Marans eggs on ebay....

[Pathfinders]

Bear in mind folks, that with Maran eggs, you'll get the darkest eggs at the beginning of the laying cycle, and as the year goes on the "paint pot" starts to run dry.

So if you're buying hatching eggs, she (whoever she is) is right that the DNA inside them is the same, no matter when in the cycle they were laid (although I will note that fall eggs tend to be less fertile than spring eggs too, fwiw.) So these will hatch birds that will lay the same dark (in the spring) eggs as the parents (in theory) even if they're not just as dark as those laid in the spring.

But if you want eggs to blow out and do crafts with or something, then get them in the spring. I don't know the seller or who it is, and won't comment on the various Marans breeders or clubs (one of the reason I got out of Marans is that there were so many clubs that came and went, and the bickering drove me crazy.)

Just my two cents...

 

[Cara]

We're all aware that eggs lighten as the laying season progresses. It's the fact that firstly, there's no way to prove that these aren't just from lighter laying birds, and secondly that she's posting numerous pics of dark eggs and then a barely noticeable disclaimer that they're not actually the ones for sale that tends to raise suspicions.

 

[Krys109uk]

There are pictures of adult birds, and she does say that your eggs will be lighter- but they are from the same stock.

The male looks very upright for a marans.​

 

[McSpin]

Also, keep in mind that black copper marans eggs are notorious for being difficult to hatch. If you're hoping to get a decent number of chicks to select from, I think you should consider no less than 18-24 eggs. It would certainly not be unusual to get one or fewer chicks from 6 shipped eggs from this breed.

 

[Krys109uk]

Also, keep in mind that black copper marans eggs are notorious for being difficult to hatch.

I've heard others saying Marans eggs are difficult to hatch. I've heard all manner of different things one "ought" to do in order to get a better hatch rate. I wonder whether people are trying too hard or something. I rarely, if ever, give any poultry special treatment in any way. The strong live & the weak don't. I have no trouble hatching Marans.​

 

[Freckle Face Farm]

Over all The hens coloring looks lovely the roo needs a little work.. But what most people forget is that with any Marans comes a little work..They egg color is very nice I guess if you are looking to buy Marans eggs you have to figure out what you are interested in...

I think that when selling eggs you should have an up to date pic of your eggs..And Never buy without seeing parent pics...I never understand why peolpe buy eggs without seeing pictures of the parents..My first 3 attempts at Marans was a mess had to cull to whole lines... Good luck on your Marans search..

 

[McSpin]

Quote:
You have no trouble hatching marans, how about black copper marans out of real dark eggs? I've hatched marans quite easily myself, but they weren't black coppers out of very dark eggs. That is specifically where I've heard the trouble arises.

 

[Katy]

Quote:
You have no trouble hatching marans, how about black copper marans out of real dark eggs? I've hatched marans quite easily myself, but they weren't black coppers out of very dark eggs. That is specifically where I've heard the trouble arises.

Both my cuckoos and wheatens lay a very dark egg and I've never had any trouble hatching them either. I incubate them alongside my other breeds and don't do anything different for them. I think the difficulty comes more from shipped eggs than it does from the dark eggs.

 

[Krys109uk]

I have lots of colours of Marans, including copper blacks with very dark eggs.

Copper blacks are not very different genetically to copper blues & even birchen. there is no reason why copper black eggs would be any more difficult to hatch than any other colour of marans.

For the most part the only eggs I hatch from are as dark as the eggs in those pics at start of lay, probably more red like a very dark burgandy. The only time I'd need to hatch from a slightly lighter egg would be when making new colours.

Back in UK I brought some of the earliest lines from France to UK. No more trouble hatching copper blacks than any other variety of Marans on either side the pond.

Katy wrote: I think the difficulty comes more from shipped eggs than it does from the dark eggs.

i agree, that sounds likely.​

 

[McSpin]

The people I've talked to about this are very specific. Black coppers with very dark eggs. If yours aren't black copper, it's not what I'm referring to. It also not limited to shipped eggs. I've spoken to several breeders who describe the difficulty they have hatching their own eggs. Now, maybe they're lying and they're simple to hatch, but that is not what I've been told. Or, maybe it's limited to a particular line or two. I don't know - just putting this out there for the people who might be interested in buying only 6 eggs of this breed. A little research might pay off. I belong to the marans club and a few people on their forum have mentioned this on occasion.