Marans Thread - breed discussion & pictures are welcome!

[horsesNchicks]

I have 4 1/2 week old Black Copper Marans. 1 cockerel and 3 pullets. I am excited to learn from you all.

 

[Freisian]

my first marans eggs ( not the white one) colour not stabilised yet but one today was amazing colour

 

[oldfartfarmer]

please excuse my ignorance, ive had chickens for 4 yrs now, 2 yrs ago i bought baby chicks at a hardware store, and raised them inside with the help on here,
this year im getting another order ready for baby chicks,
BUT
im wanting copper marans, and having a hard time finding them as chicks,

the 1st post here is from Wynette and i see you sell hatching eggs,
heres my stupidity-- hatching eggs, what type of setup do i need to receive hatching eggs? are they ready to hatch in 2o or three days? or do i need to have special equipment ready ?
thank you very much for any info

 

[Bantambird]

Purchasing hatching eggs requires you have an incubator to keep them for 21 days. Hatching eggs are sold as fertile, ready to set eggs. Once the incubation process is started, the eggs can no longer travel around or get cold or they will die. I would recommend against purchasing expensive hatching eggs for a novice, and look for local eggs that won't travel far and aren't expensive. Try hatching a few batches to learn the ropes. Oftentimes hatchrates for shipped eggs falls drastically, especially if the post office plays football with your eggs. Live chicks in the mail oftentimes offers better survival rates, with some caveats. Good luck!

 

[snowbird]

If you have eggs shipped in from someone else , let the eggs set for at least 24 hours before putting in an Incubator. 50-60 % is good hatch rate for shipped eggs. Would be best to have a practice hatch first. Don

 

[RobandSue2]

Following...really like my Marans....
I see Greenfire is selling Blue Birchen Marans and saying they lay as dark as Black Copper Marans....anyone experience this?

 

[Freisian]

Following...really like my Marans....
I see Greenfire is selling Blue Birchen Marans and saying they lay as dark as Black Copper Marans....anyone experience this?

Never seen a blue birchen maran
but it would be an attractive looking bird!

 

[RobandSue2]

Never seen a blue birchen maran
but it would be an attractive looking bird!

And they say their eggs are as dark....

 

[Freisian]

And they say their eggs are as dark....View attachment 1291614 View attachment 1291615

They are HANDSOME!

 

[Bantambird]

My husband got me some last year, and I'll say that the birds are very beautiful and regal. They do lay reasonably dark eggs, but with marans, sometimes you still get a few hens that Excel and a few hens that don't. Overall I will say my greenfire marans hens have pretty good color, I can't tell color difference from my other marans line.
I will say I've noticed some gold/red bleed through on the wing bows on a few cocks, so it's possible that the splash hens they may be using could be hiding some copper. I've had a few with straw colored hackles crop up, but it can be straightened out with a few generations of careful breeding.
Overall, if you want to go for the greenfire blue birchen, I'd say check their auction site for deals first.
Just for fun, here's my crop of blue birchen chicks this spring, from my own line over green fire hens

And here's some of the parent stock, from both lines