Marans

A medium sized bird of “utility”type ,meaning it is a general table , egg layer, fancy bird. Marans are in the barred or cuckoo colour patterns, meaning they have a light and dark band of colour in an even and separate pattern. There are three known types of colour patterns available in the UK.  all following the cuckoo type pattering silver, gold, dark. The silver has a white neck and light bars. The gold has blue/gray bars with a shade of gold the neck is blue/gray with gold and black markings. The dark which is the most common has white and gray colouring with bands of black/blue.

The maran hen originates from France, from the village of ”Marans.” It is world famous for the excellent dark brown eggs it lays, with which I have won many awards with in egg classes. Although the birds do not win often at shows as the general interest is given to egg production and less to the feather pattering. Unlike the barred Plymouth rock which has near perfect patterning.

Marans are a soft feathered bird which lay fairly tight to the body. They have a great ability to live in rough conditions (long grass weeds ect) and seen quiet happy to do so. Marans are a nicely rounded bird with a long back and a full breast, making them a suitable table bird if you have excess young cocks.

In France marans are allowed to have feathered legs but in the UK this is a fault. A few are shown its not a matter of life or death as the main importance is on the egg colour.

I find that the maran is a great fowl for the beginner to start with as it is very docile, looks attractive and lays a nice dark egg. Marans tend to go “rusty” with age? As the birds get older the sunlight gives the feathers a rusty tinge ,but if your not showing the birds it does not matter.

The Marans Club of France has wonderful photos and articles . The French have 12 colors
recognized in their standard, there is also a blue Marans. That should be accepted by the French in the next couple of years.

A selection of eggs from my marans pullets , how do they compare to your marans eggs?

Maran links

the marans club of France showing the 12 different colours of marans

The North American Marans Club  lots of interesting info, with translations to English from French links

Kintaline Farm, Benderloch, OBAN, Argyll, PA37 1QS Scotland   Tel: 01631 720223 email: home@marans.co.uk , excellent utility marans.

Marans Chickens pages on poultrykeeper .com Good information on the Marans breed in England

Meet Alex the marans rooster

<Note i have used some similar photos as mine have been deleted by mistake> 

Photo courtesy of Sylvia Peatman , WWW.FEATHERSITE.COM

 Alex the rooster was named after a famous UK radio presenter who broadcasts on the BBC radio2 programe "the best time of the day show" through the night.

Alex Lester the shows host addopted Alex the rooster as his mascot after we were talking by e mail and i sent him a photo of Alex the rooster actually hatching live on air, since then , A-T-R, has progressed steadily from chick to full fledge rooster , with his photos appearing in national uk, poultry press at one day old to adult hood.

A-T-R  , was selected for a marans breding program at a rare breeds center near Coventry , uk , and has come on well since bieng put with his new hens , Alex's main achievement this year was winning best marans at the local Fillongley agricultural show in August.

Alex the Rooster                                    

   Alex Lester  < photo copyright of BBC radio2> 

ALEX passed away chasing youmg hens around on saturday 25 January 2003