[Prod]

My Copper Marans started laying just b4 Christmas and her eggs were really dark brown ,almost purpleish.  Now they seem to have lightened to an almost brown colour with dark speckles Is this normal??

[pepsi100]

Yes, the early eggs are almost purplish, but settle down to a nice brown colour, what they eat also affects the colour of the eggs, but I have been told they all taste the same, but I would prefer a fresh egg from my hens than an egg from tescos   

[joyfull]

what they eat affects the colour of their yolks but not the colour of the shells 

[Prod]

Mine free range on a small field. plenty of grass, weeds, insects. Thay have layers pellets and corn (as a treat)  & they love apples.  I put some spring greens out the other day  but they dont like those!!!  I was just interested as the colour has changed so dramatically. Still a very tasty egg tho!!!!

[joyfull]

the strain of the bird will determine it's shell colour. The Araucana bird has so many shades of shell ranging from a greyish through to sky blue and then olive green, likewise the Marans can be quite pale through to a really rich dark brown.