Should I get Marans or Welsummers

Schroeder

Crowing
14 Years
Nov 9, 2008
578
40
264
Central Indiana
My Coop
My Coop
I am starting a new flock with 3 breeds. I'll have breeder Ameraucanas and Jersey Giants (no roos, or segregated). I'd like dark browns eggs to contrast the blue ones but can't decide between Marans or Welsummers. I'll plan to replace the layers every 2 years, sending the retired hens to freezer camp, and incubating eggs to replenish. Unless the egg laying capabilities are significantly different, this isn't a major determining factor for me. The PickinChickin application I downloaded to my iPod says Welsummers "Not suited to living contained areas(sic) with other chickens." None of the breed-specific threads I have read here supports this contention.

They will have lots of free ranging time, but during the winter they may be confined together for days or weeks at a time. I'd like to hear from those who have raised both varieties, which of the 2 you recommend.
 
Try a bit of both. Then by then, you would decide what breed to get.

Welsummers seems to be doing just fine in the city with confinement. However sometimes "confinement" may be meant to be caged like battery hen or one cage per hen. They tolerated being in cage for hospization or for quarantine purposes, temporarily confinement is OK but not in long term.
 
Both is fine.

Just remember - Marans normally lay MUCH darker eggs, however only if you get French varieties like Black Copper, Wheaten, Blue Copper, Blue Wheaten, etc. Clean legged Cuckoos, most blues and splashes - Poor egg color. We're talking normal brown to a sweet potato brown.
 
Should you get Marans or Welsummers?

Why yes, of course you should.
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