Pros: Unique eggs, Attractive and Gentle
Cons: Hard to obtain, Expensive
I first tried my hand at Marans with shipped eggs and had dreadful results. Of 24 eggs I had only 1 live chick, and it was not a Wheaten Marans as it had been sold. The next attempt was slightly better with three of 12 hatching. Unfortunately, the pullet never laid before mysteriously wasting away. My luck in 2011 improved markedly- 7/12 hatched out of eggs obtained from a different source, I found a breeder shipping live chicks, and had good luck with yet another source of hatched eggs with 4/4 hatching. I've now got a breeding flock of 5 hens (who are laying-yes!!!) and three cockerels to choose from. The most recent hatchlings are 1 cockerel and 3 pullets. The cockerel has good leg feathering and may prove himself to be my foundation sire when at last I can hatch MY OWN WHEATEN MARANS!
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