French Black Copper Moran

ninnymary

Garden Master
Joined
Dec 7, 2009
Messages
12,614
Reaction score
12,558
Points
437
Location
San Francisco East Bay
I'm thinking of getting a dark chocolate egg layer. Welsummer is not available but the Moran is. Anyone have experience raising them?

Does it really take 8-9 months for them to start laying?

Mary
 

seedcorn

Garden Master
Joined
Jun 21, 2008
Messages
9,651
Reaction score
9,976
Points
397
Location
NE IN
Friend of mine uses isabrowns. They are a darker brown egg-how dark do you want? He loves them due to feed conversion and egg size.
 

ninnymary

Garden Master
Joined
Dec 7, 2009
Messages
12,614
Reaction score
12,558
Points
437
Location
San Francisco East Bay
Friend of mine uses isabrowns. They are a darker brown egg-how dark do you want? He loves them due to feed conversion and egg size.
I had 2 Isa Browns. Their eggs were average brown. I want a dark egg like the kind Welsummers and Morans lay which is pretty dark. The Welsummer is a better layer than the Moran but they are not available so thinking of subbing the Moran for it.

Mary
 

so lucky

Garden Master
Joined
Mar 5, 2011
Messages
8,342
Reaction score
4,963
Points
397
Location
SE Missouri, Zone 6
I had Black Copper Marans. Never again. Meanest birds I've ever had.
I agree, Thistle. The rooster that constantly attacked me was a black copper Maran. I had two hens but only got about an egg per day from them together. The hens weren't particularly mean, but they sure weren't friendly.
 

canesisters

Garden Master
Joined
Nov 16, 2011
Messages
5,684
Reaction score
7,468
Points
377
Location
Southeast VA
My FBCM rooster was a BEAST!!! But the hens were ok. I didn't like the feathered feet, just seemed that they would've been wet & cold all winter.
I have a cuckoo marans that lays nice dark eggs.
They start laying at the same age as any other 'heritage' breed - 4-6 months.
 

Beekissed

Garden Master
Joined
May 15, 2008
Messages
5,054
Reaction score
6,801
Points
377
Location
Eastern Panhandle, WV
Had a copper maran cockerel here once I had picked up with various roosters for free to can up, kept him around a bit to get some size on him. The only rooster in my whole life that dared to lay a beak on me...bit me in the leg as I was walking away.

Two can play at that game, so the next time he came around the corner of the coop I laid him OUT. Thought I had killed him, so threw him over in the woods with a big ol' heave. Later on that evening I saw a bird come walking up the yard all crooked necked and staggering a little. From then on he was referred to as the undead rooster...and he kept a wide space between he and I until the day he was big enough for eating. Never offered to make fight at any human after that, so it does show that a mean rooster can be converted to a plain ol' human fearing rooster in one training session if one is firm enough. :gig

I'd wait until you get a chance for Welsummers....try to contact actual breeders of those and they may sell you some chicks that you wouldn't find at hatchery. If not chicks, they may have fertilized eggs to sell you can put under a broody this season.

When the majority of folks tell you the BMs are mean birds, I'd listen. I've not listened before and had to kill certain breeds each time I got them in a flock due to temperament.
 

ninnymary

Garden Master
Joined
Dec 7, 2009
Messages
12,614
Reaction score
12,558
Points
437
Location
San Francisco East Bay
Bee, I don't want to do chicks anymore. Been there, done that.

I do see Welsummer occasionally. My problem is that I want certain breeds all the same age. I've even looked to find 2 in one place and 2 in another and still can't find what I want.

I'm going this morning to see a Black Astralorp, Light Brahma, Speckle Sussex. These are all in one place and breeds I'd like. Will also decide between a Moran (which I think is pretty much out based on reviews here) and an Easter Egger, or Black Mottled Java. Leaning towards the Java unless the Easter Egger is really pretty. :p We'll see which of the two catch my eye. He has no Welsummers.

Mary
 

Sam BigDeer

Deeply Rooted
Joined
May 5, 2014
Messages
132
Reaction score
293
Points
177
Location
West Central Florida
Had a copper maran cockerel here once I had picked up with various roosters for free to can up, kept him around a bit to get some size on him. The only rooster in my whole life that dared to lay a beak on me...bit me in the leg as I was walking away.

Two can play at that game, so the next time he came around the corner of the coop I laid him OUT. Thought I had killed him, so threw him over in the woods with a big ol' heave. Later on that evening I saw a bird come walking up the yard all crooked necked and staggering a little. From then on he was referred to as the undead rooster...and he kept a wide space between he and I until the day he was big enough for eating. Never offered to make fight at any human after that, so it does show that a mean rooster can be converted to a plain ol' human fearing rooster in one training session if one is firm enough. :gig
.
Beekissed, that anecdote gave me a good ROTFL moment; been there,seen similar as he goes chucklin' and snickerin' off into the kitchen with coffee mug in hand....
Loved it!! Sam
 
Top