Earlier in the month I spent some time in Lake Tahoe. While I was there I helped watch some hens for a neighbor. The neighbor indicated that she had just got rid of the rooster the day before and that most of the hens eggs should be fertilized. So I took some of the eggs home and placed in an incubator. The eggs began hatching today!
The June 5 chicken that hatched are doing great! They are still in a smaller caged area within the coop. There are 9 chicks. Can't really tell what sex yet. This is week 7.
Portable Chicken Coop Idea. The price of the lumber rise has caused some concern in building the portable coop. Portable Coop Idea
Marans originated in western France and were imported in the 1930s. There are 9 recognized colors: Cuckoo, Golden Cuckoo, Black, Birchen, Black Copper, Wheaten, Black-tailed Buff, White, and Columbian. There are others it appears.... included are Silver Cuckoo, Gold Cuckoo, Black Copper (Brown Red), Blue Copper, Splash Copper, Wheaten, Black Tailed Buff, White, Black, Blue, Splash, Birchen (Silver Black) and Columbian. All of these except the Blue Copper, Splash Copper, Blue, and Splash varieties are part of the official French standard. Although, the French Marans Club acknowledges that the Blue color has existed in Marans chickens since its origin. If you find Marans chicks at a feed store, they will most likely be the Black Copper or Cuckoo variety. Hens are active and enjoy free-ranging, and also have friendly, outgoing personalities.
Marans are renowned for their dark chocolate brown eggs. French Copper Marans chickens are the official "dark chocolate brown egg" layers of the chicken world. They lay those super deep dark brown eggs. If you’re looking for unique eggs, these are quite the conversation piece! You’ll get about 150-200 each year in your nesting boxes.
At the HHS Farm, we have both Black Copper Marans and Blue Copper Marans. As with any Blue variety of chicken, you will also get Splash as a by-product of breeding, so far we have not yet had the splash show up. Our November hens began laying in May of 2021. We recently had our first generation of Marans hatch on June 5-10. (F1) Eight total chicks have survived to date. Of our surviving chicks, 3 eggs are from blue, 3 are olive, 2 were dark brown eggs. It also appears that four of the eggs may be roos.
Some Sights....Marans Egg Colors
History of the Marans Chicken....Maran or Marans
Blue Copper Marans....The Blue
How to Start a Chicken Farm...chicken farm
This past month eight hens went into brood mode. I placed eggs under the hens back in mid-June. Four chicks hatched this week, three have survived, one egg has yet to hatch. Two eggs were placed in the fridge by egg collectors last week and thus are no longer viable. As of today, only one hen continues brooding and the olive eggers have begun laying again. I have not seen an OE in four weeks.
All chicks from the June 5 ish hatch are alive and doing fine. The eight chicks are in a separate holding brood in the Chicken Coop where they will stay until about week 8.
