Marans Chicken

Wandering the vast swamps of southwestern France more than 800 years ago, the indigenous ancestors of the Marans chicken began to breed with imported game fowl from afar. The resulting chickens were further developed over the centuries, incorporating desirable traits from various breeds. By the turn of the 20th century, a hardy, dual-purpose bird approached standardization. The Marans chicken was large, broad at the shoulder, full at the breast, and good for meat. It was a decent layer, too, and produced eggs with a uniquely deep brown color. These eggs would become the breed’s greatest asset, and the trait that makes them among the most popular small flock chickens today.  

Incredible Marans Chicken Facts

• Marans chickens are named for the town of Marans, in the region of France where they originated.
• Marans chickens are considered dual-purpose birds, good for both meat and egg production.
• The ancestors of this breed include wild swamp chickens from France and game fowl that were imported mainly from Asia.
• French Marans chickens have lightly feathered shanks and feet, while British Marans chickens have bare legs.
• The deep, chocolate-brown color of Marans eggs depends on the genes of the hen and a number of other factors.

Where to Find Marans Chickens

Marans chickens originated in the marshes surrounding the town of Marans, France. The town now lies in the Poitevin Marsh Regional Natural Park, or Parc Naturel Régional du Marais Poitevin. This park lies in southwestern France, near the coastal city of La Rochelle, within one of the largest marsh and wetland regions in Europe. The area is home to a rich diversity of animal and plant life. In the 13^th century, it was home to feral chickens that bred with imported game fowl to begin the evolution of what would become French Marans chickens.

Breeders in France organized in the early 20^th century to standardize the breed. The first recorded showing occurred in 1914 in La Rochelle, and by 1931, the breed standard had been established in France. Meanwhile, exporters took the Marans chickens to England in the 1930s. The British Marans chickens known today may have developed independently through selectively crossing several other breeds. They have bare legs and feet, as opposed to the feathered feet of French Marans.  

Today, Marans chickens of both the French and British types have made their way to several countries in Europe, as well as the United States, Canada, Australia, and perhaps other parts of the world. According to a 2023 piece in the New York Times, Marans chickens are one of the most popular and fastest-selling breeds today, largely due to their unique, deep brown eggs.

Classification and Scientific Name

The scientific name of Marans chickens is Gallus gallus domesticus. This name is the same as that of other domestic chicken breeds, which are thought to have evolved from the red junglefowl of Southeast Asia. Indeed, even the casual observer can see many similarities between the red junglefowl and the Marans chicken, especially the Black Copper variety.

The common name, Marans chicken, is taken from the town of Marans in southwest France, just a little way from La Rochelle near the coast. The French Marans chickens are thought to have evolved from the native fowl that inhabited the surrounding swamps as they crossed with imported breeds.

Appearance

Marans chickens are medium to large chickens. They are broad at the shoulder and have a strong and upright appearance. Males weigh around 8 pounds, while females weigh approximately 6.5 pounds. Hens reach heights of around 15 inches, while roosters can grow up to about 22 inches tall. They are soft-feathered with relatively short tails. They hold their tails aloft at an angle no greater than 45 degrees from their body.

Marans chickens have red faces with red earlobes and wattles. Their large, red, single combs stand up tall and are evenly serrated. They have bright, orange-red eyes. Their beaks are slightly hooked and horn colored, and their legs and feet may be pink or slate. French Marans have somewhat sparse feathers on their shanks and toes. Birds with lightly feathered legs and feet are also the only Marans officially recognized by the American Poultry Association. British Marans chickens, meanwhile, have bare shanks and feet with no feathers.

The American Poultry Association only recently recognized Marans chickens, accepting the Black Copper coloring in 2011. They subsequently recognized the Wheaten and White varieties, followed by the Black coloring in 2021.

Other Colors and Patterns

Many other varieties of Marans chickens are recognized by breeding clubs around the world. The Silver Cuckoo Marans, bred in both French and British varieties, are heavily and irregularly barred with black and white. They are among the most popular of the breed in the United States and in other locations. Golden Cuckoo Marans are similarly barred, but with reddish brown and black, while Dark Cuckoo Marans are barred in dark and light gray.

The Black Copper variety, also known as Brown-Red, Copper Black, and Birchen, has black plumage with glossy black tail feathers and copper red hackles and saddle feathers. The Silver Black Marans are similar, but with silver in place of the red.

