Origin: MARANS, town on the Atlantic coast, near La Rochelle (France).
Classification: Heavy : Soft Feather
Characteristics of hatching eggs: The eggs should be large, ranging in size from about 65 grams for a pullet to 70-80 grams for an adult hen. To have a deep dark red-brown coloured shell.
General Appearance of a Maran Both Male /Female:
Cock:
Body ……….strong, fairly long and wide especially near the shoulders which are held high.
Neck………..long, fairly strong, tending to curve in on top towards the skull; the hackles are made of many long and abundant feathers covering the shoulders well
Back…………long, flat, slightly concave towards the rear
Saddle……..large, slightly raised but not rounded, covered with many lancets
Breast………strong and large
Abdomen….well developed
Wings………short , kept close to the body
Tail…………..strong at its base, quite short, fairly up without going over 45 °
Head……….average size, slightly flat and long
Comb………simple, of an average size, with a fairly rough texture. Sharp edges. The lobe not touching the nape
Wattles…….average size, red with a fine texture
Ear-lobes…average size, red and long
Face…………red coloured with or without down
Eyes…………bright, with a orangey-red iris
Beak………..Quite strong, slightly hooked and horn-coloured
Shanks…….big, without vulture hocks
Tarsi………..average size, with some feathers white or lightly pink coloured for all the varieties except for the BLACK, BROWN-RED and BIRCHEN Marans were grey or dark grey is permitted, although not preferred, for both sexes. Four long and well separated toes with the outer one sparsely feathered. The claws are white or horn- coloured
Hen:
Smaller than the cock, with a large, strong and more rounded body, a straighter back line, a well developed abdomen , and a fine comb,
straight or inclined only in the rear part.
The Wheaten Variety
Cock :Golden-red to brown-red head, lancets and hackles, red wing covers; the large wings covers form a black wing bar . The black primaries are edged with brown;The secondaries have internal black edged and external brown edges, which forms a brown wing bay. The upper breast is black and its lowest parts blackish.
Hen :Head and hackles are golden-red to brown; some black spots are permissible. Back, rump and wing covers are wheaten coloured. The feathers fluff is light and the edges may be lighter. The tail feathers and the flights are black, edged with brown. The breast and the abdomen are cream.
The under colour is whitish.
Disqualifying Defects:
The Wheaten Variety
Cock : breast spotted with brown or no brown wing bays.
Hen: washed off back colours. Faded colours on the back. Under-coloured smokey.
Weights:
Cock 3.60kg (8lb) Cockerel 3.20kg (7lb) Hen 3.20kg (7lb) Pullet 2.70kg (6lb)
Prices:
- Eggs = £2.50 Per Egg
- Day Old Chicks = £8.00 Each
- Growers Up to Six Weeks = £15.00 Each
- Growers Six Weeks to Sixteen Weeks = £25.00 Each
- P.O.L Pullets = £35.00 Each
Gallery:
