Marans Cross?

[plumcreek]

What can I cross with marans roo to sustain a meat bird population that might mature a bit more quickly than pure marans? Any suggestions on a sustainable cross that I can use my existing roo for? I am in the city so I think one rooster is my limit. Broody doesn't matter, my laying breeds or my incubator can handle that part.

We have used freedom rangers in the past which really look like marans....

 

[Farmer-John]

Please let me know when you find out something... I just set eggs from my Marans with Golden Laced Wyandottes.. The Marans roos seem to grow rather quickly on their own but curious as to how these crosses turn out. I have a six month old Maran rooster that is larger than my one year old Buff Orpington. He appeared to be ready to butch around 3-4 months but wanted to keep him to breed for pure-breeds and crosses so he has been saved from the knife. They are also fantastic layers so the pure breed chicks will be kept to go into my layer flock.

Hope you find what you are looking for..

tx,

John

 

[plumcreek]

I will post anything I find for sure. It really seems that the freedom rangers are part Marans. They look so much like them I had to check eack one before slaughter just to make sure!

 

[Farmer-John]

It is possible that there was some cross breeding with the Marans being that the Freedom Rangers were developed in France in the 1960's. I have actually thought about raising 25-30 just for the freezer..

I prefer the slower growing breeds, and even though all of my chickens are free ranged I still spend a small fortune on feed. So the faster (slower growing) breeds such as the Freedom Rangers have a pretty good weight to feed ratio which is appealing.

I'm working on my own cross's right now to see if I can come up with something similar, once I gather the data and find a strain that gives good results I will certainly fill you in.

Thanks and have a good evening.

John

 

[LukensFarms]

Try crossing to a Cornish. Not a broiler cross. The regular Cornish. They are very fleshy and grow slower but faster than a Maran. Mind you I have not tried this but it seems logical.

 

[Farmer-John]

That does seem like a logical cross. Thanks for the insight.

 

[farmhand]

I am hatching Black Copper, Blue, Cuckoo, and Wheaten Marans eggs right now. Since I can only keep 1 or 2 roosters over winter, I was wondering which breed would be best to keep to cross with other breeds. Looking for good production of nice looking eggs and calm, beautiful birds. Bottom line is I'm just having fun.

 

[mstricer]

You can use a freedom ranger under a Marans, they are quite tasty

 

[caseyBlane]

We raised a batch of freedom rangers and they looked nothing like our marans and ate a ton. We had one of our marans hens hatch some eggs fertilized by our Delaware rooster and they made a big, fast growing roosters. Looked kind of like a cuckoo.