When did our French Black Copper Marans start laying their dark brown eggs? We’re very excited to finally have an answer for you. Let’s break down the age-old question below.
What Age Do Black Copper Marans Start Laying?
Like any chicken enthusiast, my heart was smitten when I first laid (no pun intended) eyes on the gorgeous dark chocolate red eggs from Black Copper Marans. Like other chicken lovers, the first thing I researched was what age do Black Copper Marans start laying? (Somewhere in between those two, of course, I decided I just had to have some in our backyard flock.) After browsing forum after forum on Backyard Chickens, I read a wide range of responses. When asked “what age do Black Copper Marans start laying”, owners gave answers anywhere from 4.5 months to a year old. My initial response was simply wondering if it’s worth it to wait that long. Am I alone in this thinking?
Factors Affecting Black Copper Marans Laying Age
Obviously, there are many factors when it comes to what age French Black Copper Marans start laying. Some of these factors include…
- Genetics
- Diet
- Time of Year
- Living Environment
These are the same factors that will affect how many eggs a hen will lay a year, egg quality, shell thickness, and more. We tend to take as natural of an approach as possible when it comes to raising our backyard chickens. We do not add supplemental light to their coop, and we free range them as much as possible. Due to our more natural approach at raising chickens, our hens may not lay as eggs as frequently as they otherwise might. However, this also means they will lay eggs for a longer period of time over their lifespan. To us, it’s well worth the trade off.
When Did Our Black Copper Marans Start Laying?
We purchased our Black Copper Marans chicks from a local feed store in early April 2019. This puts their hatch date somewhere around April 13th. If you follow our YouTube channel and/or our Instagram,you know just how quickly they grew up. Seriously, every time we get chicks, it still shocks me how quickly they mature. Lo and behold, we found our first beautiful, dark red egg around the first week of October. This means that our Black Copper Marans were six months old when they started laying.
Are Black Copper Marans Eggs Worth The Wait?
Six months is slightly on the longer side of the laying-age spectrum, but to us, it was well worth the wait. All the rest of our Black Copper Marans started laying within the next couple weeks, too. I’d say, right now, we’re getting about 5 eggs per BCM hen. Since the days are shorter and colder, this isn’t too shabby at all. Not only is the frequency steady so far, but the pigmentation has been consistent, as well. I was worried that the beautiful, dark eggs would start to lighten up. Although I’m sure they will go through cycles in coloration over time, the consistency has been beautiful so far.
Add Some Dark Red Eggs To Your Collection!
In summary, don’t let the wait time deter you from adding some Black Copper Marans chicks to your flock. The dark, chocolatey red shell color still has yet to get old for me. While I was worried that it would take excessively long for my Black Copper Marans to start laying, we were pleasantly surprised that they started laying at 6 months old.
Disclaimer: We’re not professionals or experts on this topic, so all we can do is share our own personal experience in hopes that it helps you in your journey! We always recommend consulting with the pros directly.