The Favaucanas are a relatively new breed of chicken that originated in the United States. These laid-back ladies lay very well for the first 3 years and then slow down in productivity around year 4. This will tend to come towards the end of the ‘service’ life of the Empordanesa chicken, though. The Red Star Sexlink chickens are a very adaptable breed in that they take to confinement well but can also be excellent free-range chickens. Nonetheless, there are still a lot of people that love their chickens to lay dark brown eggs. They are referred to as the “King of All Poultry”. This is the only version of the chicken that is officially recognized in the country. These chickens come from a good gene pool. Sussex Chicken Eggs: Sussex chickens lay brown, white or tinted eggs and you can expect between 180-200 eggs per year from your typical Sussex chicken. But when you get down to the egg, nutritionally there is no difference -- it's all just in the looks. They do very well in cold weather and even prefer laying their large brown eggs during the winter. They make take 2 years to fully mature. These calm and gentle birds are easy to work with and are also good foragers. These small black chickens lay deep brown eggs that resemble an oval piece of chocolate. If their diet isn’t providing them with this protein then they won’t be able to lay many eggs. They lay tons of eggs, even through the winter, and are a hardy dual-purpose bird. The color of an egg does not have any impact on the taste or nutritional value of the egg. This breed is great for first-time chicken raisers because they are so easy to handle. Way to go ladies! While a good addition to a mixed flock, you may sometimes get a snooty hen which is not very sociable or friendly to her flockmates. The major downside to the Empordanesa is the fact that it is tough to breed. They are generally friendly and interact well with people and other chickens. This dual-purpose breed originated from a port town called Marans in France. This smaller breed of standard-sized hens may begin laying at 16 weeks. The breed was created by combining a White Rock and New Hampshire. It produces the same number of eggs per year. They are winter hardy and vigorous egg layers which assure a constant supply of these excellent sized, beautifully colored eggs. They are a good addition to your flock if you have chickens that don’t lay in the winter months. You’ll love them because of their traditional reddish-brown feathers, but also because they can lay between 300-350 eggs every year! Plymouth Rocks are very cold hardy. These chickens can lay brown, white or tinted eggs and the average amount is between 180 and 200 every year. Despite the fact Marans were originally created for meat production, this breed is now best known for the dark, rich chocolate brown eggs they are capable of laying. We’ll learn about this later in the article. Black Sexlinks is a fantastic choice if you want a hardy, lively, good-natured chicken that lays a lot of big brown eggs! You can cancel email alerts at any time. Marans are best known for their beautiful, dark brown eggs — the darkest brown of any chicken egg. Those breeds are Barnevelder, Maran, Penedesenca, Welsummer, Empordanesa chicken breeds. Those girls will need quality feed and supplements to produce the richest and most vibrant brown eggs. An Easter Egger chicken can lay blue, green, brown, or pink eggs! They are easy to handle and don’t fly well because of their large size. However, it is much more suited to commercial environments. Their origins are a cross between a Malay and Cochin. They are a sex-linked breed which means you can tell the sex of the chick by its color upon hatching. They are very adaptable to cold climates because of their dense feathering. The egg color relates to an individual chicken’s genetic makeup. While this chicken is mainly used for the production of eggs, you may be pleased to know that it can also make a decent meat chicken breed. In the United States, there is a slight variant of this chicken breed available. And yes, you can look at their earlobes. The color of these eggs is exceedingly dark, and many people love them purely for this. Other things you’ll need to consider are the climate where you live, whether or not the chickens will be around children and pets, if you’re chickens will live in a coop or be allowed to free range. They provide the correct balance of nutrients a laying hen needs to produce the best eggs they can. Chickens that lay brown eggs are very popular among backyard chicken owners. The Barnevelder chicken is capable of producing a whopping 200 eggs per year. What affects the taste of an egg is determined by what your hens eat as well as the freshness of the egg. Plymouth Rock is best known for its black and white bar feather pattern. You can check them out right here. They are not bullies and tend to get along well with other breeds. Hens lay between 250-300 medium light, brown eggs a year. Ideally, your … Stromberg's brown egg-laying chickens are known for