Maran black-copper: description and characteristics of the breed of chickens

The Maran breed of chickens appeared in France back in 1985. Thanks to breeding work, scientists from the city of Maran created a new bird that had both excellent quality eggs and meat products. In addition, the chickens turned out to be quite unpretentious and felt equally well, both in favorable conditions for keeping, and far from in the conditions of the "Lux-class".

For the first time Maranas appeared at the La Rochelle exhibition, which took place in 1914. There, the chicken was immediately appreciated and paid attention to. Nevertheless, the bird acquired its name only 10 years later, that is, in the 24th year, and its standard was adopted in the 31st year.

In today's publication, we will provide a detailed description of the chickens of this breed, show their photos and reviews of farmers who are familiar with this bird firsthand.

Description of the breed

Maranas look pretty attractive. The bird has a fairly strong body, but at the same time it does not look like typical representatives of broilers.

The body size is average, the physique is beautiful, the plumage is dense. The body is slightly elongated, the shoulders are wide enough.

The rib cage is well developed, and the wings are very tightly pressed to the body. The legs of the bird are rather short, white, slightly pinkish in color. However, Maran with a dark feather color may have a darker color (gray or even dark gray).

The head of the bird is small, slightly oblong. On the head is a medium-sized pointed scallop. Earrings and lobes are red. The eyes, like most chicken breeds, are red-orange. The beak is curved, yellow.

Breeding history

Nothing is known for certain about the origin of the ancestors of the Maran chickens. Most likely, these were aboriginal layers, which have long been bred in the west of France. In the 19th century, when several breeds of chickens from India were brought to Europe, breeders experimented by crossing local birds with brahmas and langshans. So they got a new breed with feathered metatarsals.

For the first time, the Maran breed was presented in the city of Le Rochelle at an exhibition in 1914. The scientist who created it was awarded a high award. A few years later, a breeders club was founded, dedicated to the breeding of these birds. In 1931, the French standard for marans was approved. The breed was named after the city of Marens, where it was bred.

Soon, the birds were presented at an international exhibition in the UK. The bird interested the English breeders, but they did not like the plumage on the metatarsus. The scientists decided to improve the line. For crossing, they selected individuals with bare paws. This is how the bare-footed maran chicken appeared in the UK.

At the beginning of the 21st century, Americans founded their own Maran club, which recognizes the French breed standard. Most countries in the world have followed suit. Russian farmers got acquainted with the chicken laying chocolate eggs relatively recently, but have already managed to appreciate it.

Bird productivity

The breed belongs to meat and meat. The weight of mature males is in the range of 3.5-4 kg, and the weight of layers is 2.5-3.2 kg. The meat is quite tasty, but it is significantly inferior in taste to modern broilers.

The bird ripens quickly enough.By the age of one year, the males are gaining almost their peak weight (3-3.5 kg), while the hens weigh about 2.2-2.5 kg. The carcass after plucking looks quite attractive, suitable for sale on the market. The skin is yellowish-white. There is practically no fat.

Laying hens begin to hatch quite late (by modern standards), closer to 6 months of their life. Egg production cannot be called high, since it is about 130-150 eggs per year. At the same time, eggs are of high value. One Maran egg can weigh up to 100 grams. Such an egg will clearly stand out against the background of the usual 60 gram eggs laid by other breeds.

In addition to the large size, the eggs are remembered for their "chocolate" color, which becomes more and more intense closer to the year of the bird's life (older chickens have a lighter shade of eggs).

Egg features

Maranov is known all over the world for its "golden" eggs, which have a juicy dark brown color, which indicates the high quality of the product. On a special scale of quality index, eggs reach 9 points out of 10. These are very dark, almost black specimens. Interestingly, the eggs get such an unusual color during their passage through the oviduct. In fact, the dark color is just a superficial pigment “shirt”, under which the true color of the eggs appears - light. An additional top layer thickens the shell.

Many farmers believe that the color of the shell can be "changed" with the help of poultry food. Dark colored foods make the eggs darker. However, most argue that the unique color of eggs can only be achieved by mixing the male maran with chickens of other varieties.

You may be interested in: How to feed laying hens in winter at homeHow to make an automatic feeder for chickensWhat to treat coccidiosis in broilers at home

By the way!

Maran eggs are famous all over the world. In France, they even organize annual contests where they evaluate the appearance and taste of famous eggs.

