CarrieW, welcome to the dark egg addiction club.
Yes, I would say it's time to move your marans to the 'big girl' coop. The lay pellets and oyster shell will be just what they need, now that they are producing eggs for you.
As far as egg color, the cuckoo marans egg is usually not as dark as the black copper marans'. I've read that some folks believe their cuckoo marans, from big hatcheries, may have been crossed with barred rocks. ?!?!?! For the last 10 years all my chicks came from feed stores that buy from big hatcheries. This spring I decided I wanted to try hatching eggs from breeders who knew and cared for their flocks. Right now I have some EE eggs, BC eggs and first generation olive egger's eggs in my 'bator due to start hatching this coming Thursday.
I have welsummers and cuckoo marans and their egg color has been very similar; more of a terra cotta color than chocolate. So this spring I started looking into getting some bc marans. My flock is a real mix, based on egg color and breeds I like the look of. Right now my girls give me blue, green, (soon to get some olive colored eggs) a few pink and lots of different shades of brown. Sure makes a pretty and colorful carton of eggs. I've had kiddos come over and beg to take eggs home just to show their friends. : )
Peeps, chicklets, chicks, henlets, hens and a few roos have brought me oodles of pleasure!!! After you've had REALLY fresh eggs you'll be spoiled for life!!
Yes, I would say it's time to move your marans to the 'big girl' coop. The lay pellets and oyster shell will be just what they need, now that they are producing eggs for you.
As far as egg color, the cuckoo marans egg is usually not as dark as the black copper marans'. I've read that some folks believe their cuckoo marans, from big hatcheries, may have been crossed with barred rocks. ?!?!?! For the last 10 years all my chicks came from feed stores that buy from big hatcheries. This spring I decided I wanted to try hatching eggs from breeders who knew and cared for their flocks. Right now I have some EE eggs, BC eggs and first generation olive egger's eggs in my 'bator due to start hatching this coming Thursday.
I have welsummers and cuckoo marans and their egg color has been very similar; more of a terra cotta color than chocolate. So this spring I started looking into getting some bc marans. My flock is a real mix, based on egg color and breeds I like the look of. Right now my girls give me blue, green, (soon to get some olive colored eggs) a few pink and lots of different shades of brown. Sure makes a pretty and colorful carton of eggs. I've had kiddos come over and beg to take eggs home just to show their friends. : )
Peeps, chicklets, chicks, henlets, hens and a few roos have brought me oodles of pleasure!!! After you've had REALLY fresh eggs you'll be spoiled for life!!
