Marans Blue vs Black

[The Angry Hen]

Congratulations on receiving your future flock! What beautiful eggs, good for you! I do not raise/nor have I ever raised Maran... but their eggs are indeed surprising and quite impressive! I hear they're good birds. Wishing you luck on your journey! Please keep us filled in as time goes on. Looking forward to seeing how they accomplish!

God bless.

 

[tjb]

They are beautiful! I hatch a clutch of Marans hatch at Christmas... 11 chicks. 3 Splash Maran and 2 Black Copper Pullets. Can't wait for them to mature and lay...
Not sure what to do with the cockerels. They are so handsome!

 

[3riverschick]

You want rounder eggs, not longer eggs. Color is determined by a bunch of genes not color of the bird. The longer the egg stays in the bird, the more "paint" gets applied to the egg. A real dark egg layer will give 3-5 eggs a week. Cock has quality genetic input on color of eggs his daughters will lay. Sire of chicks should come from a dark egg laying dam. Whose sire should have come from a dark laying dam, and so forth back through the pedigree.
This is why it is wise to buy from a veteran linebred strain.
Best,
Karen

 

[deepbluesea]

Gorgeous! My blue copper Marans was my favorite girl--she laid well and was a lap chicken. Most affectionate one I've ever had. I'm getting a couple of black copper Marans in August (soonest I could get all of the breeds I wanted). Can't wait-they make the egg carton so pretty and taste delicious. Good luck with your hatch.

 

[oregonkat]

They are beautiful! I hatch a clutch of Marans hatch at Christmas... 11 chicks. 3 Splash Maran and 2 Black Copper Pullets. Can't wait for them to mature and lay...
Not sure what to do with the cockerels. They are so handsome!

You can try offering them on Craigslist. I managed to sell several of mine last spring. Other than that, if you are able to grow on an butcher, they are very, very tasty birds.


Maybe how far down in Oregon are you ? I am in Mossyrock Washington State possibly I could buy a dozen eggs from you[/QUOTE]
I wish I had some to sell you, and perhaps I will in the relatively near future. These 24 eggs going in the bator are for chicks to sell locally and some to build my fledgling flock. At the moment I have 17 hens (mixed, but with 3 very lovely BCM hens) all covered by a Big Beautiful Badass BCM rooster (I know the ratio is a little light but he seems to do his job) and i am adding some of my own eggs along with the shipped ones so we will see who pops out in 21 days tomorrow.

 

[oregonkat]

You want rounder eggs, not longer eggs. Color is determined by a bunch of genes not color of the bird. The longer the egg stays in the bird, the more "paint" gets applied to the egg. A real dark egg layer will give 3-5 eggs a week. Cock has quality genetic input on color of eggs his daughters will lay. Sire of chicks should come from a dark egg laying dam. Whose sire should have come from a dark laying dam, and so forth back through the pedigree.
This is why it is wise to buy from a veteran linebred strain.
Best,
Karen

Karen, why does the shape matter? Mine are especially round, sometimes making it a little difficult to tell which end is up if you know what I mean. So this is a good thing, yes? Come to think of it, my hens all came from very round eggs.

 

[3riverschick]

Yes it's a good thing .as I remember from my days in Marans a rounder egg takes longer to go through the chicken so it gets painted darker. I know that when I first started out in Marans, the darkest eggs were always rounder and everybody was always striving for a rounder egg.
Best ,
Karen