their egg-laying ability, as well as laying great looking, delicious brown eggs. Other countries recognize the following colors: This is a heavy bird with soft, dense feathering. You can thank the area where it was bred for this. They need lots of quality food and snacks as they expend a lot of energy producing eggs. Best chicken breeds for eggs 1. They begin to significantly slow down egg production after age three. There have been reports of them laying until their 10th year. While most other chicken breeds will stop laying eggs throughout the colder months of the year, the Barnevelder chicken doesn’t. They became superstars in the poultry world when an Australorp hen laid 364 eggs in 365 days. The Welsumer chicken is a breed that is capable of laying around 180 dark brown eggs per year. Well, that, or you could get your hands on an incubator too. Their eyes are usually a yellow-orange. Rocks are very respectable egg layers. They sometimes break their eggs because they are big and clumsy. It just keeps on producing and producing. Brahma are not named after the bulls but they are one of the largest breeds of chickens. However, these eggs can be between 10-15 grams lighter. This large, friendly, great laying chicken has a great personality and a favorite of backyard chicken raisers. Easy going chicken breed that makes a great addition to a backyard flock of egg layers. They are all classed as "brown" but, like these eggs from my Red Star chickens, they vary in colour from a light cream to a darker brown. Barnevelder and Maran chickens lay a chocolate-colored egg. The Barnevelder breed of chicken lays around 3 – 4 large brown eggs per week and around 175 – 200 brown eggs per year. They will average around 4 large brown eggs a week or 200 eggs a year and lay through the winter months. This is true even for chicken breeds that lay brown eggs. The Marans breed was developed in the late 1800s in the port town of Marans, France. The Hen's Loft is an Amazon Associate and is reader-supported. – Cathy Liesenfeld at Original Homesteading Black Sexlinks are considered a hybrid bird because they are a cross between two standard breeds – … Make sure you feed your layers on a well-balanced diet with plenty of calcium if you want good quality eggs that taste amazing. Each chicken lays different amounts of eggs per year and are available in both male and female. The hens are fairly tiny in that they weigh in around 4 pounds. All of them are very easy to raise, are friendly and are prolific brown egg layers. Colors of red many vary from rust-colored to slightly darker shades. They are not fancy chickens and decline in production after age 3, but they are great if you don’t want to have a rooster in your flock. This is, no doubt, … One of the main reasons why people go for this Dutch bird is the fact that the egg-laying doesn’t really stop. They are one of the oldest and most popular dual-purpose breeds for backyard chicken enthusiasts in the US. The brown color will vary slightly from hen to hen. In addition to these twelve breeds of chickens which lay brown eggs are the Barnevelder, Brahma, Buckeye, Chantecler, Cochin, Dominique, Java, Jersey Giant, Langshan, Marans, and Naked Neck breeds. The Penedesenca is able to lay around 150 dark brown eggs per year. It is designed for those that want something that looks pretty. There is also a bantam version of the Marans chicken available too. The only reason why it is named after a town in France is that this is where it first entered the country. Leghorns come in 12 color varieties, but the white chickens usually lay the most eggs. It does most of its egg production when it is nice and warm outside. The original M… 10 Quick Tips for Keeping Your Egg Layers Healthy. They do come in many color variations, including the following: Rocks are sturdy birds with a triangular-shaped body, a full breast, and a long, broad back. Some hens lay speckled brown eggs. Australorps do well in confinement but also love to free-range. They make great pets and are good for children to raise for the fair. They were originally brought to the US by sailors who came from Shanghai in the 1850s and were first named “Shanghai”. Their feathers shine with a beetle-green iridescent sheen when the sun hits their feathers. Up until the 1930s, they were one of the most popular table birds but slowly declined in popularity as new breeds were formed. Our brown egg chickens create the ideal way to get quality large brown eggs. When choosing your breed of brown egg-laying chickens, take a look at the personalities and traits of each breed. However, many people don’t know what causes eggs to have different colors. Even the roosters are polite. No chickens lay an egg of color, which is a true purple. They are curious, friendly, and great if you have kids or other breeds of chickens. The Red Sex Link is one of the best cold hardy free-range birds, and they will lay between 250 to 300 eggs per year. If you think you’re ready to get started, you can order baby chicks directly from our