about the 3rd of Jan. Sometimes really dark like the one in the photo. 2 have feathered legs and one is bare legged. All are very gentle and calm.

 

[ella2025]

My 2 sex links (amberlinks and BSL) and the RIR from my June batch of chicks started laying. One of the sex links lays very dark eggs. Top right corner eggs are hers and the brown egg row below that is from the other 2 I believe. It's crazy how big those eggs started out to be, especially the dark ones. My pullets who have been laying for months and months all lay medium ish eggs but that might just be breed. Now I want more sex links, lol.

I think this might explain why Costco's eggs were so dark. But interestingly when I went to the same store again, instead of the usual pasture raised organic eggs there were only free range organic eggs. And those eggs were lighter and smaller. I'm wondering if they use different breeds/mixes for different eggs or get their eggs from different places.