I’ve analyzed the provided URLs about black chicken eggs. Here are the key insights:
The main consensus across all sources is that no chicken breeds naturally lay truly black eggs. The Marans chicken (especially Black Copper Marans) lays the darkest eggs of any chicken – a deep chocolate brown that can sometimes appear nearly black in certain lighting.
Ayam Cemani chickens, despite their completely black appearance (black feathers skin and organs), lay cream to tan colored eggs, not black eggs.
Some birds like the Cayuga duck can lay black eggs early in their laying season, but these fade to gray and then white as the season progresses.
In Japan, there are “kuro tamago” or black eggs, but these are regular chicken eggs boiled in sulfuric hot springs that turn the shells black.
Emu eggs have a dark green-black appearance and are sometimes mistaken for black eggs.
Now I’ll craft a blog article that incorporates these insights while maintaining a conversational slightly imperfect human writing style.
Have you ever wondered if there’s a special chicken out there that lays those mysterious, pitch-black eggs you might have seen on social media? I’ve spent years raising chickens and researching rare breeds, and today I’m gonna spill all the tea about black chicken eggs!
The Short Answer: No Chicken Lays Truly Black Eggs
Let’s cut right to the chase – no chicken breed naturally lays completely black eggs. Yep, you read that right! Despite what you might’ve seen online or heard from well-meaning friends, those pitch-black chicken eggs are either:
- Photoshopped images
- Eggs dyed black
- Eggs from other bird species
- Eggs treated with special processes
I remember when I first started my chicken journey, I was so excited about the possibility of collecting black eggs from my coop. But after years of experience and researching countless breeds, I’ve had to accept this disappointing truth.
The Closest You’ll Get: Dark Brown Chicken Eggs
While true black chicken eggs don’t exist, some breeds do lay eggs with incredibly dark brown shells that can sometimes appear almost black in certain lighting. Here’s the breed that comes closest:
Black Copper Marans
The Black Copper Marans chicken is famous for laying the darkest eggs of any chicken breed. These eggs have a deep, rich chocolate-brown color that can sometimes look nearly black, especially in dim lighting or when photographed.
Marans eggs are graded on a scale from 1-9, with 9 being the darkest. A perfect “9” Marans egg is the darkest brown egg any chicken can produce – but it’s still definitely brown, not black.
These beautiful eggs have a rich color because of a pigment called protoporphyrin that’s applied to the shell during the final stages of egg formation. The darker the egg, the more pigment was deposited.
The Black Chicken Myth: Ayam Cemani Eggs
One of the biggest misconceptions I see all the time involves the Ayam Cemani chicken. This incredible breed is famous for its entirely black appearance – black feathers, black skin, black meat, black bones, and even black internal organs! This rare Indonesian breed has a genetic condition called fibromelanosis that causes this hyperpigmentation.
Many people assume these striking black chickens must lay black eggs. It’s a logical assumption, but it’s completely wrong!
Ayam Cemani chickens actually lay cream to tan colored eggs.
This is because the genes that control egg shell color are completely separate from those that control feather and skin color. Egg shell color is primarily determined by specific pigments deposited during egg formation in the oviduct, not by the chicken’s overall coloration.
Other Black Chicken Breeds and Their Egg Colors
Several other chicken breeds have predominantly black feathers, but none of them lay black eggs either:
| Chicken Breed | Typical Egg Color |
|---|---|
| Black Jersey Giant | Brown |
| Black Australorp | Light brown |
| H’Mong | Tan |
| Black Silkie | White |
| Black Cochin | Brown |
| Kadaknath | Creamy white |
| Svart Hona | Cream to dark brown |
As you can see, even though these chickens are black in appearance, their eggs come in the typical range of chicken egg colors from white to brown.
So What Birds DO Lay Black Eggs?
While chickens don’t lay black eggs, there are a couple of other birds that produce eggs with very dark coloration:
1. Cayuga Ducks
The Cayuga duck is known for laying eggs that can be black or dark gray, especially at the beginning of their laying season. This is one of the only domestic birds that produces eggs with a naturally dark pigmentation that could be considered black.
However, there’s a catch – as the laying season progresses, the eggs gradually become lighter, often turning to gray and eventually white by the end of the season. This happens because the duck depletes its supply of the dark pigment as it continues to lay.
2. Emu
The Emu, a large flightless bird native to Australia, lays eggs with a deep green-black appearance. These impressive eggs are large (about the size of 10-12 chicken eggs) and have a textured, dark shell that often appears black.
Emu eggs are valued not only for consumption but also for their artistic potential, as their thick, dark shells can be carved into decorative pieces.
The Black Eggs of Hakone, Japan
There’s one place in the world where you can find genuine black chicken eggs – Owakudani in Hakone, Japan. But there’s a catch!
These famous “kuro tamago” (black eggs) aren’t naturally black. They’re regular chicken eggs that have been boiled in the sulfur-rich hot springs of this volcanic region. The sulfur and iron in the water react with the egg shells, turning them completely black.
The locals consider these eggs lucky, with the belief that eating one will add seven years to your life! Inside, they’re just normal hard-boiled eggs with white whites and yellow yolks.
Why Are There So Many Black Egg Claims Online?
If you’ve seen images of black chicken eggs online, they’re almost certainly one of these:
- Photoshopped images – Many viral photos of black chicken eggs are digitally altered
- Cayuga duck eggs – Often mislabeled as chicken eggs
- Artificially dyed eggs – Regular eggs colored with food dye or other coloring agents
- Emu eggs – Sometimes confused with chicken eggs
- Hakone black eggs – The sulfur-boiled eggs from Japan
The Science Behind Egg Color
Egg shell color is determined by pigments deposited during the egg formation process. The two main pigments are:
- Protoporphyrin – Creates brown shades
- Oocyanin – Creates blue shades
Green eggs result from blue shells with brown pigment overlaid on top. The intensity of these pigments determines how dark or light the egg appears.
Chickens don’t possess the genetic capability to produce enough pigmentation to create a truly black egg shell. The genetics that control egg color are completely separate from those that control feather color, which is why black chickens don’t lay black eggs.
Are Dark Eggs Different Nutritionally?
People often ask me if darker eggs taste different or have different nutritional profiles. The truth is, egg color has virtually no impact on the nutrition or taste of the egg!
The nutritional content and flavor of eggs are influenced by:
- The chicken’s diet
- Living conditions
- Age of the bird
- Freshness of the egg
Not the color of the shell!
Final Thoughts: The Quest for Black Eggs
If you’re fascinated by unusual egg colors, I totally get it! I started my chicken journey hoping to collect a rainbow of eggs, and I wasn’t alone in my quest for the elusive black egg.
While true black chicken eggs remain in the realm of myth, you can still enjoy an amazing variety of natural egg colors from different chicken breeds:
- White – Leghorns, Anconas, Polish
- Cream – Silkies, Faverolles
- Light Brown – Plymouth Rocks, Sussex
- Dark Brown – Welsummers, Barnevelders, Marans
- Blue – Araucanas, Cream Legbars
- Green – Olive Eggers, Easter Eggers
- Pink – Light Sussex, some Easter Eggers
If you’re really set on having black eggs for a special occasion, you could always dye white eggs using natural or food-safe dyes. Or take a trip to Japan to try the famous black eggs of Hakone!
Have you ever seen unusually colored eggs from your flock? Drop a comment below – I’d love to hear about your experiences with colorful eggs!
Black Chicken Eggs – Fact or Fiction?
I suppose it depends on how you ask the question. If you ask me if there are black chicken eggs? I’ll say yes. On the other hand, if you ask me if they are naturally occurring? I’ll say sort of. Keep reading to get the full scoop.
Before I tell you the super secret explanation to that mysterious question let me talk about something else.
There are ALL kinds of reports online about all manner of topics. Black eggs are one such topic. Some claim there is such a thing, and some claim there isn’t. And isn’t that just the way things are today? It’s hard to tell the fakes from the real deal. Have no fear, I will tell you the truth as best I can research it for you.
There are indeed black chicken eggs that are naturally occurring. However, they don’t come out of the chicken black, and they aren’t painted with synthetic paint or food coloring either. Okay, I’ve got your attention. So here’s the deal.
Don’t Ayam Cemani Chickens Lay Black Eggs?
Have you heard about an Ayam Cemani chicken? They are literally ALL black chickens, and I’m not just talking about black feathers. They are black from their heads (including their combs, wattles, and beaks) to their toes and everything in between. When I say in between, I mean it. Even their organs are black.
Because Ayam Cemani chickens are all black, inside and out, there is a big misconception that their eggs are also black. It sounds right to me, but it’s just not. It doesn’t seem to fit the mold, but they lay a white to a cream-colored egg. Go figure.
Ayam Cemani chickens aren’t the only black chicken breeds out there, but they may be the most unique of them all (a close runner-up are the Kadaknath chickens). Some of the other mostly black (and beautiful) chickens you can read about are the Black Copper Maran, the Silkie chicken, the Black Australorp, the Minorca, and the Sumatra chicken (these are either black or have a black variety).
You can read about all kinds of black chicken breeds here.
Why Ayam Cemani Chickens Are So Expensive | So Expensive | Insider Business
FAQ
What breed of chicken lays black eggs?
While there isn’t a chicken breed that lays actual black eggs, the Marans breed is known for laying the darkest brown eggs, with some varieties like the Black Copper Maran laying a deep chocolate color, almost appearing black.
What is the rarest color of chicken eggs?
Green eggs are the rarest color of chicken eggs. Breeds that lay green eggs are crossed with blue and brown egg layers.
What breed of chicken lays the darkest eggs?
The resulting chicks from Moss Egger crossed to a Marans are called Next Gen Moss Eggers and the resulting eggs will be a richer dark olive brown with each generation cross. Our chickens are Marans, a breed from France that lay the darkest chocolate colored egg of all chicken breeds.
Can a chicken egg be black?
Cayuga hens actually lay black eggs… sometimes. They can start out black and then gradually get lighter and lighter as they lay. They are really the only birds you are likely to find that will give you some black eggs.