I am just starting explore the Marans, and they are very interesting. Your birds look like happy birds, and I definitely see a Cuckoo rooster and three Cuckoo hens!
I am learning that Marans come from a number of sources, and for the backyard poultry owner, just wanting pretty eggs, you have good enough Marans. I dont have any from Ideal and dont know their source or lineage. Chickens seem to be like dogs, where you need the proper lineage to be the real deal, or you could just have a "mutt." It seems anything but birds with a traced lineage (not a lost heritage) are just a watered down American version of the Marans, bred and sold to the general public for pretty eggs and birds.
If you are wanting to get into serious breeding of Marans, be warned.
An opinion so well stated in a previous post by Arklady: Hatchery Marans I would not own a hatchery Marans if you paid me because they are only selling the name not a good quality Marans. I spent two years investigating bird lines and going from one site or another till I found someone who had the Line I thought would serve me best. If you don't know whose line the birds ORIGINATED from then you need to find out. Some lines are INCOMPATIBLE with others.
If all you want is pretty eggs then hatchery Marans are for you. But if you think *THINK* you might become a serious breeder of Marans, DON'T buy hatchery Marans.
The Marans. Great birds.
