The web is rife with pictures of eggs from chickens and different poultry which have black shells. Are they a trick of the creativeness? Poor photographic lighting? Or true poultry eggs with inky shells? If that’s the case, which poultry breed lays a black egg?
Possibly Geese
Amongst geese, the Cayuga typically lays eggs with black shells. Typically the primary eggs of the season have a coating of inky movie. However the movie simply washes off. Because the season progresses, the movie turns into grey after which disappears, revealing the true shell colour, which is white.
Not Emu
Emu eggs are sometimes described as being black, however they’re truly a shiny darkish inexperienced, like a ripe avocado. One huge emu egg is the equal to just about one-dozen rooster eggs. These high-value eggs are sometimes etched in intricate designs that reveal layers of more and more lighter shell colour.
Not Chickens
Marans eggs are darker than these of some other rooster breed. However the darkest they get is deep chocolate brown.
When the melanistic Ayam Cemani rooster grew to become out there in america, sensible jokers tried to make folks consider the hens lay eggs with ebony shells. As “proof,” some went as far as to dye an egg black. However, just like the eggs of most black rooster breeds, Ayam Cemani eggs have white shells.
Black Hen Egg
In Japan, in a volcanic area west of Tokyo, a serious vacationer attraction is kuro tamago, or black eggs. However they’re actually white-shell rooster eggs boiled in sulfuric sizzling spring waters.
The realm was initially generally known as Jigokudani, or the Valley of Hell, however was later modified to the much less horrifying title Owakudani, or the Nice Boiling Valley. There the lively volcano Mount Hakone has given rise to a number of sizzling springs and geysers.
In a sulfuric sizzling spring, or “egg pond,” the place the temperature is 175°F, uncooked eggs soak for one hour. Then the eggs are boiled for quarter-hour at 212°F. Iron within the sulfurous waters turns the white shells black.
Contained in the shell is a traditional hard-boiled rooster egg. Even the underside of the shell stays white. So in the event you’re nonetheless in search of a poultry breed that lays eggs with black shells, dream on.
And that’s at the moment’s information from the Cackle Coop.
Gail Damerow has written quite a few books about poultry, together with The Hen Encyclopedia.
