The Marans, also known as the Poule de Marans, is a French breed of chicken that is raised for both its meat and its dark-brown eggs. The Nouvelle-Aquitaine region of southwest France, close to the port town of Marans, in the département of Charente-Maritime, is where it first appeared. Only one other chicken breed, the Penedesenca of Catalonia, has an egg that is as dark as the Penedesenca, which range in color from mahogany to chocolate.
Description
They are strong birds with a lot of muscle in the thighs and breast. Red wattles, earlobes, and a single comb are features shared by all kinds. They have orange eyes. Because their feathers are fairly dense, marans can stay warm in the winter. Feathered shanks may or may not be accepted depending on where you live. While the UK and Australia only accept clean legs, the US and France only accept feathery legs.
The French breed standard for large fowl recognizes 10 colors: white, wheaten, silver cuckoo, golden cuckoo, black-tailed buff, copper-black, black, silver-black, copper-blue, and Columbian. Black, white, copper-black, and silver cuckoo are the bantam colors. The Entente Européenne lists fourteen colors. In France, the legless British variety is not recognized. Five distinct colors are recognized in the United Kingdom: black, dark cuckoo, golden cuckoo, silver cuckoo, and copper-black with feathered shanks.
As Pet
Housing
To establish a Marans chicken farming business, you must first create a good, pleasant, and secure housing system. Because decent housing not only keeps the birds healthy but also protects them from different kinds of predators and bad weather. Depending on your budget, any form of dwelling is possible. A cheap house could be constructed using only bamboo, wood, and other readily accessible materials. Or the house could be built entirely of concrete.
Install a reliable ventilation system and make sure that the home is receiving an adequate supply of clean, fresh air. Because a decent ventilation system keeps the birds healthy and reduces gas from the house.
Make an effort to design the home such that you can clean it quickly. A mature Marans chicken needs a living area of at least 6 square feet because they are a hefty breed.
Feeding
The most crucial aspect of Marans’ chicken raising operation is this. Because a proper diet not only promotes the birds’ continued health and productivity, but also promotes better growth and increased production. So make sure to always feed your chickens nutritious, high-quality food.
You have two options for feeding your chickens: commercial poultry feeds or homemade feeds. Just make sure the food is wholesome and nutritious for your birds. Never feed them contaminated food, and always make an effort to supply them with as much clean, fresh drinking water as they require.
Temperament
Despite the fact that the roosters might be aggressive toward other roosters, Black Copper Marans are peaceful and calm. Although there are some rather tame roosters to be available, this fits with the history of gamecock breeding and to some extent is expected. Though this varies from bird to bird, the hens are often calm. They don’t have a reputation for being a cuddly bird. An energetic bird that enjoys foraging and freedom of movement, Black Copper Marans may withstand confinement to some extent. Given sufficient housing and shelter, they are also quite winter-hardy and suitable for the Northern regions.
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