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Member Reviews: Marans

Positive Reviews

Chickenfan4life

Beautiful Dark Eggs From Beautiful Birds

Posted
By Chickenfan4life

Pros: Deep, Rich, Chocolate-Colored Eggs, Sweet, Beautiful

Cons: Roosters Can Be Aggressive, Some Variants Don't Lay Very Chocolate-Colored Eggs

The Marans is a breed of chicken that originated in France. It is a medium sized breed, well known across the U.S.A, and other countries, for it's beautiful, dark brown eggs, and fine meat. The Marans is also a popular breed for showing, and fancied by poultry breeders all over the world.    The Marans originated in France and were imported into the United Kingdom in the 1930's.    The Marans are a fine breed, being useful for meat, eggs, and showing. They can make good pets for children, and are highly prized for their dark eggs.    There are the 9 varieties of the Marans, recognized by the French Standard: Cuckoo, Golden Cuckoo, Black,...
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midasmychicken

Cuckoo Maran

Posted
By midasmychicken

Pros: beatiful eggs

Cons: my roo was mean

The hens lay beautiful eggs. Never owned a cuckoo hen, but I'm sure that they are a whole lot nicer than my roo.
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Negative Reviews

leggomyegg0

A lot of hype

Posted
By leggomyegg0

Pros: pretty eggs

Cons: inconsistant layers, mean roosters!

I have 5 hens and 1 roo. These are pretty hens, personalities are not overly friendly, despite being hand reared. It took a LONG time to find a roo that wasn't aggressive as all get out. This one is generally OK but will still rush you every so often. I also don't like that they are consistent layers... they seem to lay every other or every third day... They go broody often, but aren't great moms. My eggs are also not as dark or a large as they say they should be, despite spending the money on good quality stock.
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Coopacabana

Hatchery Marans

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By Coopacabana

Pros: will lay dark eggs someday hopefully, beautiful, feathered legs

Cons: not friendly, taking forever to lay, weird & annoying crow

I have had two roosters and a hen (black copper). They are quite beautiful but I had to get rid of the roosters because they make a terrible noise! And I enjoy my other rooster's crows! It was like Ooooooooh- ooooooh- ahhhhhooooh. Really deep and mournful and irritating. They are skittish & flighty. The hen is over 7 months, maybe 8, and has yet to lay. I think if I want chocolate layers I should go with welsummers. But super beautiful, love the feathered legs!!! 
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More Reviews

MicheleC

LOVE these birds

Posted
By MicheleC

Pros: Beautiful Dark Eggs, calm and sweet birds

Cons: Not heavy layers, but the eggs are worth the wait

Just started with some from a local breeder and hatched a few from a BYC seller. They are the sweetest I have raised. Even the two Roos I have are incredibly docile. I have tried several breeds, this is one I'll be sticking with!
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juststruttin

Broody and poor winter layers

Posted
By juststruttin

Pros: Dark Eggs

Cons: Broody, poor winter layer, eggs hard to hatch

I am not a huge Marans fan.  I tried them  because I was entranced by the egg color but am not impressed.  Yes, the eggs are super dark and gorgeous by my birds are often broody and I have not seen an egg since end of Oct and its now the middle of Jan.  I  will not be getting any more.   When I compare them to my Welsummers, 
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mandelyn

Marans are great!

Posted
By mandelyn

Pros: Good layers, large birds, good feed conversion, friendly, sane

Cons: Can't think of any cons!

I have 1 Splash, 1 Blue, and 1 Wheaten Marans from 2 sources. All 3 are great layers, calm and a friendly birds. They do ok in heat and excellent in cold. My goal is to have one hen in every available color since they're just great all-around birds.   You don't have to be very hands on in taming them, they're just naturally calm birds.
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ChickChickee

Poster bird for Backyards

Posted
By ChickChickee

Pros: Relatively consistent layers, decent sized egg, rich brown/reddish egg, gets along with other hens, quiet

Cons: Not daily layers, firstly suspicious then curious, doesn't like to be cooped

In my limited and newly acquired experience with chickens, i got two sister Marans for eggs. I love how quiet they are, except for when they want out of the coop to free range which is IMMEDIATELY upon seeing me, or anyone else in the yard. Nice to look at, decent sized bird that makes an odd wail/cluck. No BWWAAAKKKK BAWK BAWK here, unlike heir saucy, ever complaining pal Henrietta the Rhode Island Red mix. Can't say they're trouble makers, as the elevated garden full of goodies has been as of yet untouched. Would love for them to pump out more eggs but i hear such is the nature of the bird. Greater yield per week=MOAR CHEEKINS. That's the only thing thus far stopping me from slapping...
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CloverdaleFarms

My Giant Love Bugs

Posted
By CloverdaleFarms

Pros: Loving, Intelligent, Bold, Prolific layers

Cons: None really. Due to their intelligence and persistence, probably not the best birds for beginners.

I have been raising these birds for 3 years.  We have 1 cockerel, 4 hens, and 5 hatchlings.  All of our birds are from high quality stock from an excellent breeder.  The birds are highly-intelligent and can be precocious.  They are very reliable layers.  My cockerel is exceptionally affectionate and loves to cuddle and baby talk.  Can't imagine a backyard without my little babies!
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CountryBoy16

Pretty Hen and Good Layer

Posted
By CountryBoy16

Pros: Beautiful eggs, good layer

Cons: A bit skittish

I have a Bev Davis Line Cuckoo Maran. She lays a very pretty dark chocolate speckled eggs nearly every day. She is a little bit flighty but will occasionally eat from my hand. She is very friendly with the other birds but because of this she often gets bullied.
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Eagle2026

COLD HARTY

Posted
By Eagle2026

Pros: Very friendly, BEAUTIFUL!

Cons: Expensive

I love that it is the dead of winter and my Marans are laying. I have been getting so many eggs that I started my hatching early this year. when the birds come in @ night they let me pet them. There is nothing greater that hanging out in the coop @ dusk petting my Marans. I really have been trying to only hatch the darker eggs to help the breed too so I am getting some very nice offspring. I would like to thank, Ray Valentine for a HUGE jump on my flocks color and personality. Thanx a MILLION Ray!!!            
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