Question on Marans

[Lobzi]

Do copper marans always lay very dark brown eggs? I have some hens that came from a pair I know are mixes. These hens look a lot like marans but they lay light brown, maybe best described as cream colored eggs.



This is their daddy...Do you think these girl have maran genetics?

 

[Illia]

Are those bantams? They look like it. Far as I know the only Bantam Marans out there are Cuckoos whos egg color is still a work in progress. That rooster doesn't look like he has a lick of Marans in him, sorry.

All Marans should by breed definition lay a dark egg that is better than 4 on the scale, meaning good as or better than an orangey terra-cotta sort of color. Most Black Coppers lay a very nice 6 or better, I have seen some 5's though.

A normal brown layer crossed with a good BC Marans gives F1 pullets that lay a terra-cotta orange. Shouldn't be really pale.

 

[Lobzi]

Dont be sorry, Id dont WANT anything in particular I just WANT some idea as to what is in my chickens. I got them from the wild off a farm that stables horses but happens to have wild chickens that came with the property. My first and starter chicken I found running down the sidewalk one day. I would just like some idea as to what kind of chicken genetics I have. I keep guessing and hoping someone will have an idea or two. They have to have kind of chicken genetics in them.
Here is Chickie the fella I found:

 

[Illia]

Ah, then if they're randomly found on a farm there's no way Marans is in there.


They look to me like cochin and booted x old english games, with a high chance of who knows else what bantam breeds thrown in. Basically "barnyard mutts," it's hard to say really what they have but certainly no Marans.

 

[NYREDS]

Sounds about right to me.

Ah, then if they're randomly found on a farm there's no way Marans is in there.


They look to me like cochin and booted x old english games, with a high chance of who knows else what bantam breeds thrown in. Basically "barnyard mutts," it's hard to say really what they have but certainly no Marans.

 

[Lobzi]

Yes, until I saw the pics of Marans I figured OEG. Henny Penny looks so much like those pic I see. But then so many of the pictures of different breeds seem to look the same to me. I know they are "barnyard special" and very healthy due to their mixed genetics. I also get eggs year-round without a slowdown. Many hens broody any time during the year too so I never have to use an incubator. They make up a great flock. I was very lucky to get them off the farm and to have found Chickie.