Description
The French Black Copper Marans are a rare breed not often seen in the United States. An import ban reduced the genetic diversity of the French Black Copper Marans and flocks of this chicken are therefore hard to find. Cackle Hatchery® carefully breeds this chicken to improve genetic diversity and advance the health of the chicken. “This breed lays an egg with a light red color to light chocolate bloom color on the shell that are a favorite among chefs and farmers alike. Due to the rarity of this breed, limited quantities are available so order yours as soon as possible and contact us to find out when new chicks are available. Our cackle flocks lay eggshell colors of 4-8 on the French Marans Egg color chart found in the gallery with 5% laying a color 9 for the 2022 season. Each season we are able to improve the shell color through selective breeding and infusing new bloodlines into our breeding program.
NOTE: our Black Copper Marans can have some faint white tips on a few feathers of their legs .
Also may like Dark Brown Egg Female Surplus or French Marans Pullet Surplus.
Sexing Note: Most of our breeds we can average 90% accuracy on gender sexing. However, with the French Marans breed, it is more difficult for the vent sexor to make this determination, so for this breed, our guarantee is 75% accuracy.
Lyon McCandless –
All the eggs pictured are from Cackle’s birds. But I ordered Chocolate Eggers and French Copper Marans at the same time so I don’t know who is laying what but I definitely got a variety of colors. The Chocolate Egg and French Copper Maran roosters are both really chill and gorgeous!!
Lyon McCandless –
All the eggs pictured are from Cackle’s birds. But I ordered Chocolate Eggers and French Copper Marans at the same time so I don’t know who is laying what but I definitely got a variety of colors. I live in upstate NY so a cold and dark climate so even though I got these girls in Spring 2024, it’s always takes them until January/February to really come into full maturity with laying eggs.
The Chocolate Egg and French Copper Maran roosters are both really chill and gorgeous!!
Dan Shelden –
Far from Breed standard but still nice looking (cross breed cochin?) birds. Friendly. Just starting to lay and getting one nice #8 colored egg of good size. One over-melanized hen seems to have a slipped tendon and cant flex foot/toes. So far I think egg color and size is going to be a win. Will try to update.
admartin3 –
Never tried these birds before. Ordered 3. Received 4, along with other breeds. VERY impressed! All 4 hens are gorgeous, calm, friendly. One does not have feathered feet. Started laying around 22 weeks of age. They are laying a range of eggs from medium brown speckled eggs to VERY DARK BROWN. Impressive eggs! Would definitely recommend. I only got 4. If you get more than that, you’ll for sure get a nice range of really cool dark speckled eggs.
kathrynjallenesq –
5 Stars because these are the friendliest & most beautiful! I got them for the dark eggs, so what a pleasant surprise that they are so friendly! The legs are all feathered, but a slight white tip on some. This was disclosed in the listing. Aside from that, they appear to be breed standard. I ordered 3; great price. My favorite, Lizzo, flies onto my head, shoulder, or lap every time I visit the run. She is super cuddly. I also chose Cackle because they had the best Mareks vaccine (3 strains, I believe). I haven’t seen the egg color yet. Can’t wait.
mzuri11 –
Ordered 25 got 27 all healthy and happy! Shopping was fast and easy. Will absolutely order from cackle again
jessicacohen2021 –
I’m overall pleased with these birds. I have two females (from the Marans Surplus), and one male. The females continued to lay the best all throughout this winter. On days when the flock only produced 3 eggs, there was usually an FCM egg. Their eggs are usually 65-75 grams (XL-Jumbo). Their eggs are reasonably dark with noticeable speckled. All 3 stay out of trouble. The male assumed dominance in my flock of 50 chickens, among 17 other males. He is large, stately and non-aggressive, towards me or the other chickens. He will often roost apart from the rest of the flock. He also appears to be a good breeder, as there are lots of chicks with gray, feathered legs hatching.
meagalina –
I’ve been raising BCM for several years now, I’ve ordered from a couple different hatcheries and locally from a lady who has a famous line. I understand you’re not going to get show quality with an online hatchery, but one of my chicks arrived EXTREMELY undersized and with fused and deformed toes. I just couldn’t kill the poor girl, so I’m trying my best for her for the past few months. I ordered 5 and they all look totally different, one doesn’t have feathered feet, the one was deformed, I can tell they are not a pure line of BCM.
I wasn’t expecting standard of perfection, but I was expecting healthy, well formed chicks that were pure bred. This is my second order from cackle, and I’m not sure I would order again because of the lack of quality control, both with chick health and breed accuracy.
Dirk-32 –
I made an order for 15 chicks last summer which included 5 black copper marans. These are some beautiful hens and very healthy. Some already started laying eggs at six months old. Also, the darkest brown shells I’ve ever seen. Each bkm hen lays a different shade and they vary day-to-day, but noticeably much darker brown than any of my other breeds. Very pleased!