partner, Cackle Hatchery. Each chicken only lays one color egg though. They are great for families with children. The Marans chicken can produce between 160 and 180 dark brown eggs per year. They are very heavy birds and can weigh 8 to 10 pounds. You can’t go wrong with Australorp for laying a large number of brown eggs. It is a cold hardy chicken breed. Golden Comets will not make a fuss when being handled. Brown eggs from my Red Star chickens, on my egg skelter. Enter your email address to receive alerts when we have new listings available for Egg laying chickens for sale. Your hen should be able to hatch and raise her babies. However, as you read this, there is probably some breeder out there trying to get the Penedesenca chicken into their line of chickens in order to create even darker brown eggs. The brown coloration is actually synthesized in the shell gland (uterus) of the hen – exactly how and where is still unknown. Free-range is best for these girls as they have a tendency towards obesity if left in confinement. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. If you like big, docile, chickens, you will love the Brahma. While there are hundreds of brown egg layers to choose from, there are those that have stellar reputations for being abundant egg layers and easy keepers. That means some of the links are affiliate links and if you buy through these links, I earn a commission at no additional cost to you. You guessed it, red. The eggs weight about 60 – 65 g. People call these type of eggs as dark chocolate and occasionally speckled. They are great foragers but prefer areas where the soil is dry. This is because this bird was bred in the Mediterranean which, of course, doesn’t get that much in the way of cold winters. They are good in any climate. The Leghorn is an egg laying powerhouse! In the United States, if you are planning to take the Marans chicken to a show, then you will only be allowed to take the feathered leg version of the bird along with you. Australorps make good nest sitters and mothers. This is the Barnevelder barred chicken. You have one variant of the chicken with feathered legs and one without. Although, of course, do bear in mind that the eggs are going to be quite small. Brown Eggs. They are friendly, outgoing, and a dual-purpose breed. This means that you are probably not going to find it that often in the United States. Layers pellets are formulated for laying hens. Australorps were developed by crossing Rhode Island Red with Orpington chickens. It doesn’t even influence the flavor. The main difference between white and brown eggs is that producing brown eggs takes more food and nutrition for the hens to produce the pigment. If you want to hatch chicks, this is a great breed to raise. So, if you live in a colder area, then this may be a breed that you want to check out. They are one of the quieter breeds of chickens. They do well free-range or in confinement but they need to be kept away from wet and muddy areas because of their heavily feathered feet. This is true even for chicken breeds that lay brown eggs. Isa Brown hens are red-brown in color, with some white under-feathering and occasional white tail feathers; the roosters are white. They have been known for their laying longevity. They are very hearty birds and will produce up to 300 medium to large brown eggs a year. We have on stock now 4084 brown point of lay lohmann chickens available They are ranging from 16... publicads.co.za . These birds tolerate confinement well and do well as free-range birds. As I covered earlier in this article, no. The bantam version produces a roughly equal number of eggs, albeit they are going to be far smaller. And besides that, there are certain chickens that even lay speckled eggs and blue eggs. There is a contrasting pattern to the feathers of each color. They will follow you around the yard looking for handouts and will not be above waiting on your porch for you, which can be problematic. Australorp will quickly warm up to people when they discover who feeds treats. Their kind and gentle nature mixed with their adorable fluffy feat make these birds a colorful addition to your backyard flock. Looking at the larger picture, good nutrition means happier and healthier chickens, so it’s something you should take seriously at all times. Some of the most popular light brown egg-laying hens include: Australorp – Productive and fast-growing, they can lay 250 to 300 large eggs a year. They have striking red combs, wattles, and earlobes. Their feathers are dense and tight with a thick layer of down. Sometimes speckled brown eggs. This is the smallest chicken breed in the world after all. