Marans Chicken Types – 10 Different Marans Breeds

Marans chickens are famous for laying huge, russet brown eggs. These medium-sized chickens are friendly and have pleasant personalities. They also thrive both on the range and in confinement.

In addition, Marans chickens get along perfectly well in mixed-breed flocks. These chickens have plenty to offer for barnyards and backyards alike.

What are Marans Chickens?

Marans chickens are chickens that originate from Marans in France. These chickens were created in the fall of the 1800s by crossbreeding various chicken breeds with different local game-type chicken breeds.

While chicken enthusiasts don’t know the specific type of chickens used in developing Marans chickens, many believe Langshans and Faverolles are some of the common species used for creating Marans chickens.

10 Different Types of Marans

Ever since the introduction of Marans in the poultry world, breeders have consistently been creating different types of Marans. Today, there are dozens of Marans such that it can be confusing to tell which kind of Marans best meets your meat and egg-production requirements.

Kindly check these ten different types of Marans to help you decide which Marans best suit you.

1. White Marans

White Marans are wonderful small farm and backyard chickens. These chickens are known for laying lots of lovely-looking dark brown eggs. Although Black Copper Marans and Cuckoo seem similar to white Marans, the latter is an excellent variation of Marans.

White Marans are large, full-bodied chickens. These chickens have a distinctly lush and thick white feathering. These chickens have pale gray-pink legs which aren’t feathered. White Marans live for approximately eight years, although some white Marans can live to close a decade with appropriate care.

White Marans roosters weigh about 7 lbs. on average, while hens weigh approximately 6 lbs. These are traditional and classic dual-purpose chickens. They lay between 150 and 180 eggs annually. White Marans are fast growers, making them solid meat birds that produce delicious dark meat.

White Marans are the friendliest of all Marans breeds. Although these chickens are gentle, they are efficient foragers and coexist harmoniously with other chicken breeds. White Marans are, however, protective but not overly aggressive. White Marans hens often go broody. They also make excellent mothers compared to most Marans.

2. Wheaten Marans

Wheaten Marans are winter hardy dual-purpose chickens. Their popularity is growing due to their ability to lay tons of dark-brown eggs. They boast stunning color varieties of all the Marans. Wheaten Marans hens have a soft cream and light beige plumage that appears like wheat grains.

Roosters are pretty striking since they are brilliantly colored and have a plumage that resembles a variety of farm decorations. Roosters have striking red single combs. Both hens and roosters have pinkish-gray legs and feet, while their eyes are amber-colored.

Wheaten Marans roosters weigh around 7 lbs., while hens from this breed weigh about 5 lbs. on average. These chickens can live for approximately eight years, though some hens can live with appropriate care for close to a decade.

Wheaten Marans are efficient layers since these chickens can lay up to 180 eggs annually. Eggs from these chickens are gorgeous dark brown eggs. At the onset of their laying cycle, hens will start laying dark brown eggs, although the color of their eggs will start fading as the hens continue laying. Roosters are dependable meat birds, producing chunks of dark-colored and tasty flesh.

Wheaten Marans have a calm temperament. They are friendly and active birds. Wheaten Marans roosters have dependable and calm dispositions, enabling them to get along with each other. However, other rooster breeds can instigate aggression if kept alongside Wheaten Marans roosters.

3. Silver Cuckoo Marans

Silver Cuckoo Marans are productive and active chickens. Although roosters are brighter than hens, these chickens have black and white barring. Silver Cuckoo Marans chickens have single, brightly colored combs. Roosters weigh around 7 lbs. and hens weigh approximately 5.5 lbs. These cold-hardy chickens can live for eight years in mild and harsh environments.

Silver Cuckoo Marans are terrific egg-laying chickens since they can lay over 180 eggs annually. Silver Cuckoo Marans hens lay chocolate brown nutritious and sweet eggs. Overly, Silver Cuckoo Marans are extraordinary dual-purpose chickens. They grow pretty quickly, making them efficient meat producers. While hens go broody, they are nevertheless excellent mothers.