Zoe Burke –
I ordered 10 straight run in March of 2021 and received extras. Ended up with 3 roosters, my hens lay beautiful dark chocolate brown speckled eggs. I had two go broody this fall and hatch out chicks. Excellent free rangers. The roosters are great protectors of their flock, always looking out for their ladies.
danamb45 –
Received all healthy chicks! Fast delivery and a nice heat pack included which helps the chicks a great deal . Sent 3 extras. We couldn’t be more pleased with Cackle. We have used others in the past which were horrible, so we will be shopping here from now on. Thank you!!!
Brandi Brower –
Very happy with my order. I ordered 5 pullets, got 6 chicks alive and well. One, unfortunately, jumped in the fence with my dogs and got killed. Had one die from an illness. The four that I still have are laying nice dark brown and each hen has her own speckling on the shell. I would say my ladies lay around a 3-4 on the egg shade chart. I wasn’t expecting anything dark. My first BCM started laying at 24 weeks and my last one just started this week at 33 weeks.
(If you get 5-6 pullets, it’s cheaper than getting 4 BTW!!) 😉
Anne Blakey –
We ordered French Black Copper Marans last year and we have waited for the copper to come through. No copper on any of the 6 (5 hens and 1 rooster). so I am pretty sure we were sent French Black Marans, instead of the French Black Copper Marans. Disappointing, although the birds we have are healthy.
Kimi –
French copper marans
Got my marans almost a week ago they were the healthiest chicks I have ever bought ! This was my first order with cackle hatchery and I’ve already order more thank you and God bless!
Catstile2 –
FBCM chicks 🙂
Ordered 10 unsexed FBCM chicks. Received 12 very lively chicks. After 5 weeks of comb watching, it looks like I have 4 cockerels and 8 pullets… Awesome!!! I am anxiously waiting to see what color eggs these girls will lay!
Christine –
Thank you!
A big “thank you” to the professionals at Cackle Hatchery. I have raised, bred, shown, judged and loved poultry for over 50 years and my Feb 5th shipment of black copper Marans was perfect! The chicks arrived quickly and are some of the healthiest birds I have ever seen! Hatched, sexed and shipped on Wed, and I received Friday morning – all the way from Missouri to the Arizona mountains! And they are growing and developing rapidly with no signs of stopping. I’m raising them on alfalfa leaves with my own blend of organic chick feed, also lots of fresh, clean water. I appreciate your expertise and will be recommending to other poultry friends. And yes, I have also thanked the carriers at USPS. Christine
Glenda –
Thanks
I ordered 15 Black French Copper Maran girls to be born on Feb. 5, I received them plus 3 more on Feb. 7, all alive and well. This is MY first time to raise baby chicks. I am just overwhelmed at how strong and healthy these babies are. I have them in a brooder set that I bought from Tractor Supply’s clearance rack and the walls are about 16 maybe 18” high. One of the girls jumped up and was sitting on the edge at 10 days old. OMG! They are so alert and athletic it just cracks me up!
I grew up on a farm and I remember my mom having to nurse baby chicks back to health and some of the different problems they could have. That was 50 years ago. The babies you sent me were so strong it was amazing. Good job. I could get addicted to raising chicks. But since hubs won’t build me a bigger chicken house I guess I better stop at these. But I can tell every chicken loving friend I have that I am elated at the excellent service and health of your babies.
May you have a blessed year!
Yours truly,
Lstroop –
No darker than store bought eggs
I’m honestly alittle disappointed. The eggs are no darker than grocery store brown eggs. I know it’s a slight gamble buying from hatcheries, as to the egg color quality. But honestly, no one is buying BCM’s for their personality. They want a dark egg layer. Cackle’s are not even close.
Maat van Uitert –
Arrived & Grew Healthy
I purchased 5 Black Copper Marans chicks. They arrived healthy, and all of them have grown into healthy adults. They’re friendly, and get along with our other chickens. I haven’t gotten any eggs yet, so I can’t say whether the eggs are truly dark, but they’ve been great pets! I’ll be buying more next year. Highly recommend!
Love my marans –
amazing
the best breed I have ever raised. The eggs are super durable. And are great. With worth the money
TKD –
Gorgeous birds!
I ordered 5, received 4 hens and 1 rooster. All the birds are big and beautiful. The rooster is show quality. All of them are very friendly, even the rooster. Their eggs are good size and are solid chocolate brown or chocolate brown with speckles. Love these birds.
Gibby –
so happy…
I love this breed….roosters are so well behaved….thankU…
Nikki Chick –
Love my Marans
Picked up our Black Maran chicks (pullets) directly from the hatchery in March 2017. It’s been almost 5 months and my girls are beautiful with shiny full black feathers with a blue-green sheen. They just started laying this week and the eggs are chocolate with dark speckles. These girls have the best temperment -very friendly, outgoing, and just plain fun!
