[Prod]

Do all varieties of Marans lay the same colour dark eggs??

[joyfull]

no it depends on the strain, even two birds of the same feather colour can lay different coloured eggs.

[darkbrowneggs]

As Joyful says strain is far more important than breed.  If a breeder is breeding for feather colour in order to win prizes at shows, the colour of eggs the birds lay will be of little relevance, also show birds can be very poor egg producers.  Many other factors will also affect shell colour

The Marans Club website has lots of useful information about Marans and the eggs they lay.

[devonbarmygardener]

We have a grey Marans that was supposed to lay dark violet/brown eggs and we've never had one yet. They're all a shade of cream to white.

[nuzuki]

I have 2 marans from the same breeder and they look different and lay different coloured eggs. Niether of them lay the chocolate brown but more of a david dickinson with freckles brown 

[darkbrowneggs]

Marans (and other) eggs for the inncy with Chocolate Kinder Egg in foreground

[devonbarmygardener]

They do look great - a lovely shiny colour.

[darkbrowneggs]

Yes Marans eggs should be shiny and Welsummer eggs matt.  I have made an effort over the last few years to select for shine, but it does seem to make the eggs more tricky to hatch.

[devonbarmygardener]

Yes Marans eggs should be shiny and Welsummer eggs matt.  I have made an effort over the last few years to select for shine, but it does seem to make the eggs more tricky to hatch.

Don't tell me - the hens slip off the shiny surface!!
That made a great pic in my head!

Are they harder shells then?

[darkbrowneggs]

 

With a Marans egg, well in fact any dark brown egg, the shell starts off white or nearly so, then in the last minutes before being laid it is coated with a pigment. 

The thicker the pigment the more "sealed" the pores in the shell become, making it difficult for the transfer of gases as the embryo develops, the shininess exacerbates this, and the build up of waste gases and reduced oxygen supply put extra stress on the embryo with sometimes fatal results. 

Just one of those things in breeding for the best looking eggs.  As I always say, if it was easy you would be able to buy half a doz from the supermarket.   

[ANHBUC]

With a Marans egg, well in fact any dark brown egg, the shell starts off white or nearly so, then in the last minutes before being laid it is coated with a pigment. 

The thicker the pigment the more "sealed" the pores in the shell become, making it difficult for the transfer of gases as the embryo develops, the shininess exacerbates this, and the build up of waste gases and reduced oxygen supply put extra stress on the embryo with sometimes fatal results. 

Just one of those things in breeding for the best looking eggs.  As I always say, if it was easy you would be able to buy half a doz from the supermarket.   

Would washing them in egg wash before incubation help as it would probably take the dark layer off?    

[darkbrowneggs]

I had thought of that, and one time even tried sanding it off with sandpaper and wire wool - but the problem is the fine little pores on the egg surface get filled, so washing, scrubbing, sanding the surface etc,  just results in a even shinier and even better sealed egg surface 

[ANHBUC]

What about a short soak in vinegar which dissolves egg shell, then a rinse?

[darkbrowneggs]

   Might be worth a try, and vinegar is an antiseptic of sorts as well 

[ANHBUC]

I look forward to your findings, I hope it works.