Silver Cuckoo Marans have a lovely temperament. They enjoy foraging and interacting with their keepers and other poultry. Besides making extraordinary pet chickens, these chickens also get along with almost every non-aggressive chicken breed. Roosters can at times be aggressive, mainly while playing their protective role.

4. Golden Cuckoo Marans

Golden Cuckoo Marans are becoming quite popular Marans chickens in the US due to their ability to lay dark brown eggs. These chickens have a significant color variation. The color varieties of these chickens are genuinely striking.

This chicken breed has a golden cuckooing and distinctive striping that comes in multiple shades. Roosters weigh around 8. lbs, while hens weigh approximately 5.5 lbs. on average. These chickens are hardy since they can live for over seven years.

Hens have golden heads and necks with a striking gray, silver pattern. Furthermore, hens have dark tails with light edgings. Roosters are pretty flashy with huge wattles and combs. In addition, roosters have copper and bright golden striping from their heads and over their wings, saddles, and shoulders. Both sexes have pinkish horn-colored legs and beaks.

Golden Cuckoo Marans lay between 150 and 180 eggs yearly. The color of their eggs is usually dark brown. However, the coloring tends to be dark at the onset of the hens’ laying cycles. However, the coloring fades as the hens approach the end of their egg-laying cycles. Golden Cuckoo Marans are also dependable and solid meat birds. Their meat is richly flavorful and extremely dark.

Golden Cuckoo Marans are active chickens that enjoy foraging. They also live peacefully with other poultry birds. These chickens are pretty amicable, although cockerels are protective, although not overly aggressive. Golden Cuckoo Marans hens occasionally go broody, but they make lovely mothers.

5. Black Marans

Black Marans are a dependable choice of chickens for chicken keepers looking for a breed that lays dark eggs. Roosters have black plumage with copper coloring on their heads and saddles.

Hens are almost entirely black, although they have a slight copper coloring on their necks and heads. These chickens can live for over eight years. Roosters weigh around 8 lbs. while hens weigh 6.5 lbs., making these birds some of the largest Marans chickens.

Black Marans are terrific layers since you can expect between 150 and 200 dark or chocolate-brown eggs from your Black Marans hens. Hens will seldom get broody, and therefore keepers can expect plenty of eggs from their hens before they are ready to sit on their eggs. These chickens also grow to a decent table weight, and their flesh is awesomely flavorful.

Black Marans are non-aggressive, though roosters from this breed can be somewhat aggressive, especially while protecting their flock. These chickens seem to get quite along well with all non-aggressive chickens. Black Marans are active and excellent foragers. Furthermore, these chickens can handle confinement pretty well.

6. Copper-Black Marans

These dual-purpose chickens are beautiful, boast high egg production, and are also quite friendly. Copper-Black Marans have copper and black plumage. However, the appearance of the plumage looks different depending on the life stage of the individual chicken.

Copper-Black Marans roosters have a cooper coloring on their saddles, while their plumage can be black or copper. Hens have copper and black feathers, although hens have black color on their heads and necks. Roosters weigh approximately 8 lbs. while hens weigh around 6.5 lbs. These chickens live for about eight years.

Copper-Black Marans are terrific layers because, on average, these chickens can lay between 150 and 200 eggs annually. These chickens lay dark, chocolate-brown eggs. Hens aren’t the best sitters, although they are some of the best mothers of all chicken breeds. Copper-Black Marans also grow to a decent table weight, making these chickens, particularly roosters, efficient meat producers.

Copper-Black Marans are calm and friendly chickens. The non-aggressive Marans chickens can accommodate any non-aggressive breed. However, Copper-Black Marans aren’t the ideal chickens to keep with aggressive birds since they can’t defend themselves against aggressive birds.

Copper-Black Marans roosters can be aggressive, but only when executing their protecting duties. Overall, Copper-Black Marans are active and terrific foragers. They make lovely pet chickens since they allow humans to handle them.

Furthermore, Copper-Black Marans can make wonderful backyard birds and indoor chickens since they take confinement quite well.

