Anybody raise Black Marans?

[Frogtown]

I've seen alot of black coppers, blue coppers, blue splash, wheaten, etc. Does and body raise blacks? If so, how good is the egg color?

Here are mine when they were young




"Big Mac" My black rooster





Just curious to see if anybody has any.

 

[kathyinmo]

There are a few BYCers that have Blue/Black/Splash Marans. I currently have a pen with a blue rooster over 4 blue and 2 splash hens. My egg color is not the best, maybe a 5 or 6 I would say. How is your egg color?

The 4 eggs on the left .....

 

[Frogtown]

Thanks for replying Kathy,

I can't tell the difference between by blue and black marans eggs and my welsummer eggs from mothergoose. I am not sure where they are on the scale. I also have a splash roo who produces nice hens but horrible roos. I found out he has a barring gene that causes most of his sons to look like a bad barred rock. I have only hatch one male that had white legs, white beak, and feathers down his legs to the outside toe. He was a perfect replacement, but two daushands killed him and 15 other marans, blue orpington, b/b/s bantam cochins, and chocolate oeg bantams last year.

This year I have hatched out three chicks so far, 1 splash no idea on gender, one blue barred male, and a week old blue that looks like a pullet in coloring. I hope to be adding new blood this year. Not many people have just b/b/s marans that I know of.

 

[onthespot]

peachick has blue marans, which would produce some blacks. her egg color is good too.