Keep Calm And Think About Marans Chickens

Keep Calm And Think About Marans Chickens

Jan 02, 2024

This Marans Chickens Breed has really peaked people’s interest simply for one fact, and that’s for its Dark Brown Eggs!


A novelty you might think?


But what a novelty it is…


I know of only three breeds that lay dark brown eggs, the Marans (spelled in plural is the proper spelling by the way!) as mentioned, the Welsummer, and the Barnevelder.


So without further ado let’s go over some facts about this interesting breed, shall we?


Marans Chickens And Their Origin

The Marans’ origin can actually be traced back to France.


It was created from the Langshan breed and Faverolles, Coucou De Malines, and English Game Hens.


In 1914 at a national exhibition, the Marans made its official debut as the “Country Hen” in La Rochelle.


During the 1920s Madam Rousseau endeavoured to give the breed its standard form and dark brown eggs!


On another note, the bantam breed of the Marans was developed in the 1950s.


Also, the Marans breed is actually not accepted as a pure breed in many poultry associations, Lord Greenway in 1929 imported some black Cuckoo and White Marans for breeding.


This became the standardized breed in Britain.


In fact, the Cuckoo Marans is now one of the most popular breeds of Chicken in the U.K.


Are Maran Chickens Good Layers?

In fact, if are not dazzled by their dark brown eggs the Marans chickens are famous for laying incredibly dark brown eggs, yet you do get a two-for-one, they are good egg layers too.


These chickens are also friendly, they actually do well both in confinement and on the range, meaning in the countryside, and they get along great in mixed-breed flocks.


So if you are deciding to have more than one different breed in your backyard chickens they will get on fine.


I myself could never just stick to one breed of chicken, I like variety and colour, see artist temperament coming out…


Are Maran Chickens Friendly?

The Marans will actually make a great hen for the beginner, so have a good temperament for having as backyard chickens, and of course pets.


See also The Fascinating History of Ayam Cemani Chickens

So they are pretty docile and robust with also being good layers, but you could say…

Not as profound at laying then say the “Rhode Island Red” or Leghorn thought.


However, do you really need a high-performance egg-laying hen, unless you really want many eggs you can do two things…


Get a high-performance egg-laying hen, and get less of them, or get a less high-performance laying hen and get more of them.


I am sure then you will get the same output of egg production.


Their Appearance

The most recognised Marans is the Cuckoo variation, sounds interesting…


They have irregular bands of dark colour on a lighter background.


There are other colour variations too, this includes the:

  • copper
  • white
  • golden
  • black
  • silver
  • wheat


To name just a few.


In fact, in France, the Marans still carry the trait of feathered legs from their Langshan Ancestors.

This became standardised there in 1930 with the most popular colour variation being copper black or wheaten.


You can also get a Bantam-sized Maran as well.


How Big Do Maran Chickens Get?


The standard weight of a full-sized Maran:

Rooster – Standard: 3.5–4 kg
Female: Standard: 2.5–3



The Bantamweight of a Maran:

Rooster – 1100 g
Female:900 g



Maran Chickens Egg

Some people ask if the dark brown eggs of the Marans taste any different to the normal white eggs?


The taste is no different than a white or brown egg!

Yet, not every Maran hen lays as equally dark brown eggs, they do vary in colour, just in case you go outside and see this for yourself, and go rushing in to look it up.


I am giving the heads-up now so you know, OK…


The French strain of the Marans lays darker eggs than the U.K. Version.


However, do Keep in Mind

There are some breeders out there who will pass off the “The Speckledy” as a Marans.


See also The Benefits of Raising Brown Egg Laying Chickens: From Nutrition to Pest Control.


Now, these are not your true Marans’!


Yes…


Dodgy people everywhere.


So if you decide to breed them and go for some eggs- do get them from well-known breeders online or elsewhere.


You don’t want to end up with a breed of chicken you were not expecting, do you…


The 9 Recognized Colours In The French Marans Standards:

  • Wheaton
  • Cuckoo
  • Golden Cuckoo
  • Birchen
  • Black Copper
  • Black
  • Black-tailed Buff
  • Columbian
  • White


There are other colours that are not officially recognised by the APA such as the ones recognised by the:


These varieties include:

  • Black
  • Black Copper
  • Black-Tailed Buff
  • Blue
  • Blue Copper
  • Blue Wheaten
  • Brown Red
  • Birchen
  • Golden Cuckoo
  • Silver Cuckoo
  • Wheaten
  • White
  • Salmon
  • Columbian


Maran Chickens Are Excellent For Backyard Runs

Like all chickens Maran chickens love to free-range, and yet they also thrive very well in the backyard.

The more space you can give any chicken the better, and the happier they’ll be as with anything.


Being a person that lives in the suburbs, you only have a certain amount of land allocated to you so you can feel comfortable that the maran will live comfortably beside you.


The other reason Marans chickens do well in backyards is that they’re not one of the noisier breeds of chickens.


There are always going to be, even people…


I am sure you know a few that stand out of the crowd…


Some breeds of chickens are decidedly noisier than others, constantly cackling and squawking away.


But you can rest assured, that the marans chickens are not one of these breeds.
Now you can breathe a sigh of relief…

They’re pretty average when it comes to the noise department.


So what do you think about the Marans Chickens?


I specifically like the fact that they come in such a variety of colours and of good temperament.


They are not the most well-known of chicken breeds, but at least you now know they even exist and more of what they’re all about, hence this site.