2027: We will only be offering small quantities half dozen Black Silver Split to Lavender hatching eggs.

Can I use a black Silver Marans from a BBS line to cross with lavender and black split to lavender?

YES. Blue, black, and splash chickens are all controlled by a single incompletely dominant Blue Dilution gene (Bl). This gene dilutes black eumelanin pigment in the feathers, resulting in the three possible color variations.
  • Blue (Bl / bl⁺): Birds with one copy of the dilution gene will be BLUE.
  • Splash (Bl / Bl): Birds with two copies of the dilution gene will be SPLASH.
  • Black (bl⁺ / bl⁺): Birds with no copy of the dilution gene will be BLACK.
​This means that black (bl⁺ / bl⁺) Silver Marans do not carry copies of the Bl gene and will not interfere with how lavender works. Lavender (Self Blue) also works on the eumelanin in black feathers but it is also a recessive gene. So the bird must carry two copies to appear lavender. Birds with one copy will appear black but have a 50/50% chance of passing the lav gene on to their offspring.
  • Lavender (lav/lav): Birds with two copies of the lav gene will be homozygous for lavender.
  • Black Split to Lavender (Lav/lav): Birds with one copy of the lav gene will be heterozygous black.

It is highly advised for you to not cross a Blue (Bl / bl⁺) or Splash (Bl / Bl) bird and with a Lavender. The lavender is recessive and cannot be expressed over a dominant gene such as Bl. 


​ The Flock 


​History of the Marans
       The Marans breed originated in France, in marshy areas close to the Atlantic coast. The breed is named after the historic port town of Marans. Evolution of the Marans type bird is said to have begun as early as the 13th century, with crosses between the local marsh hens and various gamecocks brought in to the port on ships.
       Gradual development of the breed then continued through the centuries, including the introduction of Brahma and Langshan blood during the late 1800s. Marans in their modern form first began appearing in French poultry shows in 1914. The Marans Club of France was organized in 1929, and that club established the first standard for Marans in 1931.
 ​      Marans have been imported to the USA in small numbers for many years now, probably beginning around the time that soldiers returned to the States after World War II. Over the years, birds and eggs have been brought in not only from France but also from countries such as England, Canada, Australia, and possibly Belgium and Switzerland. Importations of "English type" clean-legged Marans have led to the establishment of many clean-legged flocks in this country, especially in the cuckoo variety; nonetheless, the American standard adheres to the French standard calling for lightly feathered shanks and toes.


Description
       Marans are best known for their large, russet brown eggs. This is a defining characteristic of the Marans breed, so selection for egg color and size should never be neglected.
       Physically, the Marans is a medium-sized bird with the character of a rustic farm hen, giving an impression of solidity and strength without being coarse. The legs are lightly feathered, but leg feathering should never be excessively heavy.  Eye color is bright and clear in all varieties, never darkening into brown nor paling into yellow or pearl.
       The Marans is a general-purpose fowl for production of both meat and eggs. The breed is most famous for its large, dark chocolate-russet eggs, but it is also known for the fine flavor of its meat.


Disqualifications
  • Yellow on shanks or toes.
  • White ear lobes.
  • Pearl or black eyes.
  • Absence of feathers on shanks.
  • White ("parasitic white") at base of any tail feathers
  • Presence of prominent or pale yellow/straw-colored feathering (autosomal red)
       My foundation lines are from Sage Acres Farm, Lacewood Knob Homestead, & Little Chicken Farms.