Welsummer or Maran?

[math ace]

My welsummers are too young for me to tell you anything about them.

However, my marans are of laying age and they are my favorites. They talk up a storm to me and are one of the first ones to see if I have brought them treats. They are not pushy or bullies. When treats are given out - - - even they are closest to me - - - they tend not to get that many because they are not as pushy, aggressive, or fast as my other breeds.

IN ALL FAIRNESS - - - I heard total opposite about marans from other people. This is one breed where the personality can vary greatly from blood line to blood line. So, you have to be able to ask the seller what kind of personalities their birds have and be able to trust that they are telling you the truth

 

[Organics North]

I asked my self the same question.. Marans or Welsummer..? Well I chose Marans.. For me Dark egg color and the fact that I could get BB/S birds was it for me.
My chicks are less than a week old and the seem so much more calm than when my BB/S Ameraucana chicks were that size.

Good luck on your decision.
ON

 

[math ace]

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ME TOO - - - my marans are much more laid back than any other breed I have. They are my favorites and I didn't think they would be

 

[Chickaholic]

I don't know if this helps but I refer to this chart every once in a while, but I would take "charts" with a grain of salt because the egg laying to me really depends on the climate you live in, for instance this chart say Barred Rocks only lay 3 eggs a week and that is simply not true for Washington, they lay more than that here (at least for a friend of mine's experience) but here it is I hope I helped a little

http://www.ithaca.edu/staff/jhenderson/chooks/chooks.html

BTW, I have an 18 week old French Wheaten Marans (we named her Kevin) she is very skittish, we have only had her for a few weeks but even the others that we got the day we got Kevin have come around and come right up to us now. But it's always different if you raise them too

Good luck, I hope I helped

 

[greathorse]

I have some Ron Presley wheaten Marans and I don't find them skittish at all. They are pretty calm nice hens. They were the only birds that flew out of my pen so wound up clipping a wing on each of them.

My beef is that they (mine) are sporadic layers. They lay a nice large in some cases very large eggs and in good times lay quite well, but will go on strike pretty regularly. Right now they are laying pretty well.

 

[WestKnollAmy]

My wheaten Marans are my worse layers in the Marans breed. My blue and blk Coppers are fabulous in personality as well as all my Cuckoos (Golden, Silver and blk) and they lay well. In one pen I have 8 hens and get 6-8 eggs a day during the laying season.
My wheatens give me maybe 3-4 eggs a week from each, if I am lucky. The wheatens have a long way to go, I think but they lay the darkest eggs I have ever seen. Gorgeous #8.
The Wellies are very nice, too for personalities and laying. I love the speckled eggs where at first I did not. Their egg size is not as good as my Marans but they are young yet. I am glad I have both breeds and they are kept separate in movable tractors so they get the benefits from fresh ground and grass while being a flock.

 

[EweSheep]

Welsummers for me!

 

[Alabama ee]

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Does Whitemore have good Welsummers?

 

[Alabama ee]

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I think i would like the speckled eggs as well.

We have ours in a movable trackor also. They are great. Our chickens always have green grass. Lowers the feed bill too.

 

[McSpin]

I've kept both and here's how I would compare them.

Marans - larger, friendlier (a little), eats a lot more, lays a bit less.

Welsummers - very efficient eater, mine lay jumbo eggs and the color is far more consistent. Eggs from mine are adequately dark, 5-7 on Marans scale.


I've had my Welsummers 4 years and wouldn't consider getting rid of them. I sold my Marans after a year if that tells you anything.