If you’re aiming for a colorful egg basket and a flock full of variety, you’re in the right place. With the right combination of breeds, your daily egg collection can look like it came straight from an Easter basket.
This guide will talk about common egg colors and the breeds of chickens that lay them. It will also explain why the colors are different.
Want to know which chickens lay the most eggs and in what colors? Watch the video above.
Curious about adding exotic breeds to your flock and bringing more color to your carton? Keep reading.
For many backyard chicken keepers, collecting eggs in different colors is one of the great joys of raising chickens While white and brown eggs may be common, deep chocolate or reddish-brown eggs add visual interest and diversity to any egg basket.
Here is a list of the chicken breeds whose eggs are known for being very dark brown.
Understanding Egg Color
Pigments that are released when an egg is formed determine its color. All chickens initially produce white eggshells made of calcium carbonate. In the hours before laying, certain cells add color to the eggshell, making it brown, blue, or green.
The intensity of pigment deposition affects the darkness of brown eggs Dark brown egg layers deposit more pigment than chickens laying lighter brown eggs Pigment intensity is an inherited trait in chicken breeds,
Top Dark Brown Egg Layers
Even though a lot of breeds lay brown eggs, these are the ones that are known for having dark chocolate to reddish brown eggs:
Marans
Frequency: 7
The Marans is a French heritage breed prized for its dark eggs. Marans come in several color varieties, but the Black Copper is known for laying the darkest eggs. Marans lay 150-200 medium dark brown eggs per year.
Welsummer
Frequency: 2
The Welsummer originated in Holland and lays 160-200 large terra cotta to dark speckled eggs annually. They have friendly personalities but don’t tolerate heat well.
Penedesenca
Frequency: 3
The Spanish Penedesenca comes in multiple color varieties and lays 140-160 medium to large chocolate brown eggs per year. They are active foragers that do well in hot climates.
Barnevelder
Frequency: 5
The Dutch Barnevelder lays 150-200 medium to large brown eggs yearly. The double-laced variety is most common, with distinctive black and gold feathering. Docile and calm.
Marans-Welsummer Crosses
Crossing a Marans rooster with Welsummer hens results in offspring that tend to lay very dark chocolate brown eggs. These hybrid crosses exhibit hybrid vigor in their egg production.
Other Factors Affecting Egg Color
While genetics determines the darkest brown layers, other factors can affect egg color intensity:
- Age of the hen – younger hens tend to lay darker eggs
- Time of year – early season eggs are darker
- Stress – more stressed hens lay lighter eggs
- Diet – inadequate nutrition results in lighter eggs
For consistently dark eggs, reducing stress and providing a complete layer feed is recommended.
Choosing Your Dark Egg Layers
If you want dark brown eggs from your chickens, you should think about your climate and how the breed acts. Penedesencas and other active foragers need room to roam, while Barnevelders and other calm breeds do better when they are confined.
Dark brown egg layers originate from cooler climates, with the exception of the Penedesenca which thrives in hot weather. Ensure your birds have adequate shade and airflow if summers are hot in your area.
With their beautiful egg color and friendly personalities, dark brown egg laying breeds make a wonderful addition to any backyard flock. They bring diversity and visual appeal to your homestead’s egg basket.
What Chickens Lay Purple Eggs?
The only breed known to lay plum-colored eggs on a relatively consistent basis is:
The quality of the color will depend on parentage.
What Chickens Lay White Eggs?
We all know about white-colored eggs as they are the most common of all chicken egg colors. Below are some of the most common breeds that lay white eggs.
Interestingly, many breeds that lay white eggs are of Mediterranean origin:
There are non-Mediterranean breeds that also lay white eggs:
Tinted or (off-white) egg-laying chickens include:
Some people don’t know that white eggs are called “wild type,” which means that the color is natural and hasn’t been changed.
Jungle fowl (Ancestors of every chicken breed) lay white eggs, which is why white eggs are known as the wild type.
The white color is both inside and outside of the shell.
Chickens That Lay Dark Brown Eggs
FAQ
What chicken breeds lay the darkest eggs?
Marans come in many colors but it is the Black Copper Marans that are known to lay the darkest eggs off the Marans breed.
What breed of chicken lays black eggs?
While there isn’t a chicken breed that lays actual black eggs, the Marans breed is known for laying the darkest brown eggs, with some varieties like the Black Copper Maran laying a deep chocolate color, almost appearing black.
What kind of chicken lays purple eggs?
While no chicken breed naturally lays eggs that are a true, vibrant purple, some Black Copper Marans can lay eggs with a very dark brown color that, due to a heavy bloom, can appear purple or mauve. This “purple” appearance is a result of the bloom, a coating on the eggshell, rather than the egg’s pigmentation itself.
Which Marans lays the darkest eggs?
Black Copper Marans are the most common color. They are mostly black, but their necks have a touch of gold, and their shanks and toes have light feathering. They have a bright red single comb and red to orange eyes. This variety lays the darkest of the dark brown eggs.