California - Northern

[farmhand]

... I could not believe how much the Marans ate--and ate even when finished growing.

Do you believe this is a true statement about the breed in general or only your personal experience. I love pretty eggs but try to keep my cost in line.

 

[ronott1]

Do you believe this is a true statement about the breed in general or only your personal experience. I love pretty eggs but try to keep my cost in line.

From both. Marans are big and are not known to be the best at egg laying. From a production point of view they have poor feed to egg conversion but not terrible like some breeds. Just to compare, and like Lual said the eggs are beautiful, just less of them for more money:





Notice that the Marans hen average is 6.5 pounds and the egg laying amount show three egg per week. The Penedesenca has a hne that weighs 4 pounds, 2.5 pounds less yet the average is 4 eggs per hen each week.

 

[Hangtown Farms]

anyone use sand as litter in their coops? im thinking of switching to it but id like opinions

yes. I use it in my open coops. you need a lot of ventilation as it can be dusty but if your coops are open its better than shavings as it drys quicker

Hi i live in northern california and I am trying to stay away from hatchery bought chicks and was just wondering if any of my fellow statelings are selling hatchlings or fertile eggs! thanks for he help!!

Bantam Brown Red Ameraucana chicks recently hatched

Can they live here in Tahoe? A portion of my yard is an ancient river bed and holds moisture Nicely but elevation and snow???
My fav in the layer coop is our bantam Colombian Rock. She is an angel!!! She was a "pair" but her boyfriend was so obnoxious we scratched breeding plans for them and kept her for the layers...
Gahhh! I'm wondering about this summers bill. We finally got stuck with a meter (right in the middle of the front lawn- never
Mind the huge easement with forest service land available

) .

yes there are some. Fargesia nitida and Fargesia murielae are very cold hardy . to 20 below zero. They are a Mountain Bamboo from the Himalayas . They will need to be out of the wind and need filtered shade to diffused light but they are clumps so they do not spread much, Fargesia nitida has numerous varieties with interesting form.
if you want larger spreaders try Phyllostachys decora or Nigra Henon amongst others are hardy to -5 or -10
there are others too. check out Bamboo Gardens website

Do you believe this is a true statement about the breed in general or only your personal experience. I love pretty eggs but try to keep my cost in line.

Penedesenca are smaller and very self sufficient . very alert and heat hardy and Partridge especially lay some dark eggs

From both. Marans are big and are not known to be the best at egg laying. From a production point of view they have poor feed to egg conversion but not terrible like some breeds. Just to compare, and like Lual said the eggs are beautiful, just less of them for more money:





Notice that the Marans hen average is 6.5 pounds and the egg laying amount show three egg per week. The Penedesenca has a hne that weighs 4 pounds, 2.5 pounds less yet the average is 4 eggs per hen each week.

Haha my Penedesenca are not that slow to develop. Besides the black they are a little

 

[Hangtown Farms]

Can they live here in Tahoe? A portion of my yard is an ancient river bed and holds moisture Nicely but elevation and snow???
My fav in the layer coop is our bantam Colombian Rock. She is an angel!!! She was a "pair" but her boyfriend was so obnoxious we scratched breeding plans for them and kept her for the layers...
Gahhh! I'm wondering about this summers bill. We finally got stuck with a meter (right in the middle of the front lawn- never
Mind the huge easement with forest service land available

) .

530-626-1360 try Greg at the Garden Garnish Bamboo in Placerville he will know others too

 

[chiqita]

Marans do neeD good feed. But they dont break the bank a d at least mine have above adverage egg laying careers. They do go down to more like 3 a week after the pullet year.

But they are the most personable dark egg layer and a very good (and exceptional y tasty) if slow dual purpose. All dual purpose will eat more.

 

[RooJi]

@hangtown farm can you post some picks? Where about are ypu located

 

[RooJi]

Marans do neeD good feed. But they dont break the bank a d at least mine have above adverage egg laying careers. They do go down to more like 3 a week after the pullet year.

But they are the most personable dark egg layer and a very good (and exceptional y tasty) if slow dual purpose. All dual purpose will eat more.

Do their eggs get darker after they start laying? Mine has been laying for about 3 maybe 4 weeks and she still has a standard brown egg
Also when will her feet feathers fan out they are pretty rangy right now

 

[chickee]

Who cares how much they eat. Look at the miraculous, priceless gift their little bodies produce; the egg!

Lual

I agree Lual, those dark eggs are worth it! Not only that . . my Golden Cuckoo Marans start laying at 6 months and I am getting 4-5 eggs every day out of 6 hens. And they laid all winter.

5 more days until hatch day.

Golden Cuckoo Marans, Olive Eggers, Easter Eggers, Ameraucana, Silkies and d'Anvers.

 

[farmhand]

...Marans are big and are not known to be the best at egg laying. From a production point of view they have poor feed to egg conversion but not terrible like some breeds. Just to compare, and like Lual said the eggs are beautiful, just less of them for more money:

Notice that the Marans hen average is 6.5 pounds and the egg laying amount show three egg per week. The Penedesenca has a hne that weighs 4 pounds, 2.5 pounds less yet the average is 4 eggs per hen each week.

Marans do neeD good feed. But they dont break the bank a d at least mine have above adverage egg laying careers. They do go down to more like 3 a week after the pullet year.

But they are the most personable dark egg layer and a very good (and exceptional y tasty) if slow dual purpose. All dual purpose will eat more.

I greatly appreciate this discussion comparing the two breeds. I have raised Marans for 3 years and have enjoyed their calm personality and beautiful feathering. I would love to breed my all time favorite blue Marans hen with a good Ro. But part of me is pragmatic and I'm leaning towards the Penedesenca.

My goal is 80% efficient layers and 20% spice while maintaining a pretty egg basket.

 

[chiqita]

Do their eggs get darker after they start laying? Mine has been laying for about 3 maybe 4 weeks and she still has a standard brown egg
Also when will her feet feathers fan out they are pretty rangy right now

not usually. Are they french black copper marans or cuckoo or some. Other variety?