Another feature of the production of maran chickens is the correct oval shape of the eggs. Sometimes the ends are so identical that it is impossible to distinguish between the sharp and the blunt ends. The structure of the shell is also striking - it is very dense and thick. Thanks to this, eggs almost never become infected with serious diseases, in particular salmonellosis. Transportation of such eggs is often "painless", since the shell can withstand shaking for many hours and does not crack. Such eggs are stored much longer than others.

Varieties of Maranov

Marans come in a variety of colors, such as:

1. White.
2. Black.
3. Cuckoo.
4. Wheat.
5. Colombian.
6. Silver-black, etc.

Wheat

In representatives of this species, the color has a golden hue. Wheaten cockerels are much more beautiful than laying hens. Males have wheaten-colored necks, black breasts and red tail feathers.

Cuckoo

Cuckoo-colored males, based on the French standard, are an order of magnitude lighter than females. The bird has variegated plumage all over its body.

Copper black

Almost the entire body of the bird is covered with black feathers with a copper tint.

Black-tailed

Representatives of this species, as it is not difficult to guess, are endowed with a black tail, which stands out against the background of the bird's color. The main color of black-tailed Maran is red.

Colombian

Like many other "Colombian" species, the Maran also has black and white plumage (mostly white). A black, feathery mane stands out on the bird's neck. The tail is also black. The down of the bird is black, but this is not noticeable against the background of white plumage.

The black

Representatives of this species have completely black plumage. If an impregnation of any other color is found on the body of black Maran, then this bird is discarded.

White

White marans have white plumage.In cockerels, the mane and tail very often have a yellowish tint.

Photo

In this section, you have the opportunity to look at the photos of the best representatives of the Maran chicken breed. In the first photo, you can see the copper-colored birds:

The most common gray chicken in good physical shape without any diseases. Just walking in his cage:

The most beautiful rooster seems to be posing in front of the camera. The shooting was made in the most ordinary small poultry house:

In this photo, you can see how much larger a rooster can be than a regular chicken:

Well, here the poultry house is located right on the green and lush grass. Chickens love this:

Here you see the opposite situation. Chickens live in a fenced area where nothing grows:

Advantages and disadvantages of Maranov

Like any other poultry, marans have both advantages and disadvantages. The positive qualities of this breed include the following:

1. Decorative appearance of eggs. Indeed, the eggs of this bird have an attractive "chocolate" color, which is highly appreciated by customers. The intensity of the shade depends on the age of the hen. The young bird lays lighter eggs, while the one-year-old - the darker ones. It is also worth noting that gradually, as the bird ages, the eggs become lighter in color.
2. Besides the fact that the eggs of this bird have an attractive "chocolate" color, the meat of the Maran is very good in taste.
3. Thanks to the thick shell, bacteria do not penetrate into the egg. The eggs of this bird are not susceptible to salmonellosis infection.
4. Thanks to the strong shell, the products are very easy to transport over long distances without loss of marketability.
5. The bird is decorative. In addition to high-quality, large eggs and meat products, the owner of Maranov gets a beautiful "decoration" of his private yard.
6. In addition to their external qualities, marans can boast of good immunity and endurance. The bird easily adapts to various conditions of detention, and also very rarely encounters diseases.
7. High level of fertilization of eggs and high survival rates of young animals.

Along with that, do not forget about the shortcomings of birds. In particular, the main disadvantages of the breed include:

1. Thick shells are a good way to protect eggs from cracking during transport. However, at the same time, it is a serious obstacle to the birth of young animals.
2. Very low egg production. Despite the fact that chickens give quite large eggs of 80-100 grams, their number is significantly limited. Ideally, you can squeeze 180 eggs from a chicken per year, in practice, in private yards, this figure is within 130 eggs per year.

Reproduction

Chickens of the Maran breed reproduce well both naturally with the help of layers, and with the help of incubation. You can choose the method that is convenient for you. Many farmers prefer the first method, they believe that the eggs develop better this way.

Chickens Maran

Incubation

For incubation, you must choose the eggs of the most saturated color. This way you will get the "cleanest" young growth, which will have all the characteristics of the breed. To increase the likelihood of breeding high-quality young stock, you need to take eggs from those layers that have the brightest signs of the breed.