White Marans are, unsurprisingly, white. Black Marans are black. Wheaten Marans have feathers that are golden-red to reddish-brown. Other color patterns include Colombian, Black-tailed Buff, Blue Copper, Splash, and more.     

Behavior

Marans chickens are described as friendly and relatively docile, but not easily pushed around by other breeds. The roosters are not usually aggressive, but can be quite contentious, possibly due to their evolution from game fowl. They crow, but they are not known to be excessively noisy. The hens are very agreeable and easy to train with treats.

These chickens prefer to roost between two and four feet above the ground. They tolerate confinement well, but they do require adequate space in their coops and enclosures as they are larger chickens. They are not the best flyers, but they can fly short distances and reach low branches.

Although Marans chickens are known as laid-back and even lazy birds, they do love to roam and forage. This is a sturdy breed that does well in most types of weather. Because their feet are not heavily feathered, they can even do well in relatively cold and wet climates.

Diet

Marans chickens evolved from swamp fowl and game chickens. They are formidable foragers, eating not only invertebrates such as insects, larvae, and worms, but also larger prey such as reptiles, amphibians, and small mammals. These chickens must also be fed a good quality commercial poultry feed with plenty of protein and calcium, especially when hens are laying. Foods such as leafy greens, other vegetables, and fruits would be healthy additions to their diets. Even scraps such as bits of meat or pasta and rice make excellent treats as well.

Reproduction

Marans chickens lay between 150 and 200 eggs per year. Hens usually begin laying when they are between about 24 and 26 weeks of age, but sometimes take even longer. Marans roosters reach sexual maturity earlier, around 18 weeks. Some Marans breeders suggest keeping a ratio of about one rooster for every six hens. This is more than many other breeds, but the laid-back, docile nature of Marans chickens carries over into their mating habits, lowering fertility if a rooster has too many hens.

Marans hens tend to go broody, and reportedly, they are good mothers. The chicks grow rapidly, and they can be much larger than other breeds at the same age. They develop so quickly that some owners express difficulty recognizing young pullets because they are as large as cockerels.  

Marans Eggs

The most desirable trait of Marans chickens is the color of their eggs. They are among the deepest, darkest, chocolate-brown chicken eggs in the world. Only the Penedesenca chickens lay similarly dark brown eggs. Marans hens produce about four eggs per week, averaging between 150 and 200 eggs per year. These eggs are large and round, and they come in deep, chocolate-brown shades that vary based on several factors, including each hen’s genes. Multiple genes affect not only the depth of color, but also spotting or stippling patterns on the eggs.

Color is also affected by how long the egg is held in the hen’s oviduct before it is laid. Marans hens deposit chemical compounds called porphyrins on the outside of their eggshells as they pass through the oviduct. Eggs laid earlier in an egg-laying cycle are normally darker than the ones that come later. The longer an egg is held inside the hen, the more pigment is applied. Therefore, a hen that lays fewer eggs per year is likely to produce darker, more desirable eggs.

Other factors that affect the color of Marans eggs include the seasonal temperatures and the stress level of the bird.

Predators

Snakes can easily prey on young chicks in the nest if coops are not fortified well. Hawks and owls can also prey on young chickens, although full-grown Marans may be more difficult targets. Because Maran chickens are not the best flyers, and they enjoy roaming freely about, predators such as eagles, foxes, weasels, and raccoons can pose problems. Secure chicken runs and enclosures may be a good solution in areas where predators are a concern.

Lifespan & Conservation

Marans chickens have been around a very long time. They began their journey from wild landrace chickens that roamed freely in the swamps and wetlands of France centuries ago. Today, they are growing in popularity due mainly to their unique egg color. Although they are described as rare by some sources, their future looks bright. They are not listed on the Livestock Conservancy’s Conservation Priority List. With continued interest, hopefully, they will stay off the list and continue to thrive.  

Marans Eggs and James Bond

Not every egg gets its own place in a legendary story. No one ever even said what sort of egg Humpty Dumpty was, though one might rightly wonder if he was of a thin-shelled variety. The deep brown French Marans eggs, however, will forever be known as a favorite of none other than James Bond. In From Russia with Love, the author, Ian Fleming, wrote that Bond preferred the brown, speckled eggs of Marans hens to ordinary white eggs. Who is to argue with 007?