The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Poultry & Waterfowl => Topic started by: goosepimple on March 17, 2013, 05:57:05 pm

Title: Did you know this?
Post by: goosepimple on March 17, 2013, 05:57:05 pm
Just read something in Country Living magazine I didn't know - the colour of eggs of a chicken is the same as the colour of its ears - did you know that?????? 
 
We have Marsh Daisy hens who have white ears and white eggs, also Welsummer who have brown ears and brown eggs, well there you go ...
Title: Re: Did you know this?
Post by: sabrina on March 17, 2013, 05:59:09 pm
You learn something new every day  :thumbsup:
Title: Re: Did you know this?
Post by: Mammyshaz on March 17, 2013, 06:10:40 pm
I remember reading this when I first got our girls. I just had to go out and closely investigate.
It seems true enough  :roflanim:
Title: Re: Did you know this?
Post by: in the hills on March 17, 2013, 06:21:02 pm
Yep, Friesians have white lobes and are white egg layers.


Are there any exceptions I wonder  ???
Title: Re: Did you know this?
Post by: northfifeduckling on March 17, 2013, 06:24:22 pm
Brilliant - makes sense with my hens  ;) :chook: :&>
Title: Re: Did you know this?
Post by: Daisys Mum on March 17, 2013, 06:39:23 pm
I was just thinking today how unusual my leg bars ears were as they are blue!!  :thumbsup:
Title: Re: Did you know this?
Post by: mojocafa on March 17, 2013, 06:58:58 pm
Yip thats right...My araucanas have blue ears
Title: Re: Did you know this?
Post by: HesterF on March 17, 2013, 09:13:59 pm
I read that too - I get a whole range of browns from my hens (some almost white) but have yet to match up the colour to the hen. I thought the buffs were laying the lightest coloured eggs but not so sure now. All have brown ears though. Never thought of a hen with blue ears before...weird.

H
Title: Re: Did you know this?
Post by: happygolucky on March 17, 2013, 09:16:55 pm
 :thumbsup:  , funny how brown eggs out sell white ones now but it was the reverse when I was a girl.
I do hope to get some more when we eventualy move, keep seeing some lovely birds and they are very little trouble, the hardest thing is protecting them from prey!! thanks, love those blue eggs, must look out for blue ears :thumbsup:
Title: Re: Did you know this?
Post by: sokel on March 17, 2013, 09:25:22 pm
I have heard this before but obviously Silkies are not included in this theory  ::)
Title: Re: Did you know this?
Post by: northfifeduckling on March 17, 2013, 09:26:52 pm
When my girls were little I missed those really white eggs, can't really colour or decorate the brown ones that well. Even the lightest colour eggs I get from my white-earlobed-girls are not really white but a very light sand colour. That can't work for ducks, though, can it  :roflanim: :&>
Title: Re: Did you know this?
Post by: ellied on March 18, 2013, 09:14:07 am
I've 2 that lay white eggs, one is a bantam and I have 2 that size, one white one black so I guess I know which one is laying then ;)

The other white layer is a LF but I'm not sure which - ear inspections for the non-brown/black hens then..

Title: Re: Did you know this?
Post by: mab on March 18, 2013, 07:18:55 pm
I shall look closely at their ears tomorrow; that's just bizarre.  ;D
Title: Re: Did you know this?
Post by: chrismahon on March 18, 2013, 07:55:29 pm
Hybrids are the exception as the colour of their eggs is just the final coating on them and it washes off -their lobes can be any colour. Cream Legbars produce shells that are coloured right through as it is a genetic colouration and their lobes are blue. Same as Leghorns which are white and white.
Title: Re: Did you know this?
Post by: SLI on March 18, 2013, 08:37:10 pm
I have a Cream Legbar cross that lays olive green eggs. Ill be looking at her closely tomorrow!
Title: Re: Did you know this?
Post by: goosepimple on March 18, 2013, 08:45:18 pm
Hybrids are the exception as the colour of their eggs is just the final coating on them and it washes off -their lobes can be any colour. Cream Legbars produce shells that are coloured right through as it is a genetic colouration and their lobes are blue. Same as Leghorns which are white and white.

....and that's something else I didn't know!
Title: Re: Did you know this?
Post by: jaykay on March 19, 2013, 05:56:25 am
I think the colouring on many (all?) brown eggs is on the outside and washes off if you get the egg while it's still wet or you really scrub it.

As Chris says, the blue of a Legbar egg is in the shell, it goes all the way through.
Title: Re: Did you know this?
Post by: artscott on March 21, 2013, 09:17:35 am
Speckled ears?  I've yet to see that.


Don't humans pass on ear attributes too, something to do with lobes or no lobes?
 
Title: Re: Did you know this?
Post by: zarzar on March 21, 2013, 10:27:31 am
my birds must be special then as the ones i have brown earlobes yet get atleast 2 white eggs aday lol