Midnight majesty marans

[hitchyourwagon]

I recently purchased some Midnight Majesty Maran chicks from my local Rural King store. I had never heard of this breed before and I can’t seem to find much information about them. They were labeled as hybrids so that generally means good egg layers? Can anyone educate me as to the origin and characteristics of this strain?

 

[Cyprus]

Those are a strain that, I believe, are created by the hatchery hoovers. They were bred specially for darker eggs from sex linked birds.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

I recently purchased some Midnight Majesty Maran chicks from my local Rural King store. I had never heard of this breed before and I can’t seem to find much information about them. They were labeled as hybrids so that generally means good egg layers? Can anyone educate me as to the origin and characteristics of this strain?

Hi there.

They are a brand new *breed* (cross breed or variety may be more accurate) being produced by ONLY one of the hatcheries this year. Hybrid basically mean they will not breed true. They are supposed to produce a larger number of the darker Marans colored eggs than most Marans bred to the standard of perfection. And they are being offered at a very affordable price compared to the French black copper or other American Poultry Association accepted colors... which this one likely is not, may effect if you plan to show but otherwise shouldn't be an issue.

This is my understanding anyways. I hadn't read they were sex linked.

Look like lovely birds!

ETA: I think they are also supposed to be a bit lighter on the feed bill.

 

[hitchyourwagon]

MMM hens continue to perform well. With five MMM hens in the flock, getting four dark eggs on most days. Now that they are mature they resemble Australorpe hens with black shiny feathers sporting a green and or purple sheen.

 

[hitchyourwagon]

Found first MMM egg in nest boxes yesterday. Smaller as first eggs always are but definitely darker than any of my other birds. The MMM hens are about five months old.

 

[Bogtown Chick]

Here is my layer.

 

[Bogtown Chick]

Happy.

3 eggs in 4 days. Beautiful friendly pullets.
She likes my front porch nest, too! Two steps for breakfast! Ha.

 

[Coe1924]

My MMM such a pretty chocolate colored egg

 

[HeatherKellyB]

Just wanted to share my experience with my MMM pullet. She started out being my largest (she and my Calico Princess are the same size and my largest girls in their flock) and the most gentle and shy. Since she started laying, she's worked her way up to the top of the pecking order. She is very heavily feathered (seems like she'd do well in a cold climate) in solid black iridescent feathers, with skin that is a gorgeous black/slate color. Mally's legs and feet are clean. Her eggs are as dark as I was expecting and they're larger than all of my pullets, even the Flock that is approximately 2 months older. I absolutely adore Mally! I've always thought that she reminds me of a crow(she really looks so much like a crow that she could definitely pass for one to a nonchicken person), until laying changed her comb and wattles to grow and turn red.

Mally's egg is in the middle.

This picture isn't current and was from before she started laying, but her comb and wattles is the only difference in her looks now. She a beauty!

 

[sybonbon]

She's 1 year old soon. She started laying at 18 weeks