Egg colors

[Azriel]

I have Gold sex links, BO, and what I believe to be BA hens. I get several very nice light brown eggs. Then I also get 2 or 3 very pretty dark terra cotta colored eggs. I know that the sex links are laying the light brown, but who is laying the pretty dark ones. I would like to try hatching some of the dark eggs, but would like to know who Mom might be.

 

[Lbrad7]

Dark terra cotta colored eggs are the hallmark of Welsummers. Are you sure your golden sex links are not Wellies? You can go to the "breeds" link and see pics of them to get an idea of what they look like. If they are really sex links, my bet would be that it would be them.

Just a note if it is the sex links, you can't hatch more out by breeding those hens. They do not breed true. You would probably still get fine laying hens but they would no longer be sex links a you know them.

 

[Azriel]

The first 2 were given to me. I was told they were sex links, they were about a year old and their egg color was light brown. Then I bought 5 BO and 4 more sex link pullets. They were about 12-13 weeks when I got them, then a few weeks later I was given 4 black pullets that were also about 13 weeks. I was told that they might be black star, but they are not, I'm pretty sure they are BA. I didn't start getting the pretty dark eggs untill the pullets started laying. Do the sex links start out with a dark egg and then get lighter as they get older?