marans

[Sherris Backyard Beauties]

I have a chance to buy a couple Marans, I think for cheap. I know nothing about them and would like to know if $25 for a cuckoo Maran Rooster is a good deal. Also they have females $25 a hen and those are standard Marans with feathered legs. Also are the roo's mean tempered. Please let me know, I don't want to pass up a good deal.

 

[TexasVet]

Depends on the breed, quality, and bloodline. Some marans, like the copper black, go for more than others.

Personally, I'd never pay that much for a hen or a rooster. Why would you, when you can get 10-15 chicks for the same amount of money?

I see people offering chickens, ducks, and guineas for these outrageous prices on Craigslist all the time, but I think they're trolling for suckers.

The Valentine hatchery specializes in Marans. You can find a link to them and other hatcheries that sell Marans here: http://www.countrychickens.com/country_chickens_4_003.htm

 

[Sherris Backyard Beauties]

Right now my flock is down to 1 laying hen and 1 hen that is still brooding 5 babies. I also have some eggs coming in the mail soon. These birds are already mature so I wouldn't have to wait for them to grow up. They are a year old already and I was thinking of what I spend in feed to get all mine to that age I think it equls out. At least thats what I'm thinking of telling my hubby when he gets home. He's gonna say $25 for a rooster are you nuts? We couldn't even give ours away. Right now all I want is to have nice fresh eggs and to get a dozen at the rate where going now it takes 2 weeks.

 

[onthespot]

I wouldn't take the roo unless you wanted to have fertile eggs all year long. Ask to see her exact egg that she is laying right now. Make sure it is dark. I would offer her fifty bucks for a trio. If she says no, then just take the two hens. $25 is not too much in my area if the eggs are nice and dark.

 

[Sherris Backyard Beauties]

That sounds like a reasonable offer. The only way I was gonna be able to get the hen was if I took at least 1 rooster. They have 3 that needed to go. Plus I figured if I had the rooster for a couple months I could incubate a few eggs for myself. Then possibly rehome the roo unless he was a sweet roo, then I would keep him as long as I could.

 

[Teach97]

I don't think it is a rip off or that people are trolling for suckers...you gotta count the cost of getting an animal to mature stage...of course chicks are cheaper! You have no feed cost in them and you have had no death loss in them...birds are worth what you will pay for them...I sell my mostly grown birds non show quality for $10...I just want to get a some money for feed and buy some more...but I have bantams...just smile and wink and get the birds...I try it on my wife!

 

[ewesfullchicks]

I purchased 8 Cuckoo Marans females from Ideal Poultry last year.

ONE of them turned out to be a Rooster, which isn't too bad for a hard to sex breed like a Maran.

My Rooster is a very laid-back type of guy, and has fathered well. I've heard that males can be kind of nasty, but his sons are OK too. However, I've MANY other chickens, and his "get" are mostly hybrid.

The pullets laid well in the spring, went out of lay in the summer, and MAYBE are laying sporadically in the fall, but it's hard to tell because I had Welsummer due to lay.

Overall...I'd say that my Maran experiment was disappointing, and I won't be buying more.

Rachel
Bellecreek Farm
Texas

 

[Sherris Backyard Beauties]

Just wanted to tell everyone, I decided not to get them, but on a sidenote, a very nice member on here sent me some beautiful Welsummer eggs in the mail. They are in the bator! So I am gonna have my own dark eggs and I'm gonna enjoy seeing them all grow up! I can't wait till New Years! Thats when they're due!