We are really excited about our Marans for the 2025 breeding program. After 10 years of tinkering we believe we have finally found the perfect balance of stunning dark chocolate egg color, high production, lovely temperament and beauty. Every year just gets better and better with this breed.
The roosters are excellent at protecting the flock and making sure the hens fall back to the coop if a predator enters the barnyard from the land or sky.
The marans egg is always the egg that will stop people in their tracks when they look at a dozen. The color and quality of the eggs that our marans lay is one of the many things that makes our breeding program stand out in comparison to larger hatcheries. You will not be disappointed by the look of both the birds and eggs of this breed. In the last few years some of the girls have begun to lay eggs with heavy blooms over the top to create the appearance of a purple or pink egg like the one in the top right of this photo. Hens laying in this color/bloom will be a fun surprise in your egg basket if you receive one as a chick. Less than 10% of our adults grow up to lay in this shade but when they do it is fascinating to see.
Our girls and boys are all feathered on shake and their outside toes. 90% of our females have nice copper expression in their necks and all have an excellent disposition. Our 2025 Alchemist Line of French Black Copper Marans a completely new line from our previous years releases. If you are looking for more genetic diversity from the birds you have received from us in the past – look no further! We have been perfecting this line for 10 years and 2025 is the best release yet!
This breed cannot be sexed as chicks, they are sold straight run which means each chick has a 50/50 chance of being male or female.
In height of production our girls lay 5 eggs a week that are at least a 6 on the egg color chart.
We are particularly fond of our Marans roosters who are stunning, laid back and trustworthy. Our roosters faithfully protect our hens and always give them the first chance at food.
Whenever we gift a dozen mixed rainbow eggs to a friend they always comment on the Marans eggs first because of their beauty and size. The quality of their egg overall is superior to that of other breeds in that the shells are thick and the yolks are extra dense. When cracked open, the yolk of our free-range birds is bright orange, bursting with vitamins, protein and fats from the extra time it took to lay the egg. While a typical store-bought egg has a yolk that is runny and flaccid, the free-range Marans produce yolks that have ‘muscle tone;’ little orange domes that jut skyward from the egg white. You can taste the difference!
Quick Breed Stats
Egg Color: Chocolate
Cosmetic Egg Bloom: Can sometimes have bloom making the eggs look a totally different shade of purple. All eggs are laid with the natural protective bloom.
Egg Size: Larger than standard
Egg Texture: Shiny and smooth.
Egg Production During Spring and Summer: medium roughly 4 eggs a week.
Meat Production: duel purpose, both males and female have some meat on them.
Heat Tolerance: moderate, these are slightly larger birds that need shelter from extreme heat
Cold Tolerance: very high
Disposition: sweet, communicative, laid back, curious.
Weeks to Maturity: 22
Free Range Ability: high, males are always on the lookout for predators. Females run to shelter if the rooster sounds the predator alarm.
Likelihood They Will Want To Hatch Eggs: moderate
Prices:
Individual Unsexed Chick: $25 ea
More on the back story of this breed:
The Black Copper Marans chicken is a breed of domestic fowl that originated in France. The breed was developed in the town of Marans, located in the Charente-Maritime region of France, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The breed was originally used for both egg production and meat, and it was prized for its rich, dark brown eggs.
In the early 20th century, the breed became popular among French poultry fanciers, who worked to standardize its appearance and improve its egg-laying ability. By the 1920s, the Black Copper Marans had become one of the most highly prized breeds of poultry in France, and it was soon exported to other countries, including England and the United States.
In the United States, the Black Copper Marans remained a relatively obscure breed until the late 20th and early 21st centuries, when a growing interest in heritage poultry breeds led to a resurgence of popularity for the breed. Today, the Black Copper Marans is widely recognized as a high-quality layer of rich, dark brown eggs, its attractive appearance, and its gentle, docile temperament.
