The Top 16 Chicken Breeds for Your Backyard Flock

Black Copper Marans or Cuckoo Marans: All of them are known to have the same great temperament. Sweet. Intelligent. Docile. Easily handled. Personally, I have a sizable soft spot for Black Copper Marans. Their bluish black iridescent feathers, copper gold neck feathers, feathered legs, and large red comb and wattles make them extremely striking, gorgeous birds. We had a Black Copper Marans named Luna. We lost her early due to a heart defect, but for the 6 months she blessed our lives with her presence, she was one of the best chickens we'd ever had. Marans are highly sought after for their dark chocolate brown eggs, which range from medium brown (blue copper), dark (cuckoo), to very very dark chocolate brown (black copper marans). They are good layers, averaging at least 3 large eggs per week. Though they're quite cold hardy, Marans aren't said to be especially tolerant to extreme heat.