Marans Pullet temperament

[Brooksy21]

I’m thinking of adding Maran pullets to my 6 girls next year. I have 2 BOs, 2 BAs, and to EEs (Cream Legbar mix) what has your experience been with Maran pullet behavior/temperament. I’d like to have extremely friendly docile birds (wouldn’t we all ) I feel like the descriptions on the internet are very confusing. Some say they are the most cuddly birds they have ever owned some say they will never be lap chickens. I understand this veries by individual bird but Id like to hear your experience. Thank you!

 

[Idaho Chicken Bungalow]

I’m thinking of adding Maran pullets to my 6 girls next year. I have 2 BOs, 2 BAs, and to EEs (Cream Legbar mix) what has your experience been with Maran pullet behavior/temperament. I’d like to have extremely friendly docile birds (wouldn’t we all ) I feel like the descriptions on the internet are very confusing. Some say they are the most cuddly birds they have ever owned some say they will never be lap chickens. I understand this veries by individual bird but Id like to hear your experience. Thank you!

I have three Golden Cuckoo Marans. All three have different temperaments. They are sweet, sweeter and sweetest. They have funny feathered feet. At 20 weeks still no eggs though. I call them my moochers.

 

[Brooksy21]

I have three Golden Cuckoo Marans. All three have different temperaments. They are sweet, sweeter and sweetest. They have funny feathered feet. At 20 weeks still no eggs though. I call them my moochers.

Haha! Love it. That sounds awesome, love those sweet birds. Mine are all about 26 weeks and started laying at 20 to 23 weeks so I would guess you are do any day now. I would say most of mine started at 21 weeks. Do any of them do the deep squat for you? I noticed them doing that a few days to a week before each of them laid. I have noticed that each of them got super duper sweet right before they started laying, always wanting pets jumping in my lap and wanting to be picked up. After they started laying they suddenly want less to do with me. Maybe upset because I’m taking their eggs. Whats interesting though is now my first to start laying is coming back around and hoping in my lap again. Hopefully it’s just a teen bird phase and after a few good weeks of laying my super friendly ones will be that way again. Let me know if you experience the same with your girls.

 

[Idaho Chicken Bungalow]

Haha! Love it. That sounds awesome, love those sweet birds. Mine are all about 26 weeks and started laying at 20 to 23 weeks so I would guess you are do any day now. I would say most of mine started at 21 weeks. Do any of them do the deep squat for you? I noticed them doing that a few days to a week before each of them laid. I have noticed that each of them got super duper sweet right before they started laying, always wanting pets jumping in my lap and wanting to be picked up. After they started laying they suddenly want less to do with me. Maybe upset because I’m taking their eggs. Whats interesting though is now my first to start laying is coming back around and hoping in my lap again. Hopefully it’s just a teen bird phase and after a few good weeks of laying my super friendly ones will be that way again. Let me know if you experience the same with your girls.

I sure will, I see some squatting I think. Thank you for the time frame to get my first eggs.

 

[STACEYH]

I have one and she is very quiet mid+flock range. I do not sit hours on end with my girls some days they don't even get to see me. So. she is not a lap girl but I do believe if I would put in the effort she could be one. She never runs anywhere she strolls, nothing in her mind seems to be really worth breaking out in a run. LOL She is aabout 5 1/2mos. not laying eggs just yet.
Rosemary

 

[Briosafarm]

I've had Black Copper Marans over many years from different purebred breeders and hatching eggs. All of mine have been really calm and easygoing, very accepting of other hens and introduced young ones, easy to catch for meds or whatever, but none have been as "cuddly" or super interested in us as a few other breeds have been. Not aloof or at all flighty, just not coming up to "talk" and think about getting petted as some do. Not lap chickens, but that calm demeanor is worth its weight in gold in a flock...I think it helps calm down and give confidence to the flightier ones.

 

[Brooksy21]

I sure will, I see some squatting I think. Thank you for the time frame to get my first eggs.

Actually my sweet Black Australorp was the last to lay at almost 24 weeks. I’d heard that they can start at 15 weeks so I’d almost given up hope. So don’t worry, those eggs will come. I get almost 6 a day from my 6 girls. I’ve also heard that the darker the egg the more time it takes for them to “print” so with Marans it could be longer and less frequent.