MX Farms: Marans and Welsummers

[Llysse]

I just thought I should mention what I good experience I had with this little backyard breeder, MX Farms. Given, I didn't get anything shipped, because the place is relatively close to me so I just drove down. They don't have much of an Internet presence. I sort of found them via a fluke, just surfing.

However, the farm is nicely set up, and the man is obviously very proud of his birds. He not only has Cuckoo Marans, but also black Marans and Birchen Marans, as well as some rarer colors like Salmon (which are not yet for sale) but which he's working on producing in numbers. The eggs are dark and beautiful, and his birds are laid back and friendly.

He doesn't show; he seems to breed for egg color, temperament and beauty.

Here's the website:

http://www.mxfarms.com/

This is a pic of the chick I got, although I wish I had taken my camera to his farm so you all could have see how beautiful his birds were.

The Birchen Marans cock was amazing.

However, I just got a cuckoo Marans chick because it's relatively easy to tell the pullets from the cockerels in the cuckoo coloring.

 

[Crunchie]

Hi there!! I'm really glad that you posted this, because I'm driving out to MX Farms this weekend to pick up a few cuckoo Marans! So it is nice to hear the recommendation (especially because it's going to take 7 hours to get there and I am 8 months pregnant...my poor husband....).

I really wanted to start a small flock of Marans, but I didn't want hatchery birds. I also found them accidentally surfing the net. I didn't want to ship anything because it isn't too terribly far to drive, and I'm assuming the shipping (I want adult or started birds) would cost more than the gas. I also figured that it would be a little less stressful on the birds this way.

So, thanks for posting!

But...I don't see the pic of your new chick!!?? Now you've got me wanting to see cute chick pics....and it's not there! No fair!

Did you just get the one chick? I'm set on the marans (I wanted birchen or black, but he didn't mention that he had any of those for sale and he said the egg color was best in his cuckoos, anyway) but now I'm looking at the Welsummers, too....hhhmmm...this could be a bad new addiction!

 

[Llysse]

Oh, pooh. I evidently didn't put the pic in the first time. However, it's in, now.

She's doing very well. Yes, I bet the shipping would be outrageous on started birds. Isn't it something like $40 each, generally? I may be remembering wrong.

He was very helpful when it came to sexing the chicks, too. I would have been nervous and afraid I was getting it wrong, but he has a lot of experience.

Here are a couple more pics:

I also got to see some of the eggs. All I can say is WOW.

 

[Crunchie]

Thanks for sharing the pics! What a cutie. Ooohhh, now I'm really excited to get my new birds!

 

[Llysse]

Make sure to show us pictures of your babies when you get them!