Description

The Lowdown:

We really like Lavender. These Marans are a gorgeous color and are good layers. They are not nearly as dark as our French National Champion line, but this is a great choice if you want medium brown eggs and a beautiful lavender bird. It’s worth noting that the mechanism that colors the eggs weakens during the laying cycle so expect to get the darkest eggs when they first begin to lay at each cycle. The lavender color is unique, and different from the typical blue poultry color in that this color will breed true and is caused by the dilutive action of an autosomal recessive gene which reduces the expression of eumelanin and phaeomelanin so that black areas of the plumage appear silver instead, and red areas appear as golden highlights. Conversely when bred the standard blue color can be expressed in combinations of blue, black & splash. 

Breed History:

Marans originated on the west coast of France in a town called Marans. Amazingly, they evolved from an unknown mix of breeds brought from India and Indonesia. The tired fighting roosters that survived voyages were traded for fresh meat and egg-laying hens. These roosters mixed with local swamp hens and came to be called “swamp chickens.” They were prized for their fighting abilities and the rich mahogany eggs the hens produced.  It’s their fighting lineage that gives them the proud athletic posture and muscle tone they are known for. In the 1920’s, local breeders began working to improve them by mixing in Langshan, Brahma and Coucou de Malines. By the 1930’s, their dual-purpose breed status was established. Following the devastation of World War II, much of the foundation stock had been lost and they were nearly extinct. In the 1950’s under the direction of the French Department of Agricultural Services, the breed was revived and dramatically improved its egg-laying abilities. 

Stats:

Eggs- Medium to dark brown. roughly 150 – 200 eggs per year

Dual Purpose- Yes. Males average 8lb and females 6.5lb

Standard of Perfection:

We offer pure lines but select primarily on egg color, vigor and temperament. If you are a breeder looking for specific SOP traits please contact us to ensure our stock will be the right fit for your breeding goals.