Wheaten, BIRCHEN, Columbian, or black copper Marans?

[A & H]

Again I come before you in all my lack of knowledge....
What the chicken do I do?

I want a Maran. I picked four types that I like, but I can't get any info on which lays the darkest colored eggs, or which is better suited to my climate, and all the important blah-de-blah. Please help? Idk which to pick and the web is helping none. Thanks!

 

[chrissynemetz]

I believe the Black Copper Marans lays the darkest eggs.

 

[A & H]

I believe the Black Copper Marans lays the darkest eggs.

Does anyone know about the other three though? I kinda want BIRCHEN marans

 

[chrissynemetz]

They're gorgeous aren't they!! Unfortunately I've never had one, so I can't say.

 

[Folly's place]

My wheaton Marans from Cackle lay dark eggs, and I do like them, but most people say that the black copper variety tends to have the darkest eggs. The clean legged cuckoo Marans tend to have lighter colored eggs; stick to the French Marans.
Mary

 

[Silkie2005]

Wheaten Marans are my favourite, they dont lay the darkest maran eggs but they do look beautiful. Even then their eggs aren't light, they are still dark.

Exchequer Leghorn egg (white), Ex Battery egg (light brown) and Wheaten Maran egg (dark brown).

I currently own three wheaten marans which I show and have been quite successful, I started off with four hatching eggs from a breeder in February 2018 and on 18th March 2018 four wheaten maran chicks hatched (two girls and two boys). I named the two girls Spice and Clarice and the two boys Sugar and Shelley. Unfortunately, Clarice died when she was only a few days old . Eventually, Sugar and Shelley started fighting over Spice so in June 2018 Sugar has dispatched. Shelley was kinder and had better features as far as the standards go. Then in April and May last year I hatched three maran eggs. Unfortunately, the first two (born in April) were both boys, I named them Cinnamon and Nutmeg but unfortunately they both ended up being killed because they were fighting and nobody wanted them. The chick I hatched out in May ended up being a girl. I named her Speedy because instead of the usual 18-24 hours it takes from first pip to hatching, it only took her 3 hours! So now I currently own two hens and one cockerel, I am planning on hatching about 20 more this year so that number will grow!

Shelley (2 years old)

Spice (2 years old)

Speedy (1 year old)

So I think that although they don't lay the darkest eggs, in my opinion they are by far the most beautiful in plumage and they are very friendly even the cockerel (most of them time ).

 

[Ursuline Chick]

So far my French Blue Copper Marans lays the darkest eggs. However, they all lay different shades of brown and in many ways it is the luck of the draw, regardless of which French Marans you decide to get.
I have a lovely guy who is working on a lavender line (I buy my hatching eggs from him) and he seems to think they will be the darkest egg layers.
Check Cypress Duck Farm on line if you are interested, I have used him for years and never been unhappy.
He ships and you can call him with questions, ask for Dan Barger, very nice man.
Good luck

 

[A & H]

Thanks all for the useful info!

I don't need the eggs to be super dark, I just want them dark enough that you can tell the difference between a regular brown egg and that.

Does anyone have any idea if Birchen marans lay significantly darker eggs than, for instance, a Rhode island?

 

[tn_artist]

I know you didn't say Cuckoo, but my French Cuckoo Marans lays eggs as dark as my Welsummers, but without the speckles. Here is her first egg, at the top of the picture.

 

[A & H]

I know you didn't say Cuckoo, but my French Cuckoo Marans lays eggs as dark as my Welsummers, but without the speckles. Here is her first egg, at the top of the picture.
View attachment 2043669

I thought cuckoo's didn't lay dark eggs? If they do, I would maybe choose cuckoos. Does yours have feathered legs?