Marans Egg Laying

[sybonbon]

Hi all. I love info and stories of your chickens. I'm especially interested in Marans. How old were yours when they started laying? Do yours go broody? How many do you get a week? Did I mention that I love pictures too??? Lol.

 

[RebeccaBoyd]

I love my Black Copper Marans girls, they started laying for me at about 5 1/2 months. They are great layers too, averaging 5 eggs a week. When they are not broody that is. So far only 1 of my girls has yet to go broody one of my original girls. Holly and Daisy are 18 months old and Holly just finished raising her 2nd clutch of chicks. She went broody the first time last year after just laying for 2 weeks. My other 2 girls are a daughter of Holly and one of Daisy, both have already raised a clutch of chicks and one of them is setting again for the 2nd time this year. The other girl, is starting to act suspicious and it would not surprise me to find her broody again very soon. I don't mind them raising chicks though as they are wonderful mothers who are very protective of their chicks.

 

[DobieLover]

I had two Cuckoo Marans. They started laying at around 25 weeks. Both went broody in the fall when they were still pullets.
One was so persistently broody, I allowed her to hatch. All 9 hatched, one died from hypothermia because it got out of the nest and couldn't get back under her. It was only 4" to get back in the nest.
This is Kerrie and her brood.

Kerrie is no longer here. She wasn't done raising this brood when she started acting like she wanted to set again.
Once she did wean these chicks, back to the nest she went. I broke her 2 more times before winter set in and she immediately went broody the following spring. I sold her along with another broody EE that turned out to be a terrible mother.

I still have Kylie.
This is her karate move trying to bust out of the run I guess.

 

[FennecMom]

I am a newbie with 4 different Marans, 4 months old - this thread is very educational.

I didn't know Marans could be persistently broody as you've mentioned.

Thank you!

 

[sybonbon]

Oh no. I hope this broody stuff is not breed related. I have a Black Marans that lays 2 weeks and then goes broody for 3. And I have 2 15 week olds who I hope don't get that way too. Below is Jade aka broody Judy

 

[Rm chickens]

I love my dark eggs from the French BCMs that I have but they are by far the broodiest of all my breeds. I have had to put one particular hen in the broody box 5 times already this year. I'm about ready to let her be someone else's problem. She'll lay for a week or so then go to setting. Hopefully the pullets I raised this summer won't be as bad

 

[sybonbon]

I am a newbie with 4 different Marans, 4 months old - this thread is very educational.

I didn't know Marans could be persistently broody as you've mentioned.

Thank you!

You would think it would have occured to me before I just got 2 more. Lol I hope the new ones are different.

 

[MaryTheChickenLover]

I have one cuckoo marans chicken. She lays eggs that are dark but they aren't too dark. She lays almost every day when she isn't broody. She went broody and so I got her some eggs to hatch. They are due to hatch on Sunday. It's really exciting!

 

[Pumperkinz]

I also have 3 French Black/Copper Marans and 4 Welsummer's. They all just hit 22 weeks and one of my Marans is laying everyday, and one Welsummer has just started laying as well. I think from my own research most of the Marans start laying around 25+ weeks sometimes longer. Good luck w/ your babies!

 

[PianoTheSilkie]

just got my first midnight Maran hen. I love her!!!