Marans Egg Facts and myths

Marans chickens are well known for laying dark brown, almost chocolate colored eggs. I've heard them referred to as "the most expensive chicken eggs in the world" and until recently they have been fairly hard to come by. They are said to be prized by French chefs and are slightly harder to hatch then other breeds.

Many people are only familiar with the name Marans because James Bond was said to only eat the speckled eggs from Marans hens in From Russia With Love. While I can't comment on Mr Bonds particular idiosyncrasies, I've had Marans for several years and I have to tell you, not all those other rumors are true!

Is the chicken a Marans or a Maran?

The often confused proper name for this breed of chicken is Marans, though many people think a single chicken is a Maran chicken. Since the breed was named after the town of Marans in France, the S at the end of a name does not indicate a plural. 

A single chicken is a Marans and multiple chickens are still Marans. Along that same line, eggs are called Marans eggs not Maran eggs. I know it seems a little odd, but that sometimes happens when proper names are adopted for native products.

Interesting reading: Marans, France.

Almost all chickens start off laying smallish sized eggs and their eggs get larger as they become more experienced layers. Marans eggs are the same except for a few differences in color.

Marans eggs

1) Marans eggs change colors. When a Marans pullet starts laying she will lay very dark brown eggs. As the laying season progresses her eggs get lighter. After a molt or seasonal break, her eggs start out dark brown again. 

She will repeat this cycle throughout her lifetime however they will lighten up a bit after the first year or two. They'll still follow the pattern of darker in the spring and lighter by fall though they'll never again get as dark as that first year.

2) The color can be wiped off of a Marans egg. Isn't that odd? If you try to clean a Marans egg and wipe too hard, the color will come right off!

3) The color is on the egg shell, it is not the color of the egg shell. It's a wet mucous like coating which dries quickly after the egg is laid. Sometimes it doesn't dry quickly enough and gets marks on the color from nest box bedding.

4) Some eggs are speckled, some are not.

5) The color of a Marans egg is hereditary. If the parent stock lay very dark eggs, the offspring will also. However if the parent stock lay lighter brown eggs, their offspring will also.

6) Black copper Marans usually lay the darkest brown colored eggs. Cuckoo Marans and blue copper Marans also lay dark brown eggs, but they are usually a lighter shade than the black copper. (the lighter eggs in the above picture are from my blue Marans) 

As stated in #5 though, it is dependant on the parent's egg color and many breeders are working on only breeding for the darkest egg color in all colors of Marans. (FYI: blue and blue copper are not officially recognized colors)

7) They can be a little harder to hatch. Humidity is a very touchy thing with Marans eggs, more so than other brown eggs. Slightly higher humidity seems to help them hatch better but too high and the chicks don't make it. Hens seem to get a better hatch rate than incubators with these eggs.

and the big bad secret no one wants to tell you....

8) They taste the same as any other farm fresh egg. OMG I admitted it! lol I can't even count how many people have told me "I've heard Marans eggs are the best tasting eggs in the world" Now, that's just silly! 

I mean, compared to store bought eggs then yeah...sure, Marans eggs are better. If you compare them to my other free range chickens though, you can't tell the difference.

on second thought.......we should probably just keep that last one between us. Especially if Mr Bond asks!

Want to know more about farm fresh chicken eggs? Click here for everything you ever wanted to know about eggs!

~Lisa 

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