Pro - Does anyone else's nest boxes get soaked in rain?

[Debby Tutton]

 

One of our girls has left us a present, perhaps.

 

I have to say we are suspicious. We understood that they were only 6 months old and cuckoo marans but the egg we found was light brown . Not the dark brown associated with marans . Perhaps our marans are not marans (although they look like them).

 

The question ... was it a neighbour playing a practical joke or has our girl started with a blonder egg ?

 

Time will tell ...

[Debby Tutton]

Just had a very interesting conversation with a French Farmer

 

I had to ask if he had put the rogue egg in our Eglu as a joke. He was a little confused (perhaps it was my French) and denied it totally. I believe him.

 

So can anyone tell me if hens have lighter eggs when they're chicklets and whether she is likely to lay darker ones as she matures ?

 

The alternative is that she is not a maran.

 

Not that I care; I love em anyway

[Mollie333]

Hahaa.

Mine sometimes lay lighter eggs one day then back dark the other..

Haha, goodluck.

[Debby Tutton]

THE MYSTERY IS SOLVED !

 

My Marans are not Marans. I believe that they are Plymouth Rocks. My research has lead me to this conclusion because of 2 major factors.

1. My girls have yellow legs not white which are said to be a distinguishing feature of true Marans,

2. My one layer provides us with a light beige, buff coloured egg not the very dark brown eggs produced by Marans.

 

However, I did read that breaders often introduce Plymouth Rocks to Maran stocks to add "lusture" to their plumage, an offshoot of this could be their legs. Sooo ... who know what my girls are - I know one thing they are for sure.

 

... they're loved