Mary Beaver –
FBCM
Ordered some of these guys in a verity order. With intent to breed so I did get a cockerel as well as a few hens. They are all about a year old now and laying like crazy. However, I did not get any dark brown egg layers? Most are a lighter shade and some speckled. Hardy chickens either way, still love to mix and also bread the Rooster to some Easter Eggers and got a first generation of Olive eggers. Never been disappointed when ordering from cackle hatchery, my chicks are always good and healthy and love their selections. Thank you guys 🙂
Andi –
Highly Recommend
This was the first time I had ordered my chicks online. The service was excellent. The weather was so cold when they were due to arrive, I was so worried about them but they were nice and healthy upon arrival and there were a few extra chicks too. Instructions on raising new chicks and getting them through the first few days was sent with them. I had ordered some straight run chicks but so far looks like only one rooster, not too bad! The only thing was the post office tracking had me worried since it showed they were stuck in MO for quite a while but the folks at Cackle assured me they were enroute and would arrive on time. My new birds are doing well and very healthy. Would order through them again.
rob dickens maryland –
thanks for the cackle fruit..
We ordered black coopers and french in 6 / 2015, couldn’t be happier. Out of 12 hens had 4 go broody at 9 months old, now have 19 gorgeous peps. Great Moms. Good layers with dark eggs. Since day 1 non gmo feed and spring water. very healthy & happy.
Mandolin –
Show quality Marans with lighter eggs
Beautiful birds, second generation has inconsistent features but still healthy. 2/6 of my hens lay dark egg. 4/6 lay eggs consistent with RIRs. My roo is show quality! 4/6 hens are also show quality with 1 stand out.
I’m waiting for confirmation as to what color eggs this roo will throw. I hope that Cackle choose only dark egg Roos. We only hatch dark egg Roos and save 7-10 of our healthiest then pick the best for confirmation, color, and featuring.
Marsh King’s Daughter –
Female is a peewee and the males attacked me
Ordered 6 Black Copper Marans chicks 1/2 off special in September age 2 wks old. Fast forward – the only female is small and lays banty-size eggs. The rest were male (one was taken by a hawk at 4 months). One male was a late bloomer. One of the males at 5 months attacked me. Took him out. A few weeks later, at 6 months old, another male attacked me – this one much more dangerous. Took him out. Am worried about the other two males. Don’t look them in the eye and give them LOTS of space – maybe that will prolong the time till the next two attack! The strange thing is also how the female acts – like she’s GONNA attack. Runs for me, but doesn’t want to be touched.
Theresa –
good birds
I highly recommend Cackle’s Marans for their fair price and good quality. I’ve gotten Cackle’s Black Copper Marans two years in a row–beautiful birds that lay eggs that are noticeably darker than Cuckoo Marans eggs (though my Cuckoo Marans from Cackle lay noticeably darker eggs than other brown layers). One of the smartest breeds of heavy chicken I’ve had in my flock.
Kate B. –
Thanks!
I picked up my girls this morning from the post office. I was prepared for a cheep-less box but they were just fine! They are happy and healthy and we packaged really well. Thank you for the safe delivery.
misty –
BLK Copper Marans
This Breed is hardy and a nice heavy hen, most of them lay dark eggs into the winter…with light and closed housing they produce med to extra large dark brown to chocolate colored eggs. They are very calm and easy going love to roam around the hen house…they do best on a 20 % protein feed…we had no picking on this flock feed…ordered some more of these beauties again this year !!!!!!
Charles December 2015 –
Cackle Hatchery
Merry Christmas and thank you for the Black Cooper Marans, Barnevelders and trio of Toulouse geese that you sent me the end of March 2015. After my service dog let himself out and helped himself to a chicken buffet. Lol. Jeff had some reservations on the BCM in the Las Vegas desert heat… but I compensated by installing radiant barrier on the coop, gable vents, ridge vents and expanded flattened metal floor. That coupled with a missing system and multiple auto fill dog bowls around the property…they are doing quite well. One a side note. Are roosters supposed to crow 24/7? My Barnevelders seem to crow around the clock, with or without a nightlight in the coop, which has upset my one neighbor.
Suzy Louisiana June 2015 –
Cackle Hatchery
We received our order of “chickies babies”. All arrived safely. I have watered and fed them mushed up free range boiled chicken eggs from our ranch. The chickie babies are very happy. Again it is a pleasure to do business with CACKLE HATCHERY. This is our third order over the last 8 years. Thanks again,
Jon & Jennina New York April 2015 –
Thank You!
I just wanted to take a moment to let you know that we are very pleased with our order. This is the best batch of chicks we have gotten so far. We did lose one in shipment, which was sad, but the rest recovered very nicely from their journey to us and are doing great.
Robin, Washington (received June 2015) –
Compliment
I wanted to thank you for my order of chicks. They arrived in robust health and are doing fantastic!! I had never ordered from Cackle Hatchery before and I was a little worried about my order. But they arrived better than any other company I have ever ordered from before. Over 20 years of ordering chicks, your company is the best!! Thank you again.