Marans Thread for Posting Pics of Your Eggs, Chicks and Chickens

[Keri78]

Ok I'm new so bare with me and forgive me! I'm looking to buy some maran hatching eggs, chicks, pullets, whatever I need to buy to get me some of them YUMMY Dark Choclate eggs!!! I need them in my frig! Anyway, I'm reading alot of people saying that unless you buy REALLY Quality birds the eggs are going to be similar in color to other brown egg layers and marans are not as good of layers as some of the other brown egger breeds. Ok..help me out what the HECK am I supposed to be looking for when buying hatching eggs? Do you know anyone who really has birds that produce nice DARK CHOC eggs? Blessings, Keri

 

[megcpat]

I understand the human labeling and how and why and all of that, but biologically speaking, that bird that will not lay a # 4 egg ever is a Marans, and, at least here in the states where there is so little Maran blood to use in bringing up different lines of standard quality birds, don't we need to understand that inside of these failure birds there is the genetic code for the standard and at times I have absolutely heard of bringing in a less than ideal "outcast Maran" to a line that was becoming too inbreed for it's health and cleaning up some problems that way. Not that it matters really what they are called, but it seems silly to me. I'm going to have to start some awareness group for all the poor under-appreciated, no-name Marans of the world.

 

[Wynette]

Keri78 - I've got a few girls that are still laying, and I'm in Michigan. Generally, though, I do not find them to be good winter layers. But, as soon as they pop out that first gorgeous little gem in February....all's forgiven on MY farm!

 

[amazondoc]

Quote:
No. "Marans" is a human label, with a human definition. Biologically, it is simply a bird. In livestock, I think they would call it a "grade".

 

[megcpat]

Wynette, those eggs are gorgeous!!!!!

 

[megcpat]

So, Wynette, in your flock, so you have to work hard to maintain the dark egg laying abilities of your consecutive generations, or is pretty easy?

 

[Wynette]

"easy" - kind of a loaded question! HA!

The story of my Marans flock is a long (and mostly boring) one. A few folks on here share my enthusiasm for the breed and have the same ideas about breeding regarding preserving (and bettering) the stock.

As far as maintaining dark egg laying ability; you need to ONLY hatch eggs that are the very darkest. That's hard to do with a small flock like mine. I simply don't have room for more than 10-12 hens. It's SO very tempting to throw ALL the eggs in the bator! But, to keep the dark egg gene alive & well, only hatch the very darkest, which is what I've done & will continue to do so.

I just LOVE this breed, and hope there are more & more of them out there in the years to come!

 

[Keri78]

SOOO FUNNY! I just went to your website after checking the breeder list and I JUST emailed you!!!(LOL) Ok...I'm ready! My email is [email protected] and we can discuss details!!! I'm soooo excited! Blessings, Keri

 

[Keri78]

My bator is warm and ready! Send em over!!!(lol) No seriously! I may want a few olive eggers too?!? Talk soon, Keri

 

[berkeleysprings]

Quote:
you can buy great egg , and great color from great people but no guarentee the offspring will lay great egg color iif i understand this corectly ..
i hatched a rooster from great egg color and a hen from great egg color and so if my rooster plays leap frog with the hen whats the likely hood of the offspring
layoing eggs just as dark as mom and dad ? in your all experance ?????Ps i no what everyone says about "lots of things can effect the colour "