Wheaten, BIRCHEN, Columbian, or black copper Marans?

[A & H]

If you can get genuine columbian marans (not made by crossing with a sussex, but the old type) i will eat my shoe they're the rarest! Black coppers usually lay the darkest, if you live in america chances are low you'll actually get good dark colour. Most wheatens are quite good, but some lack legg feathering. Cuckoos will probably be the worst quality, a lot of people have something that they call cuckoo marans, but they aren't. They lack leg feathering and their egg colour is close to what a regular laying hen lays. I'd stick with the black coppers, that's your highest chance of haing good egg colour and a good quality chicken

Aren't feathered leggers really hard in terms of upkeep?

Most marans with leg feathering it is very thin not like a pekin or silkie so it doesn't really matter if you do or don't unless they have lots of feathering but that is rare.

Does anyone have a picture of their Maran?

 

[Silkie2005]

Aren't feathered leggers really hard in terms of upkeep?

Does anyone have a picture of their Maran?

I have too many photos! Yes, some feathered legged chickens are really hard to look after but marans legs aren't that thickly feathered, it is only a thin layer along the outside of the leg and on the outer toe.

 

[Silkie2005]

Aren't feathered leggers really hard in terms of upkeep?

Does anyone have a picture of their Maran?

Do you want a males or females or both?

 

[A & H]

Do you want a males or females or both?

Females, you can send pics of the males too tho

 

[Folly's place]

Clean legged cuckoo Marans are not the same as the feather legged French Marans, which come in several colors, including cuckoo. They will all lay darker colored eggs than the clean legged birds sold as cuckoo Marans by some hatcheries.
Cackle offers both, and their French Marans lay darker eggs.
Mary

 

[Silkie2005]

Females, you can send pics of the males too tho

Okay, so I only have wheaten marans now, I used o have cuckoo years ago but they have all since passed away. I prefer the wheaten marans much more though!

Spice (left) and Speedy (right)

Shelley

Shelley winning best maran at Staffordshire County Show.

As you can see, they have some feathering on their feet but not majorly. I would offer you some of my maran eggs but you live in Idaho and I live in England so i dont know if the eggs would travel well going that distance.

 

[A & H]

Okay, so I only have wheaten marans now, I used o have cuckoo years ago but they have all since passed away. I prefer the wheaten marans much more though!

View attachment 2046058
Spice (left) and Speedy (right)

View attachment 2046060
Shelley

View attachment 2046065
Shelley winning best maran at Staffordshire County Show.

As you can see, they have some feathering on their feet but not majorly. I would offer you some of my maran eggs but you live in Idaho and I live in England so i dont know if the eggs would travel well going that distance.

Thanks! Do you happen to have any pics of their eggs?

 

[Silkie2005]

Thanks! Do you happen to have any pics of their eggs?

One of the eggs that I have hatching in six days!

They are a lovely dark brown and are easily distinguishable from your normal brown eggs.

 

[rosemarythyme]

I would prefer hens without leg feathering since they are supposed to be really hard in terms of upkeep

I haven't noticed any real difference between upkeep of my FBCM and the other hens. Only time it caused issue was when I was dealing with bumblefoot, and I admit it was harder to vetwrap a feathered foot than a non feathered one.

 

[A & H]

I haven't noticed any real difference between upkeep of my FBCM and the other hens. Only time it caused issue was when I was dealing with bumblefoot, and I admit it was harder to vetwrap a feathered foot than a non feathered one.

Ok, sweet. whew! That's certainly good to know