How come there isn't much info on Marans?

[LoneCowboy]

My secret swap pal (smitty's farm) sent me eggs as my swap gift I ended up with 2 roos, (one was a mix) and 3 pullets, beautiful Cuckoo Marans. They are getting close to laying now, and I've not been able to spend much time getting to know them, but the only info I've seen on Marans is they lay dark eggs and they are good foragers. Why isn't there more info? Are they rare? What can you tell me about Marans?

I can tell you that one is a real tease. She sneaks out of the coop just as I go in to shut them in at night, every single night! Little snot!

 

[Katy]

Mine are friendly and laid back. In the 6 years that I've had them I've never had a mean roo. The main thing with them is they like to go broody... a lot. At least mine do. I'll be curious as my wheatens and blues get older if they'll be as broody as my cuckoos have been.

 

[ginasmarans]

I have cuckoo marans and I agree,they are large,calm birds. Mine have been a broody bunch this year. So far 8 have gone broody. The original breed was from Marans,France and had feathered shanks. This trait was bred out in the European strain, but I think t is making a comeback as more people are trying to preserve the breed. To be considered a "true marans" a hen must lay an egg which is a 4 on the marans color chart. Everyone wants an 8 or 9 egg,but those are truly rare. I think the breed is classified as rare in the U.S., but I think their popularity is growing. I love my marans. They lay very well. I have gotten 11 eggs from 4 hens over the past 3 days(just gave them to yet another broody hen this morning). You can Google the Marans breed for web sites or visit the marans breeders of America board. http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/Marans_Breeders_of_America/

 

[LoneCowboy]

Where do you get this color chart? I love the colors of the eggs. I'm wishing I'd kept a roo now, but there is a guy close that is raising them. Not seriously, as in trying to improve his birds, but for sale I think. So I thought I'd be wasting my time trying to work with them as I wouldn't be able to compete with him.

 

[ginasmarans]

You can buy them from some people. I've seen them on e-bay. I printed mine from the French Marans club site.

 

[Crunchie]

Quote:
French egg chart: http://marans-club.club.fr/echllang.htm#echelle

The breed needs more people to work with them seriously. Both with egg color (most importantly) and type. If this guy isn't working with them to improve them, but only breeding them to sell them, then it's him that couldn't compete with you.

My hens are wonderful, though my main rooster is n-a-s-t-y. He's just so darn good looking, though, I haven't the heart to replace him yet! I've got a couple of other young roosters from another breeder now, and I hope that their temperament is better. My hens love to be broody--one of them sat for over 2 months and hatched 2 full clutches of eggs this spring. I couldn't break her up no matter how hard I tried, so I just let her go at it. She did a great job!

 

[Sparkalator]

I bought some chicks about a couple of months ago and some of them have the yellow legs and others have flesh colored legs. All are clean legged, but which color should the legs be?

 

[ginasmarans]

Yellow legs can happen but it is considered a breed fault. I would not keep them for breeding purposes. They still make good layers. It also could mean that the breeder is not selling pure bred marans,so I would watch out.

 

[Sparkalator]

Thanks for the information.

I have 6 total--3 roos with yellow legs, 2 roos with the flesh colored legs and 1 hen with the flesh colored eggs.