7. Silver-Black Marans

Silver-Black Marans are a unique variety of Maran chickens. Roosters have white heads and necks. Silver-Black Marans have a silvery black plumage. Females have white heads and hackles with unmistakably pale silver barring. These chickens can live for seven years. Roosters weigh 8 lbs. and hens weigh around 6.5 lbs.

Silver-Black Marans are dependable layers since these chickens can lay up to 180 eggs yearly. Their eggs can be either dark-brown or chocolate brown. Furthermore, these chickens are efficient meat producers known for producing tasty black meat.

Silver-Black Marans have the most pleasant temperament of all chickens. They might be docile but friendly. Furthermore, these chickens are avid foragers, thanks to their active nature. They thrive in both free-range and confinement.

These chickens are calm, making worthwhile pets, especially for kids. They show the slightest signs of aggression compared to other breeds. Even for Silver-Black Marans roosters, they aren’t aggressive like other roosters from different chicken breeds.

8. Copper-Blue Marans

These Marans are rare and beautiful. They are suitable additions to the chickens that lay chocolate-brown eggs. As their name suggests, Copper-Blue Marans have copper hackles and striking blue feathers. Both sexes have lightly feathered feet and shanks.

They can live for about eight years like most Marans. Roosters weigh around 7 lbs. while hens weigh approximately 5.5 lbs. Roosters have a stunning plumage with sharp copper hackles. Hens’ plumage is also bright, although not as bright as roosters.

Copper-Blue Marans are also good layers. Some hens from this stunning breed can lay up to 200 chocolate-brown eggs. Furthermore, hens take a long time to sit on their eggs, and therefore you will get plenty of gorgeous eggs before your hens go broody.

Besides going broody seldom, Copper-Blue Marans hens are also reliable mothers that exhibit a strong bond between them and their offspring. Copper-Blue Marans roosters are great meat producers, although hens also produce a decent quantity of delicious meat.

Copper-Blue Marans are pretty docile, friendly, and calm like other Marans. They tend to interact well with other breeds, and they can live alongside poultry birds such as ducks. These chickens are intelligent, active, and charming. Although they like foraging, these chickens can also thrive in confinement.

9. Black-Tailed Buff Marans

Black-tailed buff Marans resemble Wheaten Marans. These chickens have copper hackles and beautiful red feathers. Both sexes have lightly feathered feet and shanks. Roosters have muscular bodies and plenty of muscle on their thighs and breasts.

Roosters also have red earlobes and red wattles. Hens have upright, single combs. Their blue feathering is lighter than that of roosters. Males weigh 8lbs on average, while buff Marans hens weigh 6.5 lbs. These chickens live for about seven years, but they can live much longer with reasonable care.

Although black-tailed Marans go brood occasionally, they lay over 200 dark-brown eggs annually. They are also decent meat birds, especially for roosters which are much bulkier than hens. These chickens have warm, pleasant personalities. They are unmistakably gentle and friendly.

10. Columbia Marans

The dual-purpose chicken breed is suitable for experienced and beginning chicken keepers. Both Roosters and hens have thick white feathers with distinct dark lacing across their necks. The tails of the Columbian chickens are more solid black. Roosters and hens have rose wattles and combs. On average, Columbian roosters weigh around 7.5 lbs. while chickens weigh 5.5 lbs.

Columbian chickens lay 200 huge brown eggs yearly. They are dependable layers in the winter since they are cold-hardy. Their awesome meat production capabilities make them efficient dual-purpose fowl. These chickens can live between 6 and 12 years.

Columbian chickens are easy-going, and they have a chatty personality that makes these birds suitable for backyard chicken keepers. Hens make pretty attentive mothers, although they at times undergo broody phases.

Conclusion

Marans chickens are beautiful and reliable chickens that can thrive in virtually every environment. These birds are suitable for chicken keepers due to their reliable meat and egg production. Furthermore, Marans chickens are among the friendliest breeds to raise for seasoned and novice chicken keepers.