[Prod]

When my Copper Marans first laid she laid 15 really dark brown eggs, then they went much paler.  Now my Bluebell who has laid since I got her last year has gone from a pale brown to a beautiful cream colour.  Is this normal? I haven't changed their diet and, apart from giving them fresh corn, haven't introduced any other treats thn I normally give them.

[ANHBUC]

Quite normal from what I have read and mine have done the same.  Signs to look out for are weak shells, otherwise they should be fine.  They can alter at different times of the year (darker after a winter break) and when molting but as long as your birds are healthy don't worry.

Best to keep the fresh corn to a minimum as it will just put fat on and can stop their appetite for the pellets.   

[Prod]

Thanks  .....  I do give them corn in the morning and at night so I will reduce that now...

[ANHBUC]

   The night time one should be fine as long as not too much.  It really affects their organs, you have seen 'Foie gras'.  The morning feed is a no no as they fill up on that and then will not get enough of their pellets to have a balanced diet.   

[darkbrowneggs]

Good Marans breeders try to produce birds which keep the egg shell colour as long as possible, though always the eggs are at their best when the hens are at their best. 

Often the first few eggs will be very dark, then as the bird begins to produce eggs more regularly the colour can fade as the bird is not producing sufficient pigment to colour them as deeply.  Some of the French Marans produce a very dark top to their egg, but run out of pigment before reaching the end

Good Marans are very tricky to produce, as are good Cream Legbars

That's what makes them such a challenge 

[Prod]

I have one Cream legbar, about 18mths old, and still laying beautiful blue eggs.  I have just bought 3 x 1 day old chicks which are in the brooder.  I have a Welsummer cockerel that runs with the hens & I ould love to see what colour eggs they might produce so am thinking of getting an incubator....... it's disposing of the unwanted male chicks that bothers me  as I know I could not cull them.......

[frenchliving]

I read that hens normally have shells the same colour as their ears!! That's obviously rubbish then as im sure theirs ears don't change colour!! haha

Mine only feed on corn Anhbuc wont touch anything else :-( is it really bad for them, our egg yolks are lovely and yellow!

[ANHBUC]

I read that hens normally have shells the same colour as their ears!! That's obviously rubbish then as im sure theirs ears don't change colour!! haha

Mine only feed on corn Anhbuc wont touch anything else :-( is it really bad for them, our egg yolks are lovely and yellow!

Yes, they will end up with fatty internal organs just like foie gras.   

They won't touch anything else because the corn is like sweets to them and they will fill up and not want what is good for them.  Just like children.        Layers pellets are a full and balanced diet for them.   

[Beetroot queen]

I read that hens normally have shells the same colour as their ears!! That's obviously rubbish then as im sure theirs ears don't change colour!! haha

Mine only feed on corn Anhbuc wont touch anything else :-( is it really bad for them, our egg yolks are lovely and yellow!

Don't give them an option, my lot were very corn happy when they arrived and did a bit of selective feeding so we stopped everything apart from layers. They soon got the idea, main course before pudding.

[mumofstig]

Farrow & Ball do good Eggshell colours ..................oh! you mean those kinds of eggshells   

[darkbrowneggs]

Eggshell colours.......

[Beetroot queen]

Eggshell colours.......

Ooh my bedroom is painted in that lovely duck egg blue colour. Its a nice colour and a lovely basket of eggies

[mumofstig]

my dining room and kitchen are duck egg blue 

[Beetroot queen]

my dining room and kitchen are duck egg blue 

Hubby only allows colour in the bedrooms, the rest of the house is White, White, White.  people call our house, THE White house  he has a real issue with colour  and roast potatoes. 

[jhub]

Re: Egg Shell Colour
« Reply #6 on: June 04, 2013, 13:32 »
Quote
I read that hens normally have shells the same colour as their ears!! That's obviously rubbish then as im sure theirs ears don't change colour!! haha

My cream legbar does have pale blue ears.