More about Marans

Lord Greenway introduced them into England from France in 1929 after a visit to the Paris Exhibition due to him being attracted to their fleshing qualities (fine textured white flesh) and their fast growing attributes. Unfortunately due to import restrictions Lord Greenway was only able to smuggle a few eggs into the UK in a luncheon basket as “hard boiled” 
J.S Parkin, Lord greenways poultry manager hatched stock from these eggs and discovered the wonderful brown egg factor, he was so impressed that after the restrictions were lifted he imported 60 day old chicks. These early birds had both Silver and Dark Cuckoo markings with feathered legs. 
Lord Greenway went on to show Marans in numbers achieving success at the Crystal Palace in 1934, then subsequently at the World Poultry Congress in Rome and London. The interest in the Marans was born!

Why keep Marans?

July 20, 2025

What special about the eggs?

July 20, 2025

What's a bantam?

July 20, 2025

A bantam is a small variety of poultry, especially chickens. Etymologically, the name bantam is derived from the city of Bantam, once a major seaport, in Indonesia. European sailors restocking on live fowl for sea journeys found the small native breeds of chicken in Southeast Asia to be useful, and any such small poultry came to be known as a bantam. (from Wikipedia) 

Being smaller they are suitable for today's world as they do not need so much space whilst  they can still lay well, though the eggs are smaller than the larger birds. The Bantam eats the same type of food as a normal bird but less of it.