Mix breeds and egg colors

[cluck queen]

I'm interested in seeing the egg colors or a RIR X bcm roo. (Rhode island red hen mixed with black copper maran rooster). And your own mix breed eggs!!!! Thanks! Excited to see your beauties!

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Once you start crossing, all bets are off. I would imagine the egg would be either a normal brown egg or a bit darker than average.
The reason I take this point of view is that I had a Welsummer hen that laid an extremely dark egg. I started raising Penedesencas. Among the darkest egg layers in the world. I only had the one Welsummer so I bred her with one of the Penedesenca roosters who had come from a very dark egg. I anxiously awaited the eggs from pullets, daughters of the Welsummer.
What a disappointment. Their eggs were just a normal brown color on a par with an Orpington or Plymouth Rock. Apparently the genes causing the dark egg in each breed, cancelled out the genes in the other.

 

[cluck queen]

I ve never heard of that breed!!! Can I see them and their eggs?

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I ve never heard of that breed!!! Can I see them and their eggs?

You aren't alone. A very obscure breed. Not a lap pet as they avoid human contact unless handled relentlessly. But that was one of the characteristics that endeared them to me. But may be the reason they never got a lot of traction here. At one time, in the '90s they were more common here but there are few worldwide. Originating in the Penedes autonomous region of Catalonia, Spain, They've been taken to Germany, the UK and Argentina. I'm not sure if they still exist in South America. Even in Spain, where they are well known, the classic black variety is quite rare.
There are 4 varieties; black, partridge, crele and wheaten. The black is the only dual purpose variety, the others are egg varieties. The black is famous for the flavor of the meat in their native Catalonia but for that reason, they created an "improved" variety of black. It is larger and heavier but in doing so, the egg color and white earlobes were lost.
Now even in Spain, almost no one still raises the 'classic'. At one time, I had the largest flock in North America.

 

[cluck queen]

Oh I love them! I had ordered some black copper marans but had to cancel my order. I've since moved and set up a new coop and run and have taken in some random from a lady who had to move. I've been dying to have dark brown eggs. Your birds are beautiful! I've hatched quail and chickens for the past 5 years. I call myself the chicken lady but had no clue another breed besides marans could lay dark brown eggs!

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Oh I love them! I had ordered some black copper marans but had to cancel my order. I've since moved and set up a new coop and run and have taken in some random from a lady who had to move. I've been dying to have dark brown eggs. Your birds are beautiful! I've hatched quail and chickens for the past 5 years. I call myself the chicken lady but had no clue another breed besides marans could lay dark brown eggs!

Thanks. After enjoying the dark Welsummer eggs, like you, I wanted more dark shell layers.
I avoided Marans because I thought everyone has them. Since I'm a bit strange, I wanted something nobody else had. It took me two years to find my base stock and had to work with them for years. All 4 varieties are supposed to lay a dark egg but unless selected for, whether you are talking Marans or Penes, that dark egg can be quickly lost in a couple generations. The Penedesenca (From Penedes) has a sister breed from nearby Emporda called the Empordanesa which also lay a dark egg. Some lines of Barnevelders lay a very dark egg. Emporda is also in Catalonia. Barney's are a Dutch breed.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

There was once a lady near Springfield, MO who had a line of Barnevelders she had been perfecting for a long time. Her birds' egg colors were amazing. She got old and retired but sold her birds to a guy in Oklahoma. I lost track of him but he continued to care for the line for many years. You may be able to find him with some research.
As I said, the egg color is quickly lost without care. Some Barnevelder eggs are quite light so it depends on the line of Barneys.
There are some pretty eggs on the following page.
https://cluckin.net/barnevelder-chickens.html
Another interesting article on egg color. Keep in mind this is a UK site.
https://cluckin.net/egg-size-and-colour-chart-by-chicken-breed.html#mcetoc_1h9vb09o31i

 

[cluck queen]

I'm actually in Texas close to Oklahoma. I'll do some digging for that breeder!

 

[ChickenCanoe]

In that case, it would help to know her name. Her last name is Barneveld, which makes remembering easy. That is actually the reason she started raising them because she shared a name with the breed. They are a very likeable bird.
I had found the guy using her name several years ago. I think it was because she still had a web page.

 

[cluck queen]

In that case, it would help to know her name. Her last name is Barneveld, which makes remembering easy. That is actually the reason she started raising them because she shared a name with the breed. They are a very likeable bird.
I had found the guy using her name several years ago. I think it was because she still had a web page.

Ooh. Okay I'll find out if I can get some eggs from him