What kind of hen do you think this is?

[hellotrixie]

Hi BYC folks!

This is Frenchie. She got her name because she was sold as a "French Marans". She is about 8-9 months old. She does not lay chocolate eggs - her eggs are light brown/beige. I've looked at a ton of pics online and I guess she could maybe be a Golden Salmon Marans (like this: http://feathersite.com/Poultry/CGK/Marans/GoldSalmMarH.JPEG)? I'm really curious about the opinions of other more experienced chicken keepers.

I'm kind of afraid to admit this because I've read a lot of posts where people get fussed at for buying chicks there, but I got her at Tractor Supply. All the chicks in her bin looked the same and were sold as French Marans pullets.

For what it is worth, I got three other chicks the same day - a Black Sex Link, a Golden Comet, and an Ameraucana. I'm pretty sure the BSL and the Golden Comet are properly identified, and I know that the Ameraucana is probably an Easter Egger.

Thanks chicken people!!

 

[ShannonR]

She definitely isn't a French Marans... the feet are clean and the wrong color. Although, I can't exactly tell you what breed she IS, either! Someone else should know.

 

[alexa009]

She is not a Maran at all, unfortunately. Black Sex Link is my guess. My older Black Sex Link exhibited the same coloration as yours. Non feathered legs, yellow legs, light colored eggs proves she has no traits of a Maran. People always seem to be getting decieved at "Tractor Supply." With Marans especially.

 

[Criticalicious]

Yellow clean legs means not a marans. "French Marans" is not a breed of chicken. Looks very similar to Welsummer - maybe a hybrid?

 

[Lady of McCamley]

French Marans is a breed of chicken. French Marans have feathers on the outside 1/3 of their legs down their outside toe vs. American Marans which are cleaned legged. The "French" designates the traditional French line with feathered legs.

As stated by others, your hen is NOT a Marans in any way, shape, or form. her body type is completely wrong and leg color wrong. Marans stand taller with more of a "U" shape back and higher carried tail from the Langshan blood in them.

Your girl looks to be a hatchery mix. She *might* have some Marans in her, but she is definitely crossed with other things.

She is definitely not a Welsummer either.

Tractor Supply is notorious for not getting chicks labeled correctly and not advertising them correctly. Assume they are all mix layers.

She's pretty, and if she is pleasant and lays good eggs, you've got a sweet hen.

LofMc

 

[Frazzemrat1]

Unfortunately, I have to agree with @alexa009 on this one. I think this is a lightly colored black sex link, which means she's a hybrid. I don't think there's any marans in her at all.

 

[Brahma Chicken5000]

Black Sex Link.

 

[hellotrixie]

Thanks for all the answers!

Although it is unfortunate that TSC sells mislabeled chicks, it doesn't matter to me if she's a Marans or not. I was just curious about her since chickens are a new thing for me.

She's pretty, and if she is pleasant and lays good eggs, you've got a sweet hen.

I do think she's pretty! Thanks! I'm inexperienced with chickens, but she seems to be a good layer. She started at around 18 weeks and lays 4-6 very large beige eggs per week.

She probably has the biggest personality of all 4 of my hens. She honks a lot, kind of like a goose, especially when we are outside. She also does an extremely loud and long egg song after she lays. Of all of them, she's the most eager to get out of their run to free range in the yard.

Thanks again for all the comments!

 

[townchicks]

She is pretty, and I'm glad you are happy with her. Good to ask though, this is educational for all of us who are wanting to know the breeds better.

 

[Alexandra33]

Agreed, lovely Black Sex Link. I'm sorry you didn't get the Marans you were hoping for, but it's evident you love her nonetheless.

~Alex