Staring at the feathery bottom of a Black Copper Marans hen won't guarantee you a chocolatey brown egg, but of all the bottoms to stare at in hope, this bird is your best bet!
Black Copper Marans are known for their unique coop delivery service: they dish up delicious🤤, large, chocolate-brown eggs all year through. They're also beautiful, sociable chickens that are easy to care for and have a lot more to offer than their infamous eggs.
I'm not psychic, but I think I know why you're here. I'll just trust my gut and answer your question:
Q: Will Black Copper Marans hens lay very dark brown eggs?
A: Yes, but not all Black Copper Marans are equal…
…and that's why I'm going to tell you everything you need to know about the chicken that puts the Easter Bunny to shame.
Was I too cocky? If that wasn't your question, then don't be too mad at me. You're still just one cluck away from the answer to your question:
- Why Are Black Copper Marans So Popular?
- What Makes Black Copper Marans Eggs So Dark?
- How Can I Get the Darkest Eggs Possible from my Black Copper Marans Chicken?
- Just How Dark are Black Copper Marans' Eggs?
- Are Black Copper Marans Chickens Rare?
- How Big are Black Copper Marans Chickens?
- Can You Get Bantam Black Copper Marans?
- What is The Temperament of Black Copper Marans Chickens?
- Do Black Copper Marans Chickens Make Good Pets?
- Are Black Copper Marans Chickens Suitable for Beginners?
- Are Black Copper Marans Chickens Hard to Keep?
- Do Marans Chickens Have Health Issues?
- How Long Do Marans Chickens Live For?
- How Many Eggs Does a Black Copper Marans Chicken Lay?
- How Big are Black Copper Marans Chicken's Eggs?
- Do Black Copper Marans Hens Go Broody?
- Are Black Copper Marans Good Meat Birds?
- Tell Me More About Marans Chickens.
Why Are Black Copper Marans So Popular?
Black Copper Marans lay the darkest, chocolatiest, most beautiful brown eggs of any chicken breed🙌🏼. That's why we all love them, and probably why you're reading up about them. All Marans chickens lay very dark brown eggs, but the Black Copper color variation wins the war!
Some French chefs rate their homegirl's eggs so highly that they'll only cook using Marans eggs. Ooo-la-la!
Most breeders agree that they are as delicious to taste as they are to look at (I'm talking about Marans' eggs, not French chefs) but don't quite agree that they taste any better than other fresh, free-range eggs.
What Makes Black Copper Marans' Eggs So Dark?
Black Copper Marans deposit a deep brown pigment onto their eggs as they lay them, and this is what gives those famous eggs their characteristic dark color.
All Marans mark their merchandise this way, but as the Black Copper hen is just a tad less productive than other Marans varieties when it comes to laying, she has more pigment per egg, hence the darkest shade of cocoa.
How Can I Get the Darkest Eggs Possible from my Black Copper Marans Chicken?
It's impossible to know what shade of egg you'll be getting from your girlies because, well, that's nature for you. There are a few ways to improve your chances of winning the chocco-lotto with your eggs though:
The color of a Black Copper Marans' egg is hereditary, so picking darker hatching eggs will improve the odds of your hen laying darker eggs. It's all about heritage here!
If you're keeping Black Copper Marans purely to harvest their dark brown eggs, then you need to pay a little more for a breeder: it's the only way to be certain of your chicken's lineage.
The first eggs your Black Copper Marans lays will be her darkest as they'll be smaller than her future eggs (around 65g X ounce) so that pigment doesn't need to stretch as far.
Your Black Copper Marans' eggs will become lighter as she gets older, and she'll lay darker eggs at the start of each cycle too.
If your Marans mama goes broody, has her molt, or is coming out of a warmer season into a cooler one, her eggs will go darker again. They're like a color chart for hormone levels: my husband could use this!
Just How Dark are Black Copper Marans' Eggs?
Black Copper Marans lay very dark brown eggs. Marans' eggs are scored on their 'chocolatiness' using a breed-specific color chart that ranges from 1-9 and Black Copper Marans pop out eggs that score between 6 and 9 on the scale.
Can you tell a Marans' egg from a chocolate egg?
Are Black Copper Marans Chickens Rare?
Black Copper Marans are rare in the U.S. In fact, they're the rarest of all the varieties of Marans despite being the most popular because of those cocoa eggs. Trying to get your paws on a Black Copper Marans with a good bloodline can be like trying to get the newest Xbox a week before Christmas. Good luck lady!
In France, where they originate from, they're still the most common color variety of Marans.
How Big Are Black Copper Marans Chickens?
Black Copper Marans hens weigh 6.5 lbs and are 20 inches tall. Black Copper Marans Roosters can weigh 8lbs and are up to 22 inches tall. They're large lads and ladies, but no different to any other variety of Marans chicken.
Can You Get Black Copper Marans Bantams?
Yes, and they're cute as a button! Black Copper Marans bantam hens weigh a dainty 24oz and bantam roosters weigh up to 28oz.
Mini Marans were introduced in the 1950s and are a hardy bantam breed that is as easy to care for as their heavier-weight brothers and sisters.
