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

[drom]

Quote:
I have the most amazing Easter Egger from Ideal. She lays a really brightly colored greenish blue egg. They are just beautiful eggs and much more colorful than lots of egg pictures I have seen from well-bred Ameraucanas. And, she lays one of these literally 6 to 7 days a week. And the shells are never thin. She is truly an Uber-Layer!
But, I don't think it is the same with the hatchery Marans, at least people say the egg color from the hatchery birds can be disappointing.

If you just want a nice brown egg layer, I think Ideal is a good hatchery.
But...if you really want some dark eggs, then your best chance of getting that is with one of the private breeders.

The best way to find a breeder who is selling dark eggs is to see pictures of eggs that other people have received from the breeder in question.
Last year, lots of people posted pictures of the hatching eggs they received from breeders in the mail. So, everyone got a chance to see what color eggs the different breeders were sending to people. Sometimes people would mention the breeder's name and sometimes they didn't but you can always send a PM and ask. That is the best way to shop for hatching eggies.

 

[kathyinmo]

Well, I don't really know! She is just so sweet. Actually, I sold off all my hatchery stock, to have room for my breeder quality stock. When the buyer came to get the last bunch, Shirley (her name) ran off and was hiding. So, she is still with us!

She was hiding under a small bush, I discovered as the buyer drove off.

 

[geebs]

Not offended by the hatchery question at all.. It is a good question... Answer: McMurray has nice cuckoos that are good type and good terra cotta layers... EGGCELLENT hens... I would hope ppl would lighten up just a little so that maran newbies don't have to walk on eggshells..

It isn't taboo... Whether you have a hatchery bird or a breeder bird... this is a marans thread...

I have one four year old hatchery bird from them in my layer pen...It is totally nice bird...It came in a rare layer breeds collection from way back when.

 

[drom]

Quote:
Yes, I have heard Mc Murray is a good hatchery as well.

 

[keithallen1965]

we are just back from the Blue Bonnett classic poultry show in College Station,Tx. There was over 1000 birds entered and 40 marans. They were not great however i think this was awesome for a small show to have 40 entries for the marans breed. i did not show any as mine arent ready I did meet a lot of people there and wanted to say thanks to the marans of America Club and April for helping out the breed.

Keith Davis
Olive Farms
marans
Angora Goats

 

[SunnyDawn]

Quote:
Yea, I have three "marans" from a hatchery one lays a #5 and one lays a #4 during their regular season (currently a #3 and #4 due to winter) the third lays a #3 most of the time with an occasional dark egg but not consistently so she is not pure enough to be called a marans. I got them from the feed store near me and apparently it was a mistake because when I went back to the store to tell them, "Thanks for the beautiful dark speckled egg layers", the manager was furious!
She didn't say anything to me but I could see the smoke coming out of her ears and I knew someone was gonna get an earful when I left!

Maybe they were special ordered for someone else and got mixed in with the "andalusian" chicks (that's what they said they were but it was obvious pretty early on that they weren't) by accident. Oh well, by then they were half grown and I wasn't about to give them back. They are my most well behaved birds!
I could try to ask what hatchery they got them from but I'm afraid I'll remind them all of the blunder and cause bad feelings again. I'll just ask what hatchery they use (in general) and you could try some from there?

 

[drom]

Quote:
That's great. Do you know who placed in the Egg show? That's weird, I thought April was organizing a Marans Chicken Club egg show. Were there two shows this weekend?
Anyway, they are posting pictures at the MCC site and the eggs look great. And, the ribbons and trophies looked really nice as well.


Thanks!

 

[keithallen1965]

Quote:
That's great. Do you know who placed in the Egg show? That's weird, I thought April was organizing a Marans Chicken Club show. Were there two shows this weekend?
Anyway, they are posting pictures at the MCC site and the eggs look great. And, the ribbons and trophies looked really nice as well.


Thanks!

Drom, Thats the one I may have been mistaken about the club! But I believe Bev's Blue coppers won (eggs) and Helens Black coppers won 1st and second I think.

Keith

 

[drom]

I've been looking at the pictures. Looks like Sam Brush was one of the judges at the show. It must have been a big show.

 

[keithallen1965]

It was our first poultry show to attend now that our feet are wet we will be bringing birds to the one next year. Looked great from our perspective! There was a lot of breeds represented today.

Go Marans Go!!!

Keith