[agingchick]

Hi  today I got my usual 3 eggs and although I have 6 chickens 3 are only 18 weeks and I wasn't expecting them to lay before Christmas then I got a 4th shell less one.  One of my legbars has a very red comb and I wonder if she has laid it.  So.....
Are blue eggs with out a shell beige coloured? 
or has one of the older girls laid a second egg but not had enough shell making stuff left  

[Hawthorn Harry]

I read on here somewhere that all eggs are the same until the top-coat is added.  It is the final layer that has the pigment in it. 

I have a Cream Legbar which is about 7 or 8 months now and has not bothered to lay yet!! She has lovely red comb and wattles.  The comb and wattles are quite big - I also have a Cream Legbar cockerel who was a hen when we bought him!  Hopefully, the hen is just a big wattled variety as she hasn't started crowing - yet!!!

[IMOmimey]

Yes, eggs are the same under the shell.

CLB eggs have a blue or greeny blue outer layer on the shell (the shell itself not blue on the inside surface) unlike the araucana, whose shell colour goes thruto the inside of the shell too.
 
The coloring is so different between cock and hen CLB, I should hope its as sold to you, a hen. One of my hens has a very big, flopped over comb, so dont worry yet!

[Hawthorn Harry]

If the colouring is supposed to be different then I think I could be in for a very long wait for that elusive blue egg.  Both my CLBs look remarkably similar apart from one (the latest hen!!) has a slightly smaller wattles and comb.

I may be have CLB casserole this weekend!!

[IMOmimey]

cockerels are mostly grey sort of cuckoo colour, with sort of goldy round the neck, and a deep gold/brown patch on his back like a saddle.  Girlies have pale salmon breast, and smooth grey body and wings. both do have a fairly good size comb.
if I have done it right...meet Bertie, CLB cockerel

[Hawthorn Harry]

I think I have 2 Cockerels!!!  Coq au Vin calling......
Back to the breeder for another replacement - I thought they could be auto-sexed as day olds and that the distinction was fairly easy to spot.  Maybe I have a butch hen!  Or a transvestite hen with a penchant for cockerel's clothing. I think he/she can enjoy life with the flock until a crow or an egg appears....

[IMOmimey]

Yup, they can be sexed as soon as they fluffy up, 1 day old. It is actually possible to be unsure, as I  had one chick that had the yellow spot clearly on its head, but had the brown stripe down its back rather than pale. It turned out to be a boy, which was clearly evident after a couple of weeks though. 

[Hawthorn Harry]

Now that I have completely hijacked this thread... sorry!!   


Do you have any hens that look like cockerels?  Or is it fairly clear cut?

[IMOmimey]

tried to send picof my girls, but says file too large!!!!  Nope i dont have ANY hens that look like boys, although a did have a laying hybrid hen that crowed!!!!
 

[Hawthorn Harry]

Coq au Vin he is then!!

I was really hopeful that 2nd time luck we would be having a blue egg-layer.

Ho Hum you win some, you lose some.  I know the breeder will replace him but last time I went for the replacement I ended up with 7 birds not one!!

[agingchick]

These are my CLB hens the one on the left is a Dorking

Diane

[Hawthorn Harry]

I definitely have 2 cockerels.  Nightmare!! Do I take him back, and risk being given another 7 birds? Maybe he can go on the swap board!

[IMOmimey]

I'd go back. The breeder must have known they were cockerels, maybe they not pure breed? some naughty little cockerel been moonlighting. Perhaps u could just ask for your money back?