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qK65zRZlEkE&feature=youtu.be. The answer is quite simple — egg color depends on the breed of the chicken. This will vary from hen to hen, but you can rely on someone from your flock to brood and hatch eggs if that is on your agenda. However, interestingly, this is not really a breed that is used for its egg-laying capabilities. This breed is high on the pecking order because of its size. There is a bantam breed of this chicken too. Keeping your egg laying chickens in tip-top shape will mean more and higher quality eggs for you. The Barnevelder is a medium-heavy breed of chicken, named after the Dutch town of Barneveld. They thrive well in a free-range environment, have a quiet and gentle disposition and tolerate other birds. The bantam breed will be able to lay between 180 and 200 eggs per year, so a little bit more than the larger version. They have a pleasant personality and their beautiful coloring makes them a delightful addition to any coop. They tolerate other birds well, make great pets because of their overall easy-going disposition, but are not particularly broody. This is because the Penedesenca chicken lays the darkest dark brown eggs out of every single chicken breed. The American Poultry Association only recognized the original color of the Australorp, black. If you are looking for hardiness and productivity, the Rhode Island Red is hard to beat for laying brown eggs. They will walk right up to you and let you pick them up. There is only one color of Rhode Island Reds. They get along with kids, other chickens, and even other pets. They are known by several different names: Their feathers come in various shades of white and light brown with red tints. They do well in confinement or free-ranging. Interestingly, there are some countries that see the Empordanesa and the Pendesenca chicken breeds as the same breed. The Golden Comet hens start laying eggs very early from 16 weeks of age and weigh between 4 (Hens) to 6 (Roosters) pounds. If you want to breed them, then you will need to bring in a chicken breed that does get broody in order to raise the eggs that aren’t getting that much attention. If you are looking for an attractive, friendly, and interactive chicken that lays a decent amount of eggs, the Plymouth Rock is a great choice. It is famed just as much for the eggs that it produces as it is for the meat that you can get from the chicken. Since they are so large, Brahmas mature slowly. Diet. They have no feathers on their legs. This breed does well in captivity, but their preference is to free-range. Your hen should be able to hatch and raise her babies. They are extremely hardy, even in the bitter cold, and are excellent egg producers. Golden Comets are a very common hybrid chicken breed. These birds are quick to mature and will lay between 8 and 12 weeks of age. 6. It is loved in France and often incorporated into many meals. Chickens need around 20 grams of protein every day for them to keep laying eggs. They are easy keepers as they don’t have any health issues and are not good flyers so they are easy to confine to a coop. Broodiness: They rarely go broody. This classic American chicken is a dual-purpose breed developed and bred in Rhode Island, Massachusetts in the 1840s. They have clean, yellow legs. They are great for kids as even the roosters are sweet. They are slow to mature and will usually start laying eggs around 28 weeks. However, in Spain, and in many parts of Europe, it is regarded as a separate breed. It doesn’t even influence the flavor. Plymouth Rocks are mellow birds. If you’re looking to add a few hen’s to your flock that are great at laying brown colored eggs, there’s no doubt that you’ll do well with any one of the breeds listed above. They are not particularly noisy birds so they are safe to raise in a neighborhood. They will lay an abundance of eggs, up to 300 a year, and will be a pleasant addition to your yard. There are actually two varieties of this breed. You have to have a White Rock hen and a New Hampshire rooster to create a Golden Comet. These laid-back chickens are hardy, easy to handle, and are a no-fuss kind of chicken. What chicken breeds lay dark brown eggs? The Penedesenca is also a Spanish chicken. Related articles:– White Eggs Vs. Brown Eggs – Differences. While it is known as a French breed of chicken, and it even has a French-sounding name, this breed of chicken is actually from Asia. Isa Browns. Note that this post originally appeared on … It almost went extinct in the 1980s. They are ideal for kids and mixing with other breeds of chickens. It is not until the eggs pass through the hen’s uterus, also known as the “egg painting station”, that they get their pigmentation and color. These colors are registered with the American Poultry Association. The rich tones give the eggs personality. They come in blue, splash, blue copper, wheaten, solid black and a couple of other colors still being developed. To ensure your chickens are getting plenty of protein make sure you are feeding them layers pellets. Your Brahma hen will lay between 3 to 4 medium to large brown eggs a week or around 150 eggs a year. Contrary to what many people might believe, the chickens diet and environment do not play a major role in determining the color of the egg. The following 5 breeds are some of the top picks for backyard chicken raisers who desire beautiful brown