Raising Marans Chickens in Orne: A Guide to the Ancient Breed and Red Eggs

For several months, the Marans, a rustic chicken, has made the fortune of two retirees living in Orne. This ancient breed, whose original cradle is Poitou-Charentes, lays red eggs prized throughout the world.

The goose that lays golden eggs exists in Orne. Black and red, white and silver. The Marans is not recognizable by its rowing or its plumage. In reality, to find the chicken, you have to look for the egg. An egg that is all red or rather red, they say, has always been.

The Marans: an ancient breed

Marans already existed in Roman times. Marans is a port located between La Rochelle and the island of Elle. It is a region on the edge of the Poitevin marsh. In this marshy territory, a small black hen with white and yellow color was already laying red eggs. In the 12th century, under the reign of Henry II of England, Duke of Anjou, husband of Eleanor of Aquitaine, we found this small rustic hen in the humid surroundings of Roche-sur-Yon and Saintes. The bird remains isolated until the arrival of the English and their fighting roosters. It is the reproduction with these newcomers, from generation to generation, which causes the red-colored eggs to be laid. Then, like many French breeds, crosses occur with Asian breeds.

The Marans: a success made in France Emile and Renée Guerinel, two retirees, passionate about poultry farming, have been raising Marans since 1951. Today, they take care of 260 hens of this breed at La Madeleine near Tinchebray in the Orne, and this since January. To obtain a pure breed like theirs, it took five years of work, from 1995 to 2000. In fact, Emile, a genealogist technician in the field of poultry farming, had to make numerous crosses to recreate this forgotten breed. Success is there. The whole world orders from them: Belgium, Germany, Senegal, Canada, Ukraine, New Caledonia… Some customers have also come forward in Qatar. The secret: the Marans can be reminiscent in certain aspects of the “Norman” breed depending on the couple.Its egg and meat are very rich. A bit like the Norman cow” explains Renée.

Report Elise Ferret and Damien Migniau

Emile Guérinel: Breeder of Marans
Renée Guérinel: Breeder of MaransFor more information you can consult the website of National union of breeders of the Marans chicken