Incubation material

Follow these guidelines during incubation:

• at the second stage, it is necessary to regularly air the eggs, otherwise the embryos may suffocate in a thick shell;
• a few days before hatching, spray the eggs with water from a spray bottle to increase the moisture content to 75%. This will soften the shell slightly and facilitate the hatching process;
• You can help the chicks to hatch by breaking the shells a little where they are pecked.

How to make an incubator

Egg incubators prices

Egg incubators

Growing young animals

At first, the chicks are kept in a brooder or in a box covered with a towel. In this case, the air temperature should be at the level of 30 degrees. The temperature is reduced by two degrees every day. After a week, you can take the young animals outside, but only for a couple of hours. And starting from the age of two weeks, they can already be kept in the shed only during the day, and should be brought into the house at night. After 30 days, the chickens are kept in the barn for the whole day.

Chicken Maran

Feeding is integral to the full development of chicks. It is important to adhere to a certain scheme that will allow young animals to absorb all the nutrients as much as possible.

1. The first 3 days - feed every 2 hours with chopped boiled eggs mixed with cottage cheese.
2. From 3 to 6 days - chopped corn or millet groats are added to the eggs.
3. From day 6 - it is necessary to introduce calcium supplements in the form of crushed shells or shell rock. Feeding is carried out 5-6 times a day.
4. From day 10, the frequency of feeding is reduced to 4 times.
5. Starting from the second week, plant food is introduced in the form of carrots, nettles, alfalfa, clover.
6. From day 30, young animals are transferred to regular adult food.

Remember to water the chickens, and every 5 days give them water with a mild manganese solution.

Care and maintenance

The bird is quite unpretentious, but this does not mean that it needs to be kept in poor conditions. Chickens need a dry, clean, well-ventilated chicken coop. There should be no drafts in it, as they can provoke a disease in the bird.

At the same time, the room must be well ventilated. Ventilation will help not only saturate the room with fresh oxygen, but also remove unpleasant odors, in particular, formed by the waste products of poultry.

The floor must be dry and warm. Ideally, it should be covered with special material. Used as such material:

1. Peat.
2. Straw.
3. Hay.
4. Sawdust.

The layer height must be at least 15 cm.

In order to protect chickens from parasites such as ticks and fleas, the room must be periodically disinfected. It is advisable to do it once every 6 months.

Another important attribute of a hen house is perches and nests. Perches are performed at a height of 50-60 cm from the floor. Someone recommends performing them in the style of a ladder, someone against such perches, since the birds may try to take upper positions, which will lead to conflict. Which roost to do is already a matter of the poultry farmer.

As for the nests, they are also located at a height of 50-60 cm from the floor. There should be enough room for the chicken in the nest, so their size is approximately 40x40 cm.

Drinking bowls and feeders should be located in the chicken coop and on the street. Drinkers should have clean water. In the summer it is changed 2 times a day, in the winter 1 time. It is also recommended to install an additional container with wood ash in addition to the feed trough. It is necessary for the chicken to bathe in it, thereby cleansing its body (or protecting it) from the same fleas and ticks.

To prevent the bird from overturning the feeders, they must be installed along the wall. Also, many poultry breeders practice installing a grid on the feeders, which does not restrict access to food for chickens, but protects it from their legs (chickens love to swarm in water and food) and from chicken droppings.

We also recommend reading: Description of the Holosheynaya chicken breed

Another important attribute is lighting. In winter, daylight hours are very short. If you do not take any measures, then there is a rapid decline in egg production. To extend daylight hours in the hen house, it is necessary to install artificial lighting, which is made from ordinary yellow incandescent lamps. The ideal length of daylight hours, regardless of the age of the chickens, is 15-16 hours.

How to properly keep chickens

There is traditionally nothing complicated here.Incubator chicks must first be placed in a box, first covering the bottom with a lint-free towel. The box should be closed with a metal grate, and a light bulb should be installed on top of such a power so that the temperature inside is about + 30 ° C. It is important that the chicks do not freeze (if this happens, they huddle together). The temperature should be lowered by 2 ° C every day.

Chickens Maran

From one week old, chicks can be taken to fresh air, starting from a few hours. Chicks as young as two weeks old can stay in the barn all day, but they still need to be taken indoors at night. The final transfer to the barn is allowed from a month. Chicks should be supervised outdoors until they are two or three months old.

