🐔 Chicken breed
Marans
Photos via Wikimedia Commons — Nienetwiler (CC BY 2.5 ch) · Nienetwiler (CC BY 2.5 ch) · Uikitireza (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Eponimm (CC BY-SA 3.0) · seppingsR (CC BY 2.0)
Marans at a glance
| Eggs / year | ~180≈ approx |
|---|---|
| Egg color | Dark brown |
| Egg size | Large |
| Cold hardiness | Good |
| Heat tolerance | Good |
| Size | ♂ 8 lb · ♀ 6.5 lb≈ approx |
| Temperament | Calm · Docile |
| Space / bird | ~4 sq ft |
| Purpose | Dual-purpose |
| Broodiness | Sometimes |
| Origin | France |
Sources: APA Standard of Perfection / Livestock Conservancy · Livestock Conservancy / hatchery averages. Blank fields are left empty — never invented.
Pros & cons
Pros
- +Cold-hardy
- +Docile & good with families
Cons
- No notable drawbacks in our data.
Derived from the specs above — not opinion.
Use the cross-species Breed Finder to match every breed to your needs.
⚖️ Compare Marans with another breed →
Buy day-old chicks from a reputable hatchery (affiliate — placeholder).
Coops, incubators, feeders, and heat lamps (affiliate — placeholder).
Marans is featured in
Guides for keeping chickens
DIY Chicken Coop Plans & Build Basics
Build a safe, well-ventilated, easy-to-clean backyard coop — how to size it, what materials to use, predator-proofing, and free plan ideas.
Best Chicken Breeds for Beginners
New to chickens? These five hardy, docile, reliable-laying breeds are the easiest place to start — with links to read more on each.
What to Feed Chickens: A Simple Guide
Starter, grower, and layer feed by age — plus grit, treats, and the foods you should never give your flock.
Raising Baby Chicks: The First 6 Weeks
A simple brooder setup, the right heat, feed, and water to bring day-old chicks safely to feathered pullets.
How Many Eggs Will Your Chickens Lay?
What really drives egg production — breed, age, daylight, and season — plus the most productive laying breeds.
What Does "Broody" Mean? Broody Hens Explained
What a broody hen is, why it happens, how to break it — or use it to hatch chicks — and which breeds go broody most.
Marans — frequently asked questions
- How many eggs does a Marans lay per year?
- About 180 eggs per year (approximate; varies by strain and care).
- What color eggs does a Marans lay?
- dark brown.
- How big does a Marans get?
- males about 8 lb, females about 6.5 lb.
- What is the Marans temperament like?
- Typically calm, docile.
- Is the Marans cold-hardy?
- Cold hardiness: Good.
- Can the Marans handle heat?
- Heat tolerance: Good.
- What is a Marans good for?
- Kept mainly for dual-purpose (eggs and meat).
- Does the Marans go broody?
- This breed goes broody sometimes.
- Where does the Marans originate from?
- The Marans originates from France.
