Ahhh, okay. I lilke the looks of the welsummer better and just wondered why I seen alot of post about the cucko. I have seen those super dark eggs. I just wanted a darker egg than the basic brown egg so the welsummer egg will work for me.
If you're choosy, you can get some very dark Welsummer eggs and if you're not careful, you can get some awfully light Marans eggs. My Welsummer eggs are much darker than my Marans eggs. Welsummers also have the advantage of being more efficient layers. They lay very large eggs and are not big birds. They don't eat nearly as much as Marans and in general, I think they produce more eggs - at least mine do.
I ordered 2 welsummer chicks from Meyers in Ohio and they should arrive May 27th. It will be awhile before I know how dark their eggs are. I do know that the other chickens that they sent me have been very nice. But I did order the welsummer hoping for a chocolate colored egg to have all the egg colors for a pretty basket. Quote:
I have 2 Welsummers. They are efficient layers of a darker than average egg. They also are very talkative and relatively friendly. I got them around 18 weeks old. I haven't seen an egg from my Cuckoo Maran that bought during her first molt. If she is laying it isn't dark. I have 2 CM from Meyers still at only 5 weeks old, so I'll have to see how they impress me.
I have 4 welsummers from 2 different hatcheries. they lay large dark eggs, darker then the marans eggs I just bought. they also hustle pretty well. I have not lost one to a hawk.
My 2 Welsummers will start to lay in October...I love them though. Very nice birds and seem to be very calm.
