Marans With Featherless Legs?

[IamRainey]

I don’t know about this... bad breeding that happens to produce attributes you like is not the same as good breeding planned and executed to stabilize desirable attributes. My Pet Chicken has mixed reviews on quality, maybe they’re fine, maybe they aren’t. But American Black Copper Marans are supposed to have light to moderate leg feathering unless specifically bred to remove it. If they don’t, I wonder what else is lacking. I’m glad you had a good experience though!

I'm not looking for show birds. I want healthy interesting birds and eggs. My Pet Chicken meets my needs in those regards.

Where they really stand out is in customer service. It's personal and diligent and I am extremely grateful as that's not my typical customer experience.

When I got my FBCM he was supposed to have been a hen but turned out to be a roo. When I contacted them they apologized, offered me a refund and gave me a list of resources in my area that would take the roo from me. On another occasion I had an order in place for Spring delivery but the CA vND quarantine struck in the intervening time and they had to cancel my delivery. When they inquired if I wanted a check issued or a refund credited to my credit card I didn't respond. They hunted me down -- not so easy as there are levels of business people between me and retailers -- to make sure I got the refund I had forgotten about in an appropriate manner. And they did it in a very warm phone call.

If anyone isn't fussy about being able to show their birds I can't recommend a nicer group of people to deal with.

PS It's been couple years and I'm still looking forward to one day having some beautiful Marans chocolate eggs. Unfortunately there's been a more recent diagnosed case of vND in LA County so I'll still be waiting for another year I suppose.

All you guys who get 'em, enjoy them for me!

 

[Shadrach]

I have two FBCM hens I got from TSC, and they don't have feathered legs.
If you want even darker eggs get a Penedesenca, they have featherless legs, and lay the darkest eggs ( they get lighter as the season progresses, like all colored eggs). They are a Spanish breed that was on the verge of extinction in the early 1980's, and have a unique comb, is a single that splits into four lobes at the back. I lucked into them at my feed store, got two, supposed to be pullets, well, the REALLY feisty one was a boy. He has calmed down, but when I first got him he was running around the brooder pulling other chicks off the brooder heater by their toes! I named him Toepicker. His comb doesn't have well defined lobes, but the pullet does. He is gorgeous,and nice, so far. I wanted him to make olive eggers with my green egg layers.
Day-Old Chicks:
"This prized Spanish breed lays a deep, dark, reddish brown egg. As a breed they're pretty sure you're out to kill them, no matter how many treats you bring, so don't get this breed if you're looking for a feathered BFF. Colored eggs are always a more brilliant color early every laying season, and slowly fade as the season progresses. Limit 2 per order.
The lovely "partridge" variety of Penedesenca has hens with dark, double-penciled feathers, while the males are showy, dressed in black with a flame-colored head and a red cape like a bullfighter. (You can almost hear the Spanish guitar playing romantically in the background as they strut around the yard.) The hens are good layers of medium to large-sized dark chocolate brown eggs, and this breed is one of the few exceptions to the "rule" that hens with white earlobes lay white eggs. Penedesencas have white earlobes, but lay some of the darkest brown eggs you will see. They also have a unique clavel, or carnation comb. This type of comb starts as a single comb in the front, but parts into several showy lobes at the rear. Hens' combs may lay to one side, like a scarlet rose tucked behind one ear, while the males' comb will stand up like a crown. Their shapely legs are a lovely slate blue, and the overall carriage of this breed is very upright, with the chest thrust forward and the tail fanned out.

These birds are very active, and like most Mediterranean breeds, won't be suited to the coldest weather due to their large combs and smaller body size. However, they do wonderfully in heat. And have we mentioned the dark brown eggs? Oh, the eggs!"
https://www.mypetchicken.com/catalog/Baby-Chicks/Partridge-Penedesenca-p739.aspx

Drop by and visit me and I'll take you to where they come from.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

The original French Marans are feather legged but English and many American lines have had the feather legs bred out of them.

 

[VictoriaTemple]

I'm not looking for show birds. I want healthy interesting birds and eggs. My Pet Chicken meets my needs in those regards.

Where they really stand out is in customer service. It's personal and diligent and I am extremely grateful as that's not my typical customer experience.

When I got my FBCM he was supposed to have been a hen but turned out to be a roo. When I contacted them they apologized, offered me a refund and gave me a list of resources in my area that would take the room from me. On another occasion I had an order in place for Spring delivery but the CA vND quarantine struck in the intervening time and they had to cancel my delivery. When they inquired if I wanted a check issued or a refund credited to my credit card I didn't respond. They hunted me down -- not so easy as there are levels of business people between me and retailers to make sure I got the refund I had forgotten about in an appropriate manner. And they did it in a very warm phone call.

If anyone isn't fussy about being able to show their birds I can't recommend a nicer group of people to deal with.

PS It's been couple years and I'm still looking forward to one day having some beautiful Marans chocolate eggs. Unfortunately there's been a more recent diagnosed case of vND in LA County so I'll still be waiting for another year I suppose.

All you guys who get 'em, enjoy them for me!

