Black copper maran pair for sale. Are they worth the price???

[midget_farms]

A local (semi local anyway) guy has a hen & rooster black copper maran pair for sale.

He wants $40 for them. He hopefully will send me pictures soon. He says they are 2 years old & she is not laying at the moment.

This is what he said to me in his last email
"Marans are still a rare breed in this country that aren't yet accepted to any standard."

Is this true?

Is it worth $40 for the pair?

I was thinking I could pay more than that to get some eggs shipped, but thats kind of a gamble that any will hatch.

With a breeding pair - maybe by late spring I can have a set of brand new copper marans from my own incubator.


Thoughts?

 

[Illia]

If it is 40 for BOTH of them, go for it!

Yes, Marans are not accepted yet, however they aren't all that rare. At least in Washington state, you can find BCM chicks for sale on Craigslist year round. We have a lot of Marans profit-breeders though. . . We even have image thieves.

 

[midget_farms]

Yes - its for both. He also has another rooster but I have no need for 2 more roosters!

The ads on ebay mention the feathers on the legs etc. I just dont want to pay $40 for a pair of worn out birds.

 

[Illia]

Remember, these aren't hatchery birds. 2 Years is a perfectly normal, healthy age. . . So long as the hen isn't bare-backed or anything, they should be just fine. Feathered Legs is a must, too, so that's good.

If I were you, I'd ask for egg color and/or a sample egg shell. I once was pretty close to falling into a trap of a bunch of BCM chicks for a cheap price until I asked for egg color photos. Wow were they PALE.

 

[midget_farms]

I have 3 aracauna hens that lay green eggs - I've heard that if you mix the black maran with green egg layers the babies will lay dark green eggs.

 

[Illia]

Yep, also known as Olive Eggers.

- But Araucanas aren't suppose to lay green eggs.

 

[HHandbasket]

Quote:
You better go get those birds before somebody else does! If I was in your area, I'd go get 'em for that price... and I can't even have roosters here!

ETA: They're not that rare, and 2 years old isn't really old. She probably stopped laying for the winter & will restart in the spring. If nothing else, hatch out their babies. Seriously.

 

[WestKnollAmy]

I have crossed my Marans with my Araucanas and gotten some gorgeous chicks that lay a wonderful dark green egg.

Araucanas aren't supposed to lay a green egg but every show hen I bought did just that. My other Araucanas lay a beautiful blue egg though they are not correct for showing because of leg color. I would rather have the blue eggs myself. However, crossing the Marans in will still make beautiful eggs! And chickens!

And I agree, the price is very good if the hen lays a nice dark egg.

 

[midget_farms]

Ok - I told him I could pick them up tonight or tomorrow. waiting to hear back.

I have a pile of eggs in the bator now.

Welsummer's & Ostralorps. I guess I'll be having a chick sale pretty soon!

 

[midget_farms]

Update ** the guy selling the marans sold to someone else for more $$ - after he & I had agreed on a price.

Oh well - if he was unscrupulous to break his word for $15 then his word wasn't worth trusting on the health & quality of the birds anyway.