eggs. They lay from 250 to 300 eggs in the year and their eggs are brown in color. This is, no doubt, down to the fact that they look aesthetically pleasing. This explains why there are brown, white, pink, or even blue eggs from different individual breeds of chickens. This breed makes excellent pets and is great with kids and other chickens. They lay between 250 to 300 brown eggs per year. However, brown eggs are not healthier than white eggs: I just like brown eggs. They are good mothers and tend to brood easily. You can feed layers pellets from 16 weeks of age. These big birds are robust and are known to thrive in typical chicken coop environments. The Empordanesa breed of chicken also lays around 180 dark brown eggs (sometimes speckled) per year. Sadly, it is a rare breed. Egg Color: Brown. Cold Hardy: Yes. Personally, I prefer brown eggs so I base my breed choices on ones known for laying brown eggs. Free range your flock as much as possible. The main colors of Brahma are Light, Dark, and Buff. Those that want a colorful egg basket usually seek out this breed. Brahmas can be intimidating because of their size, especially for children, but they are gentle and non-aggressive. The latter is a British variant of the bird. If you know the French, then you will know that they understand good food. One is a White rock and lays brown eggs, and the other is a White Leghorn and lays white eggs. They are a quiet and non-demanding bird that are ideal for first-time chicken raisers. What is consistent is that they have feathered feet. They will brood and make excellent mothers, too. While they may be shy at first. The chicken’s diet controls the health benefits of eggs, the richness and color of the yolk and the bird’s overall health. There are several different varieties but the double laced is probably the most popular and spectacular. The Barnevelder will lay 3-4 dark brown eggs per week. Some of the most outstanding brown-egg laying hens include Australorp, Barnevelder, Brahma, Buckeye, Delaware, New Hampshire Red, and Sussex. These birds lay eggs that have varying shades of brown. Australorps have laid as many as 364 eggs in 365 days in Australia without extra lighting. Wet and muddy areas may cause feet problems because of the feathered feet. Light Brown. They are a smaller breed and known for their egg production only. Hybrids They take an interest in people and will follow them around looking for treats. They do love to talk and are considered quite noisy. Some strains will lay eggs with speckles and others can lay a darker almost chocolate colored egg. It is worth pointing out that the hens are year-round layers of small eggs. Lifespan: On average, they live to be 6 to 8 years old. They have long bodies with a deep, mahogany red hue. The Maran French chicken breeds are calm, friendly birds of medium size and Type B build. This means that it can be a difficult chicken breed to own if you are a homesteader. You will see white eggs in the generic commercial sections of the grocery store because it is less expensive to feed white egg layers. They are great layers and good for the table. Unlike many of the other dark brown egg laying chickens that we have discussed so far, the Marans chicken is actually a dual purpose breed. When it comes to high-quality dark brown/chocolate egg layers and baby chicks for sale, Cackle Hatchery® has several different options to choose from. They do well in the cold because of their dense feathering but can be prone to heatstroke if not provided a cool shady area in the summer. These large birds will mature and begin laying eggs between 6 and 8 months of age. This means that they are great for those that love their small eggs, but not so brilliant for those that want large dark brown eggs from their chickens. The color of the chickens have nothing to do with the egg color. Welsummer, Marans and Barnevelder chickens do, all of which are available today from Cackle Hatchery® today. Nonetheless, there are still a lot of people that love their chickens to lay dark brown eggs. They are one of the most popular breeds of backyard chickens in the US as they are good for meat, eggs, and showing. Nutrition plays a huge part in the size, quality, and most importantly the taste of eggs. The second most common color egg is the humble brown egg. They are beautiful birds with a gentle personality which makes them suitable for the family flock. For backyard chicken keepers, brown-egg laying birds are the most popular breeds. Keep their coop impeccably clean, especially the nesting boxes. Did you know that all eggs start out white when they are inside a chicken? It's funny what we think we know about chickens until we start raising them! Chickens that lay brown eggs are very popular among backyard chicken owners. In fact, this type of chicken is a hybrid – a cross between a blue egg layer (like Ameraucana) and a brown egg layer (like a Plymouth rock). Surprisingly, the Serama chicken is able to produce a decent number of eggs each week. However, they don’t have any more