The diet

This bird is picky in terms of nutrition. It is not necessary to feed Maranov with special ready-made mixtures, a standard diet of domestic chickens will be enough. However, one must take into account the fact that to create one egg, a hen will need a large amount of nutrients, which she must receive from food. The following must be present in the diet of Maranov:

1. Sources of calcium. Since the shell of the egg is strong, it takes a lot of calcium to create it. His bird can get it from meat and bone, fish meal. Also, good sources of calcium are chalk, crushed shell rock, and crushed eggshells. Shredded shell rock is the best of the three. Crushed shells are bad in that the hen can see the shell in it, which in turn is fraught with the beginning of pecking of eggs to obtain calcium. Chalk is the worst of all, since it cannot be given to birds very often because of the possibility of its sticking in the gastrointestinal tract, which can provoke its blockage.
2. Cereals. This is the basis of the diet. Chickens should receive cereals both whole and crushed. Many poultry farmers practice sprouted grain feeding to chickens. It must be introduced into the diet when it is necessary to improve the performance of egg production.
3. Mushrooms. Mushrooms are useful because they contain a number of substances important for poultry. You can add table salt, bone meal, cereals, cereals, vegetables, etc. to the mash. It is advisable to give the mash to the hens in the afternoon, at lunchtime, in the interval between morning feeding (grain) and evening (grain).
4. Fresh grass. It should also be included in the diet of females. The grass will help reduce the cost of keeping poultry.
5. Yeast. They must be introduced into the diet when the bird is lagging behind in development and needs to gain weight.

Analogs

There is another breed called Easter. This breed of chickens is called - Ameraucana... In some ways, this breed is similar to the Maran chicken breed. She has a bright, beautiful plumage, mainly golden brown in color. Breed type: egg and meat. Its most important feature is that Ameraucana bears eggs of various colors: brown, pinkish, light blue, olive, and khaki.

Because of this, it is called the Easter chicken. Ameraucana have good egg production. Chickens are hardy and strong, adapt to any climate, are not susceptible to any diseases. Very good quality meat, tasty and tender.

Another of the interesting chickens - Araucan... Just like the Maran chickens, they lay colored eggs. Araucana lays eggs that are not quite familiar, namely, a bluish-green hue. These eggs are very beautiful and unusual. The chicken itself is also cute, and besides, it is hardy and has good health. Egg production is decent.

If you want to breed chickens, of course, you should seriously approach this issue, think over all the nuances when choosing a breed of chickens. There are a lot of chicken breeds, it is difficult to figure out which one is worth tackling right away. However, one of the best in all plans is the above-described breed of Maran chickens.

The bright, juicy colors of chickens will not leave anyone indifferent, endurance and good health will delight the owners of the courtyard, and the eggs of golden brown color are so unusual and tasty that you are amazed. The main thing is to make the right choice, taking into account all the subtleties and features of a particular breed.

Breeding

For incubation, the darkest and largest specimens are selected, weighing from 65 g, in order to preserve genetic developments. The main problem of the artificial method is a strong shell and a strong shell of raw materials. Weakened chickens at the time of ripening are not able to peck the shell or break the shell, which leads to the death of the offspring.

In order to help the chicks to hatch in time and to avoid their asphyxiation from lack of oxygen, in the second half of the incubation period, good ventilation of the space is arranged.

The second danger that should be given the meaning of "strict" is the adhesion of the embryo to the shell membranes. This can be avoided by rotating the trays more often and keeping the air humidity around 75%. Overheating control in the last period complements the daily spraying of the incubation material from the spray bottle. Farmers recommend lowering the temperature from the second week in order to reach a stable level of 36.8-36.9 ° at the time of hatching.

Subject to the regulations and incubation modes, the fluffy is born synchronously - on the 21st day. If you entrust the incubation of offspring to a reliable chuck, then you can naturally solve all the depreciation associated with caring for the young.

Age features

As already noted, the first sock is effective in the relatively small size and color of the eggs, but subsequently the color gains brightness, and the size increases. The peak intensity of their color is observed in one-year-old layers, and in general its duration is about a year; for older mothers - it becomes brighter.

Each subsequent year is characterized by a gradual decrease in the productivity of layers, up to the complete cessation of laying, therefore it is advisable to carry out a planned replacement of the herd in a timely manner.