Cuckoo Marans from MM Hatchery....

[WyoChickenMamma]

Anyone have these? What can I expect? Are they going to lay anything close to a dark shelled egg? Do they lay well and regular once they start laying? Do you like them? I had a lady tell me that I will end up with Barred Rocks and not the Cuckoo Marans if I ordered them from a hatchery. I have some coming later this Spring and I know I will love them no matter what, but would just like to be prepared now. TIA for your input.

 

[EweSheep]

From reading past threads, there has been mixed outcomes.

Many of them have said they didn't get the cuckoo, only to get Barred Rocks. Now that really is stupid for a hatchery to do a "sleigh of hand" for the unsuspecting new chicken owner.

some said, they didnt lay the dark eggs like the Cuckoo Marans we have in here that the dedicated BYCers had shown.

Your BEST bet is to order from the BYCers in the Marans threads. I am sure they will be more than happy to help you! Sure you will be paying more per chick but they stand up for quality and you paid for what you are expecting to get, a good laying bird, with cuckoo patterns and lays dark eggs and more of the SOP. There are a few breeders out there that will sell a bit cheaper because of an "odd" feather coloring or getting out of it.

Would I buy them from MM? No, I would not.

 

[WyoChickenMamma]

Still hoping to get some input from folks who have ordered them, don't be shy!!! I am open to hearing the good, bad and ugly if you have this breed from MM. It is a done deal, I ordered them over a month ago and they will be here in March, so no turning back now. I did look at some buy it nows for Marans eggs, as well as some other sources for purchasing chicks, but to be quite honest, my husband would never ever ever ever go for me spending the money people want for these chickens, and that is why I ordered them from MM. Perhaps if they are not the best, I can have some more ammunition in my fight for getting them from a breeder, but for real, 20-50 bucks for a single chicken, that is not going to be shown...I don't think so!

 

[EweSheep]

The price for a started or POL pullet, the price is not that unreasonable depending on location. I've paid a $50 Ameraucana pullet from a very well known breeder and she has done well. Beautiful bird tho. Shipping is the killer sometimes but in order to get what you want, you would pay a bit more than the hatchery chicks.

Hope others will chime in.

Still hoping to get some input from folks who have ordered them, don't be shy!!! I am open to hearing the good, bad and ugly if you have this breed from MM. It is a done deal, I ordered them over a month ago and they will be here in March, so no turning back now. I did look at some buy it nows for Marans eggs, as well as some other sources for purchasing chicks, but to be quite honest, my husband would never ever ever ever go for me spending the money people want for these chickens, and that is why I ordered them from MM. Perhaps if they are not the best, I can have some more ammunition in my fight for getting them from a breeder, but for real, 20-50 bucks for a single chicken, that is not going to be shown...I don't think so!

 

[runsw/scissors]

I ordered some from MM... they are very young still so I can't tell what they will grow up to look like.

I have some nearly a month old and three that are 3 weeks old. Would you like pictures of them?

 

[WyoChickenMamma]

Yesssss, please share pictures of them. Is that all you ordered from MM or did you get others? I would love to know what you think. Please....share share share.

 

[brandoncakes]

Martha Stewart orders from Murray McMurray hatchery, and her marans look pretty maran-like. The eggs were not as chocolatey as I expected though. They were a bit darker than rocks though.

 

[WyoChickenMamma]

Thanks for that link! I knew she raised chickens. I agree, those eggs are not that dark, but I guess it is a start. I am thinking of asking my dh for an incubator for my birthday so I can hatch my own. I think this is the only way I am going to get what I really want. Why does this have to be such an obsession???? LOL

 

[runsw/scissors]

Sorry I haven't checked this thread... talk about foolish! I really am sorry! I'll get pictures up today for you!

So far I am pleased with them.

 

[chickensinwasillaAK]

Last year I got Barred Rocks and one Cuckoo Maran. Pretty hard to ID which is which, the stripes on the maran should be more distinct but mine looks the same as the BR. Now I know it's not a BR because it lays a darker egg when any of the BR's do. I usually get four or five a week from the cuckoo. This year I ordered from two different hatcheries for just this reason, one sending BR and the other sending cuckoo. When the box arrives, leg bands go on so I know which is which. Actually ordered almost 200 chicks from different hatcheries on different delivery dates plus what I hatch, we'll have a gang out in the potato field this year. Thanks for the multiple colors available in spiral bands, now I can band each one and know what is what, Blue right will be EE, Blue Left Cuckoo Marans, Blue both Black Copper Marans on and on. IF you do this also, be sure to order enough sizes to move up to adult, they outgrow them pretty fast.