Chickens are like potato chips; you can't have just one! Here are our MUST HAVES to bring your dream egg color palette to life!
We like an egg basket with stark contrasts between the colors - a palette where each color of egg is as, if not more, intense in its own unique way than the one prior.
Legbar
Originally developed by British scientists in the 1930s in efforts to increase productivity of small-producers with their auto sexing capabilities, Legbars were first imported into the US in the early 2010s. Their popularity has surged since then, and for good reason! These hardy birds lay an abundance of pastel blue (or blue-green, depending on the line) eggs.
Ameraucana
Ameraucanas are a newer breed of blue/blue-green layer, easily recognizable with their large beards and muffs. They're great birds for beginners, being that they're a clean-legged, docile, and easy-going breed. They typically lay smaller eggs than a Legbar, but we've found their blue hues to be more intense, from a beautiful powdery blue to a more intense, almost aqua shade, depending on the variety and line.
Olive Eggers
Olive Eggers are a ton of fun to breed - they're developed by first crossing a darker brown layer like Marans or Welsummers with a homozygous blue egg layer (like a Legbar or Ameraucana, that have two copies of the blue egg gene). Every line of Olive Eggers will have its own unique "look" and varying tones and shades of green, depending on the genetics in the parent stock. They can look like just about anything, and it's important when sourcing your Olive Eggers to note that if you're looking for a specific type of Olive Egg for your table (super dark, super speckled, etc), that you find a breeder specifically working on those traits.
Penedesenca
Truly the unsung hero of the dark egg universe, the first eggs from Penedesenca pullets can be incredibly dark. There are some strains overseas that lay so dark in the beginning of their first lay cycle that the eggs are nearly black. As pullets mature and egg size increases, egg color settles into the beautiful dark terracotta you see here. They do lighten a bit over a season, but not so much as a Marans.
Penedesencas are still quite rare in the US; they are the only breed in the world whose native Standard calls for a "Carnation" or "Coronation" comb-type, where the very back of the comb is split with extra points. They're also one of the very few breeds that break the "Earlobe indicates egg color" rule, as they're a dark brown layer that should have a crisp, white earlobe. In our breeding program, we've been working the past couple of years to pick out the most correct combs and are working toward correct earlobes, as well as retaining pullets that lay the darkest eggs.
Marans
You knew these were going to be on this list, and here they are! Marans are of French origin, with wonderful dual purpose traits, but famed for their dark egg color. American Standard varieties include Black, Black Copper, Wheaten, and White, although many other project varieties exist. Marans are the only breed of chicken that actually color the egg as it exits the hen's reproductive tract. At the beginning of her lay cycle, her eggs will be at their darkest. As the lay cycle goes on, eggs will slowly lighten until she molts and begins again.
Welsummer
Nothing adds texture and intrigue to an egg basket like the exotic speckled eggs of a Welsummer. An old Dutch breed, Welsummers are cold-hardy, heat tolerant, dual purpose birds. We typically get 4-5 eggs per week from our Welsummer girls, and every hen has her own unique speckling pattern. Later in the year, it's normal to see speckles lighten or lessen as she prepares for a molt.
Comments