nutritional value than white eggs, but still, many people prefer them. Design by The Hen's Loft, 8 Chicken Breeds with Feathers on Their Feet, 6 Best Egg Laying Chicken Breeds for Beginners, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qK65zRZlEkE&feature=youtu.be. Facts about Chicken Purple Egg. These hens are easy-going and hardy and will fit into any flock. The color of an egg is based upon nothing other than a pigment the chicken adds to the shell when it produces the egg. Usually, though, they … These egg-laying machines will produce around 5 medium-sized eggs a week. It is one of the darkest egg laying chicken breeds. They are s active and will help with your bug population. If you want to see the difference between the three colors, check out this YouTube video. This gives them exercise and access to fresh greens and bugs. While the color does not vary, the name of these chickens certainly does. These are the eggs we all see every day in the supermarket shelves. However, for those that don’t want a rooster or to hatch eggs, these friendly and hardy birds are great for backyard chicken raisers. The beak is yellow tinged with brown. Reds don’t have a consistent pattern of going broody. One of the reasons for the popularity of the Reds is that have been known to keep up their egg production, even in less-than-desirable conditions. That is not to say that people haven’t tried to raise this as an egg-laying bird. The color of an egg is based upon nothing other than a pigment the chicken adds to the shell when it produces the egg. That high number of eggs isn’t average for the breed because average eggs … You won’t find a more docile and calm chicken than the Rhode Island red. The downside to this breed is that you can’t use a rooster to produce Golden Comet chicks. Since you can’t hatch more of this breed, you will need to replenish your flock every 3 years. Prized for both meat and egg production, Originating in Marans, France, this breed was developed using the local feral chickens in the mid 1,800s. They will lay through the winter months. Tinted (or off white) color eggs are laid by Dorkings, Fayoumi, La Fleche, Faverolles and Lakenvelders. They are quite mellow and if raised by hand are not adverse to lap time. If you are a first-time chicken raiser, you might want to consider a Golden Comet for providing you with brown eggs. They make take 6 or 7 months to mature and begin laying. Australia developed them in the 1920s with superior egg-laying abilities in mind as well as quality meat. That being said, we know that there are a lot of people who are fans of the smaller eggs that the Serama chicken is able to produce, so we have no issues if you are planning to raise the Serama chicken as an egg layer. They are hybrid species created by cross-breeding the Faverolles and the Ameraucanas. You should be able to get at least three-four with a color that can range from white to dark brown. Even the roosters are good guys. It is one of the breeds of chickens best known for its ability to lay very dark, and large to extra large brown colored eggs. They are heavy birds, not great flyers, but they love to talk and squawk, especially after they lay an egg. The roosters do tend to be fairly fast growing, so any of them that are not used for breeding programs will be slaughtered for meat. Another breed born and bred in America is the Plymouth Rock. Chickens that lay brown eggs. It is not until the eggs pass through the hen’s uterus, also known as the “egg painting station”, that they get their pigmentation and color. Their long fluffy feet feathers mean these birds need to be kept in dry and clean environments to keep their feet from getting messy. In this video I will answer some questions that many people ask me! It was the main reason why it was exported to the United States. This is because they are closely related, hence why they are chickens that lay dark brown eggs. However, some strains of this dual-purpose chicken breed are better at egg laying than others, and can give you up to 250 eggs per year! Five chicken breeds lay a dark brown or a chocolate-colored egg. The eggs are brown colored, and if you like brown eggs, a Red Sex Link should be first on your list. White-feathered chickens with white ear lobes lay white eggs and red-feathered ones with red ear lobes lay brown eggs (this may not apply to all breeds). If you want blue eggs, it’s best to stick with Ameraucana, Araucanas, or Cream Legbars. Her brown eggs may be small at first, but they will increase to large or extra-large sized eggs as she matures. They grow fast and mature quickly. While the former lays brown eggs, the latter’s eggs are blue in color, and, as … Marans were created from feral chickens that were offspring from fighting game birds. dual-purpose breeds for backyard chicken enthusiasts. Obviously, breeders are going to love the beautiful dark brown eggs that these chickens lay, but it is an ornamental bird. If you want to go with a brown egg layer, know that your feed bill will be slightly higher.