The Poultry Keeper

vanessa · Joined: 24 Sep 2005 Posts: 1267 Location: Correze

Which Marans give the best colour eggs? I quite fancy the Weaton, but do they give eggs as dark as the Copper Blacks?

Bhindi · Posted: Sun Feb 03, 2008 10:19 pm Post subject:

I have both, my French Wheaten is laying a slightly larger egg, but both are about the same in depth of colour, however the Wheatens, is always very shiny, where as the other is matt.

vanessa · Joined: 24 Sep 2005 Posts: 1267 Location: Correze

Oooh, thanks for that, Bhindi ... great news as I've fallen in love with the plumage colour of the Wheatens Wink

Bhindi · Posted: Mon Feb 04, 2008 10:53 pm Post subject:

I don't know if their meant to have it but my girl has these funny little extra feathers that stick out from her sides, they look like tags. They don't look as obvious from this angle but you can still see them, and I reckon she's got more than her fare share of comb if you ask me.. I don't know what the breed standard says, but what does that matter, she's sporting a huge purple bum at the moment having been pecked to bits (no damage to skin)

NannyP · Posted: Mon Feb 04, 2008 11:16 pm Post subject:

What a stunner Very Happy

vanessa · Joined: 24 Sep 2005 Posts: 1267 Location: Correze

BEAUTIFUL!!! I am in love!! Wink

Bhindi · Posted: Tue Feb 05, 2008 10:20 am Post subject:

Oh is she... Embarassed

I spose I've never seen her for the beauty she is, as I had ordered a white Sussex, and Stamina said on the day of collection the Sussex was actually a cockeral, but blondie here was sort of similiar.... so I probably thought I was getting 2nd best.. but I've seen her in a new light now, not that it changes the amount of love and care they get anyhow.

Attila The Hen · Joined: 19 Sep 2005 Posts: 436 Location: Shetland

Just to confuse things; I have Copper/blacks, and they all lay dark mahogany eggs... and their shells are shiny, not matt! I think it depends on the strain of the breed you get. Ask to see eggs laid by the parents for a pointer as to what to expect.

Attila

vanessa · Joined: 24 Sep 2005 Posts: 1267 Location: Correze

I'll get to see the eggs before I see the birds, as I'm going for hatching eggs ... too difficult to transport live birds this far (around 750km once you're the French side of the channel!), and that's without thinking of the export probs!!

NannyP · Posted: Tue Feb 05, 2008 3:56 pm Post subject:

My neighbour often has maran eggs Vanessa, and of course, I do, but they are crossed with who knows what. How do you fancy maran x CLB?

Attila The Hen · Joined: 19 Sep 2005 Posts: 436 Location: Shetland

Chris Kurzfeld · Joined: 29 Oct 2007 Posts: 1598 Location: Carmarthenshire

I have 2 Marans (think they are cuckoo) that lay very dark eggs. They put the colouring on so thick the shavings stick to the eggs!!!!

Chris

vanessa · Joined: 24 Sep 2005 Posts: 1267 Location: Correze

Thanks for the offer, NannyP, but I want pure-bred to start with ... I want the very dark eggs.

I guess I'll be getting loads of hatching eggs sent to my mum's address when we're over next Cool

tracey061196 · Posted: Fri Feb 08, 2008 3:21 pm Post subject:

Hi
I have just put in my incubator 64 eggs which consist of White Marans, Copper Black Marans, Salmon Marans, Splash Marans and Wellsummers. The eggs are really nice looking, i would say from the ones i have that th Copper Black have the darkest, followed by maybe the whites.

What are any of your views on the breed of marans eggs i have?

Attila The Hen · Joined: 19 Sep 2005 Posts: 436 Location: Shetland

Hi Tracey (and welcome to Poultry Keeper!),

I think if you have a good hatch you're going to have a beautiful flock! The Copper/blacks in my experience do lay the darkest eggs, though I don't think the hens themselves are anywhere near as pretty as your Salmons, or the Copper/blues that are available these days. The Copper/blacks look rather like Bovans Nera hybrids, but of course their eggs make up for what they lack in snazzy feathers!

That said, Marans as a whole are a lovely breed - fantastic temperament and very friendly as a rule. Are these your first ones?

Attila