Thanks for the info! I will remember that in case I need breeds in the future that I can’t get locally. With Marans I am spoiled rotten, I live 10 minutes away from the MCCUSA rep and her birds are great!

 

[Shadrach]

The original French Marans are feather legged but English and many American lines have had the feather legs bred out of them.

The UK Marans also come in black and white while the French will tell you that 'proper' Marans only come in black with feathered legs.
If one is going to be fussy about breed standards it's often best to get birds from the country of origin.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I have two FBCM hens I got from TSC, and they don't have feathered legs.
If you want even darker eggs get a Penedesenca, they have featherless legs, and lay the darkest eggs ( they get lighter as the season progresses, like all colored eggs). They are a Spanish breed that was on the verge of extinction in the early 1980's, and have a unique comb, is a single that splits into four lobes at the back. I lucked into them at my feed store, got two, supposed to be pullets, well, the REALLY feisty one was a boy. He has calmed down, but when I first got him he was running around the brooder pulling other chicks off the brooder heater by their toes! I named him Toepicker. His comb doesn't have well defined lobes, but the pullet does. He is gorgeous,and nice, so far. I wanted him to make olive eggers with my green egg layers.
Day-Old Chicks:
"This prized Spanish breed lays a deep, dark, reddish brown egg. As a breed they're pretty sure you're out to kill them, no matter how many treats you bring, so don't get this breed if you're looking for a feathered BFF. Colored eggs are always a more brilliant color early every laying season, and slowly fade as the season progresses. Limit 2 per order.
The lovely "partridge" variety of Penedesenca has hens with dark, double-penciled feathers, while the males are showy, dressed in black with a flame-colored head and a red cape like a bullfighter. (You can almost hear the Spanish guitar playing romantically in the background as they strut around the yard.) The hens are good layers of medium to large-sized dark chocolate brown eggs, and this breed is one of the few exceptions to the "rule" that hens with white earlobes lay white eggs. Penedesencas have white earlobes, but lay some of the darkest brown eggs you will see. They also have a unique clavel, or carnation comb. This type of comb starts as a single comb in the front, but parts into several showy lobes at the rear. Hens' combs may lay to one side, like a scarlet rose tucked behind one ear, while the males' comb will stand up like a crown. Their shapely legs are a lovely slate blue, and the overall carriage of this breed is very upright, with the chest thrust forward and the tail fanned out.

These birds are very active, and like most Mediterranean breeds, won't be suited to the coldest weather due to their large combs and smaller body size. However, they do wonderfully in heat. And have we mentioned the dark brown eggs? Oh, the eggs!"
https://www.mypetchicken.com/catalog/Baby-Chicks/Partridge-Penedesenca-p739.aspx

I'm happy to see someone else finally singing the praises of this great breed. I've been breeding blacks for about 8 years.
Yours are partridge?

Drop by and visit me and I'll take you to where they come from.

Will you take me too?
I need to locate some breeders.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

The UK Marans also come in black and white while the French will tell you that 'proper' Marans only come in black with feathered legs.
If one is going to be fussy about breed standards it's often best to get birds from the country of origin.

True but so difficult, expensive and time consuming.

 

[Shadrach]

I'm happy to see someone else finally singing the praises of this great breed. I've been breeding blacks for about 8 years.
Yours are partridge?


Will you take me too?
I need to locate some breeders.

I do look out for anyone who looks like they may breed when I go to Olot and the French border. I very occasionally see see them on farms.

 

[Shadrach]

True but so difficult, expensive and time consuming.

It can be, especially for people in the US looking for a particular breed.
Some of the chicken club members here have traveled hundreds of miles for a particular breed they were interested in.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

It can be, especially for people in the US looking for a particular breed.
Some of the chicken club members here have traveled hundreds of miles for a particular breed they were interested in.

I would do that if they were available in the US. I know or know of a lot of the breeders in the US and Canada. Unless someone corrects me on this, I believe I've had the largest number of black Penes in North America for several years.
So many people have pairs, trios or perhaps 10 or so birds. I think the fact that I've forsaken all other breeds in favor of these has allowed me to focus on them. In the course of a year I will range from 40 to well over 100 birds. I'm down to one primary rooster for the first time thanks to coyotes but I have almost 20 cockerels that are 4 months old. I hope to never get that low again on good quality roosters.

If I ever get to the point that I can get some from Catalonia, I figure it will take at least 2 or 3 trips. The first one would be to find as many breeders as possible and determine if they are raising the Classic (my choice) or Improved and see the color of their eggs. Then find someone or several breeders willing to do the Spanish govt. veterinary testing and paperwork on their end. On the final trip, I'll have all my paperwork in order and I'd be collecting as many eggs as possible for the flight home. It won't be worth all that work if I can't bring at least 150 quality fresh eggs home. I'll also have to buy an extra ticket or two for the return so I can put the eggs on the seat next to me. As I said, it is an expensive endeavor.
I have the capacity to incubate up to 600 eggs. Many more if I use the hatcher and hand turn.
The classic is the one with the dark eggs and white lobes. The improved is a larger heavier meat bird (even though the classic is thought to be a great meat bird) but some of their special characteristics have been lost.

OP, sorry for hijacking the thread.