Marans

The Marans was developed in the marshland region around its namesake town, drawing on local hens and hardy game birds brought through the port. It was standardised in France in the early 20th century and later spread abroad. French standards traditionally call for lightly feathered legs, while British and some other standards recognise clean-legged birds; the breed was more recently admitted to standards in other countries, including recognition of the Black Copper variety in the United States.

• A medium-heavy, sturdy body with a single comb and red earlobes.
• Legs feathered in the traditional French type or clean in the British type, depending on standard.
• Multiple colour varieties, including Cuckoo (barred), Black Copper, Wheaten, and others.
• A generally calm, hardy, and active disposition suited to farm life.

The Marans is kept mainly for its distinctive dark eggs and as a dual-purpose farm bird. The depth of shell colour varies with the individual hen, her stage of lay, and strain, and typically fades over the laying cycle, so selection for egg colour is an ongoing focus for breeders. The breed is hardy and adaptable and suits backyard, free-range, and smallholder systems.