A French Cuckoo Marans is a fun bird to have in your yard. When they are adults, they look like barred Plymouth rocks, but their legs have fun feathers on them. Like other Marans, they lay dark brown eggs, about 180 to 200 a year.
They get big and are very calm and tame when they get older. Most of the time, they don’t bother other birds in the flock, and when they get bigger, they are a great breed to add to an existing flock.
French Cuckoo Marans Chicken Overview
Since the 1200s, this kind of chicken has been around. It is called the French Marans. She was first a landrace chicken, but over time she has gotten genes from many different kinds. Her exact genetic make-up is probably going to stay a secret to us.
On the other hand, what we now call Marans began to show up in the early 1900s. There, her eggs were famous for having a lot of color and flavor. People keep Marans in their backyards or on small farms these days.
Although they can handle being confined, they do best when they are free to roam. Their chocolate-colored eggs may be what made the Black Copper Marans famous. But there are a lot more kinds of Marans to pick from (we’ll talk more about this later). On the whole, this chicken is friendly and lays beautiful brown eggs.
History & Origin
The Marans breed came from France, in marshy places near the coast of the Atlantic Ocean. The breed is named for the old port city of Marans. People say that the Marans type bird began to evolve as early as the 1300s, when local swamp hens and different gamecocks brought in on ships started to breed with each other.
The breed continued to grow slowly over the next few hundred years, with Brahma and Langshan blood being added in the late 1800s. In 1914, marans looked like they do now for the first time in French chicken shows. In 1931, the Marans Club of France made the first law about Marans. The club has been around since 1929.
For a long time, every year a few Marans have been taken into the United States. This may have begun when soldiers returned from World War II. Not only from France, but also from other European countries, people have brought birds and eggs over the years.
Large, rusty brown eggs are what that makes the Marans breed unique, so choosing birds based on egg color and size should never be skipped. The Marans is a medium-sized bird, their legs have a light covering of feathers, but leg feathering should never be too thick.
What Do French Cuckoo Marans Look Like?
The bodies of Marans are shaped like a trapezoid. The chickens have a lot of muscle on their legs and breasts. Each type has one comb, red wattles, and red earlobes. The color of their eyes is orange.
As the winter approaches, the Marans’ thick feathers keep them warm. Sheep with feathers on them might or might not be allowed in your country. The UK and Australia only accept clean legs, while the US and France both take feathered legs.
What Is It Like To Own A French Cuckoo Marans Chicken?
The French Marans Chickens love to move around. When you let them roam free, you can often see them going where they want. You will also see them looking for food.
They really need to be active, so if you can take them out of the run and let them run in a controlled range, they will love it.
Personality of French Cuckoo Marans
In general, Marans are calm and friendly chickens. They aren’t mean to other birds, but they won’t stand being picked on either. In spite of this, they are surprisingly simple to handle.
Chickens are friendly and will follow you around if they want treats. You shouldn’t expect them to become lap chickens, though, because they’re not very soft.
The roosters can be a bit grumpy sometimes, which makes sense since they have a lot of gamecock genes. You shouldn’t leave them alone with little kids, especially when they’re breeding.
Egg Production of French Cuckoo Marans
People know Marans for their eggs. The egg that they lay is a deep, rich brown color that looks almost like chocolate.
They will probably lay 150 to 200 eggs a year. But if you want really dark eggs, the rate of production may be a little lower. In the same way that there is only so much printer ink, there is only so much color, so the more eggs there are, the lighter they will be.
The French have a scale that shows how desirable different colors are. James Bond, is said to really enjoy Marans’ eggs, which is pretty cool. It’s about normal for hens to be broody; some like it, while others couldn’t care less. Still, they make great moms.
Noise Levels
This breed of chicken is quiet and doesn’t often bark. One or two roosters crowing or the egg song should be all you hear. This makes them perfect for living in cities.
Feeding
For your flock, you should always use good feed. Chicks should start out on chick mush with 20–24% protein. This is what they need because they grow so fast as chicks. From the time they hatch until they are about 16 weeks old, you can feed them this. You can now move them slowly to a 16% layer feed.
If you want to keep your laying group healthy, they will need a 16% protein feed. You should raise their protein amount to 20% when they start to moult. They will be able to grow their feathers back quickly and keep their body in good shape.
For hens that need extra calcium, you should always have a different container of calcium for them to take. If your group roams freely, you won’t need to give them grit, but if you keep them in a run, you should give them a tray of it too. They should always be able to get clean, fresh water.
Summary
The French Cuckoo Marans has been through a lot of ups and downs, and it has a loyal fan base. There are a lot of different kinds of Marans, which shows that they have a very deep genetic pool. There are more than 9 different kinds in all. On the other hand, the American Poultry Association doesn’t accept many of these because they are still being worked on.
A few of these types are very rare and need to be protected. For sure, it will cost a lot of money to get good stock of the rarer breeds. Still, they are a tough breed that will look great in your yard for many years.
They only need to be fed and kept clean, and they will be happy if you let them run free. Chickens are meant to be busy, and they love it so much.