[SusieB]

I am planning to buy a couple of Splash Maran chickens, and I am wondering on the likelihood of getting dark brown eggs?

The only local place I can find to buy them is a show breeder.  I have read that breeding for show can mean they lose colour on the eggs.  Is this correct?

Is there anything I can ask the breeder that will influence my chances of getting a dark egg layers?

Many thanks for any advice.

[GrannieAnnie]

Hi Suzy, sorry I know nothing about Marans, but our member darkbrowneggs should be on here soon.  She knows loads!!!!!

or you could maybe send her a PM?  I'm sure she won't mind.

[ANHBUC]

I think if they are bred for show you may lose the quantity of eggs they will produce.  

If they are bred for show of their eggs as well as the bird showing then they will try and retain the dark brown egg colour.

I'm not sure if the breeding would have any effect on the hardiness of the breed which would also need to be considered.

As GA says darkbrowneggs would give you the best information on this.  

[Prod]

I have Copper Marans I bought as a POL last september When she first laid her eggs were almost purple they were that dark.  Now they have lightened a bit butthey range from darker than normal brown eggs, to really dark brown, sometimes specckled.  They taste delicious!!  just had 2 for my brekkie!!!!!

[darkbrowneggs]

Is there any reason for choosing Splash - This will be a French, feathered leg type, which I think occurs when breeding blue to blue, (I am only just getting into the breeding of the French type), and as far as I am aware it is not a colour recognized by any Marans Club anywhere in the world, but anyway certainly not in the UK, so perhaps the breeder is breeding for egg showing rather than showing birds.

If you are not particularly buying for the colour of the bird, why not ask your breeder, which of their birds they would recommend for dark eggs.  It might also be worth asking about how many you can expect from each bird per week, as some strains of French Marans are not all that prolific  The colour of the Marans egg is mostly "coated" on in the last stage before laying, and as this reserve of pigment runs out so the eggs become paler, hence poorer layers will sometimes produce the darker eggs, though infrequently.  Similarly as the eggs become larger the pigment has to stretch further, and eggs loose the depth of colour.  

Copper Black Marans have the reputation for producing darker eggs, but so much is down to strain rather than variety.  Many of the better colour eggs are from recently imported stock from France and Belgium, the breeders here seeming to loose the egg colour rather quickly.  

Wheaten have been the lastest to be imported in any numbers, and currently some of the Wheatens can be good dark egg layers.

Ask to see a tray of eggs so you can get a feel for the colour egg the parents are producing

Good luck with them Marans are lovely birds to keep and their eggs always cause such admiration.  By the way you are looking for an egg with a good depth of shine as well, dull eggs are not acceptable in Marans circles.

There is lots of stuff on The Marans Club of Great Britain website, which has links though to an English translation of the Marans Club of France

[SusieB]

Thank you everybody for your answers.  

The birds on offer are French Copper Splash Marans; the breeder is part of the Marans Club, I think he is showing the chickens, not the eggs.  He says the chickens will lay 'very brown eggs'.

I like the look of splash chickens, so I am trying to kill 2 birds with 1 stone (so to speak  )  splash colouring/dark brown eggs.   I plan to get four chickens altogether, two of which I want ex-batts.  I'm presuming chickens like a buddy of the same type, so I am limited to one breed for the other two (if that makes sense). I have looked at the Wheatens; they're lovely looking too, so I am even more confused.

Decisions, decisions!!

[darkbrowneggs]

Go for the ones you fancy, and I shall look forward to seeing some lovely piccies of their eggs.   

[joyfull]

please remember no buying or selling is allowed on this forum.

[devonbarmygardener]

We have a Blue Marans and either she's never laid or her eggs are a normal beige colour.
I'm pretty sure I've caught her just leaving the coop and the egg in their was beige and speckled white at one end?