Here is extra information about all Marans.
Our breeders are from 3 different sources. These are the lines of Copper Marans I used to build my line:
- Black Coppers from local source
- Blue / Black / Splash Coppers from another local breeder
- Black Coppers from Mashburns Marans
For several years I interbred the first 2 lines, selecting for dark eggs and keeping the blue gene in the line. These were significantly better than average Copper Marans from hatcheries, but not as dark as pictures I was seeing. One summer a customer offered me some cockerels from Mashburns Marans. I used those over my hens and the F1’s laid eggs that were much darker (as seen in the pic below). I have continued to breed the improved line, continually selecting for the darkest possible eggs.
In 2024 I purchased chicks from Mashburns Marans and am maintaining a separate breeding pen of that line. I will also be crossing them into my line (again) to see if the blue/black/splash eggs can get even darker.
These are beautiful birds, both sexes. I especially like the colors of the blue copper hens. They all have feathers on their legs, like Marans should. Roosters are large, imposing birds, often used as guardians for laying flocks. I have found them all to be docile with people, but among the best at protecting their flock from small hawks.
Chicks are sold straight run, but should be sexable around 5 or 6 weeks of age. Copper Marans are probably the easiest cockerels (young roosters) to rehome because they are so beautiful, calm around people, good protectors, and they pass their dark egg genes to their progeny, so a cockerel from a good dark egg line is valuable as a breeder.
