Marans
Who would have imagined? Pets are just one of my things. I take them very seriously though. I have a large flock of with a variety of chickens. Then, along came Marans! As I am beginning to find out, there are many different schools of thought about these great birds - and strong feelings that go along with them. Many people seem to be into the breed for its trendy and fashionable eggs, other people are very passionate about the preservation of the original lines of French Marans, and the standards of the breed. I'm not certain where I fall in yet.
I have Cuckoo Marans from several different sources, and actually had to backtrack what lines they were from! It didnt matter to me before, but then I found out it was actually a subject of discussion and some critique. My Cuckoo Marans rooster has once been said to look like a Black sex link! My first Cuckoo hen lays very dark eggs, but are they dark enough???? I have Black Copper Marans - I had purchased the eggs and hatched them before I was even curious about genetics.
I love my pets, and I am not a breeder for sales, but I am very interested in the Marans breed and promoting it. .
My first Cuckoo Marans pair - purchased from Carla Freestep - Originally from Valentine Hatchery lines
Two Cuckoo Marans Pullets - Now Hens -purchased from Wendy Jackson - Kelly Cratty and Iona McCormick lines
Four Cuckoo Marans chicks - Grown - 2 Hens - purchased from feedstore but from breeder Tina Cardin of Two by Two petting zoo - unknown genetics - I'll work on finding out - light eggs
Black Copper Marans - Parents are hens from Valentine Hatchery and Red Dirt Ranch, Rooster from Wade Jean - Now Grown - 1 BC the Rooster, 3 Hens -
3 Cuckoo Marans Pullets from Angi Harrover - Kelly Cratty Lines with Feather legs - purchased 1/24/09 (Eenie, Meenie, Minee, and Moe)
7 Whitmore Farms Blue/Black Copper Marans Chicks hatched 3/02/09 (1 Blue, 6 Black)
Eggs I recently attempted - 6 Silver Cuckoo Marans 12 Blue Cuckoo Marans - Bumblehillsfarms (eyecandy) - nice egg color!! 3 hatched so far
1 Blue Cuckoo mix chick from Patty - track for EE/Olive Egg potential but looks like Roo
I love those pretty eggs. I also have a variety of mixes by my Cuckoo Marans rooster and other hens that I am waiting to see how they turn out, I am interested in unique egg layers, just for my own flock.
My current goal is to wait out the upbringing of my current chicks and see what I keep and what I dont. This will let me know if I have any foundation in the Cuckoo Marans and Black Copper Marans. I will not be keeping all of my Cuckoo or Black Copper Roosters. I am interested in adding a couple more lines to the flock - I am hoping for a couple more hens of each, and then would like to build on stock from the other color lines.
I am looking around at other members yard set ups, to see how to best maximize my area for all of these guys. Currently my flock of approximately 100 birds run together during the day. It has been a new experience to separate the breeds, but it is working out well for my Black Coppers, Old English, Penedesenca, Mr. Frizzy, Cuckoo Marans, and now Blue Wheaton Ameraucana with his hens.
Who would have imagined? Pets are just one of my things. I take them very seriously though. I have a large flock of with a variety of chickens. Then, along came Marans! As I am beginning to find out, there are many different schools of thought about these great birds - and strong feelings that go along with them. Many people seem to be into the breed for its trendy and fashionable eggs, other people are very passionate about the preservation of the original lines of French Marans, and the standards of the breed. I'm not certain where I fall in yet.
I have Cuckoo Marans from several different sources, and actually had to backtrack what lines they were from! It didnt matter to me before, but then I found out it was actually a subject of discussion and some critique. My Cuckoo Marans rooster has once been said to look like a Black sex link! My first Cuckoo hen lays very dark eggs, but are they dark enough???? I have Black Copper Marans - I had purchased the eggs and hatched them before I was even curious about genetics.
I love my pets, and I am not a breeder for sales, but I am very interested in the Marans breed and promoting it. .
My first Cuckoo Marans pair - purchased from Carla Freestep - Originally from Valentine Hatchery lines
Two Cuckoo Marans Pullets - Now Hens -purchased from Wendy Jackson - Kelly Cratty and Iona McCormick lines
Four Cuckoo Marans chicks - Grown - 2 Hens - purchased from feedstore but from breeder Tina Cardin of Two by Two petting zoo - unknown genetics - I'll work on finding out - light eggs
Black Copper Marans - Parents are hens from Valentine Hatchery and Red Dirt Ranch, Rooster from Wade Jean - Now Grown - 1 BC the Rooster, 3 Hens -
3 Cuckoo Marans Pullets from Angi Harrover - Kelly Cratty Lines with Feather legs - purchased 1/24/09 (Eenie, Meenie, Minee, and Moe)
7 Whitmore Farms Blue/Black Copper Marans Chicks hatched 3/02/09 (1 Blue, 6 Black)
Eggs I recently attempted - 6 Silver Cuckoo Marans 12 Blue Cuckoo Marans - Bumblehillsfarms (eyecandy) - nice egg color!! 3 hatched so far
1 Blue Cuckoo mix chick from Patty - track for EE/Olive Egg potential but looks like Roo
I love those pretty eggs. I also have a variety of mixes by my Cuckoo Marans rooster and other hens that I am waiting to see how they turn out, I am interested in unique egg layers, just for my own flock.
My current goal is to wait out the upbringing of my current chicks and see what I keep and what I dont. This will let me know if I have any foundation in the Cuckoo Marans and Black Copper Marans. I will not be keeping all of my Cuckoo or Black Copper Roosters. I am interested in adding a couple more lines to the flock - I am hoping for a couple more hens of each, and then would like to build on stock from the other color lines.
I am looking around at other members yard set ups, to see how to best maximize my area for all of these guys. Currently my flock of approximately 100 birds run together during the day. It has been a new experience to separate the breeds, but it is working out well for my Black Coppers, Old English, Penedesenca, Mr. Frizzy, Cuckoo Marans, and now Blue Wheaton Ameraucana with his hens.