What is The Temperament of Black Copper Marans Chickens?
Black Copper Marans are relaxed and docile chickens. They mix well, they're easy-going, and they'll perch happily somewhere in the middle of the pecking order in a mixed-breed coop.
Black Copper Marans roosters only occasionally fluff their feathers up with roosters, but that's roos for you.
Do Black Copper Marans Chickens Make Good Pets?
Black Copper Marans hens make great pets because they're easy to handle, chilled out, low maintenance, and cold hardy. They're friendly with fully-grown and foot-high humans. They're not a massively into PDAs, but at the very least they'll humor a hug.
Are Black Copper Marans Chickens Suitable for Beginners?
Black Copper Marans chickens are a brilliant beginner's bird.😍 They're hardy, happy, friendly chickens and they're not flighty or difficult. Don't think that those deep-brown eggs are out of reach because you're new to this stuff: they're not!
All I would say is that breeding and hatching Marans is not as easy as with other chicken breeds, so if you're looking to dabble in your first hatching eggs then maybe these aren't the breed for beginners. Those thick, dark eggs are hard to hatch out of, and the hatch rate of Marans chickens is lower than that of other breeds.
Are Black Copper Marans Chickens Hard to Keep?
Black Copper Marans are easy to keep, but they're free-range through and through and not suited to extensive coop time. They're a great fuss-free breed: hardy and happy to roam and peck all day long. They aren't flighty birds and they're beefy enough to hold their own out there, so they're a fab free-range choice.
Black Copper Marans need about 5 square feet per chicken when in the coop and about 10 inches of roosting space. A standard nesting box will be fine for three Black Copper Marans. They don't ask for much, bless 'em, but you will need to provide the right accommodation to make them feel at home.
Do Black Copper Marans Chickens Have Health Issues?
Black Copper Marans are healthy, hardy chickens.
All Black Copper Marans have dashing single red combs which are sadly susceptible to frostbite. French Black Copper Marans have the same problem with their fluffy feet, so whilst they don't grumble about the cold, they do need to keep dry when the weather is against them.
As a dual-purpose breed with a love of grub, they do need room to roam, or they'll plump up too fast for their own good.
How Long Do Black Copper Marans Chickens Live For?
Black Copper Marans chickens can live for up to eight years.
How Many Eggs Does a Black Copper Marans Lay?
Black Copper Marans lay 150 - 200 eggs a year. They're decent, consistent layers and might lay 3 or 4 eggs a week.
With Black Copper Marans it's hard to define the 'best layers' as the hens that deliver in quantity lay lighter colored eggs. Us humans can be hard to please.
Black Copper Marans hens will start to lay a little later than most breeds at 32 weeks of age, but once they pop they're in no rush to stop and will lay for up to five years. That's a healthy 700 eggs or more from these mamas.
How Big is a Black Copper Marans Chicken Egg?
Black Copper Marans lay medium to medium-large eggs. A fully grown hen's egg will weigh between 75 and 80g X once. Just a heads up: Marans eggs are sometimes weirdly spherical. It's normal for Marans, so don't wake the vet at 6.00 am!
Are Black Copper Marans Hens Broody?
Black Copper Marans hens are not big on the broody scale, but when they do hatch a clutch they settle down and make very good mamas. They even care for each other's chicks and make great chick-sitters for other Marans.
Are Black Copper Marans Good Meat Birds?
Black Copper Marans were bred for their size and are great meat birds. They take almost twice as long to mature as other meat birds because of being dual purpose, so they're not the best choice for broilers but make a brilliant all-rounder.
Tell Me More About Marans Chickens
There are 13 more stunning shades of Marans to pick from, and whilst Black and Black Copper Marans are most likely to lay the darkest eggs, all Marans will grace your plate with equally delicious, choccy-colored eggs. A healthy young Cuckoo Marans hen with a strong bloodline will lay darker eggs than an older Black Copper Marans, so don't be blinded by the stats.
Yes, tell me more about Marans please!
Learn more about the marvelous Marans chicken in our Marans Breed Blog including:
<What Other Varieties of Marans Chicken are there?>link all to Marans Blog subheadings
<What Colors of Marans Chicken are Recognized?>
<Do the Varieties of Marans Chickens Differ?>
<How Do Varieties of Marans Chickens Differ?>
<What's The Difference Between French and English Marans?>
<What Are the Downsides to Keeping Marans Chickens?>
<A Brief History of Marans Chickens>
Sold on the idea of this beautiful bird? I don't blame you one bit! Black Copper Marans are 100% worth a try if you're looking to bag the brownest eggs in town and want a bounty of plentiful colours eggs to collect in the mornings! All that's left to do is find the perfect chicken name for your new, chocolate-popping pal.
Chickens lay questions as often as they do eggs. If you're an Instagram fan, then you'll know that the most common chicken question on there is "can anyone tell me what on Earth this is?" There's usually a questionable close-up of the coop floor or an unusually shaped & questionable egg attached. Chicken lovers need chicken experts.
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Thank goodness something in chicken-land is simple!
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