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ll of our chickens are pastured. They roam about freely searching for bugs, clover and other tasty treats. This results in happier and healthier chickens but more importantly eggs that are better for you, higher in vitamins and lower in cholesterol (see Mother Earth News).

Whitmore Farm uses mobile coops that are moved around the pasture on a regular basis. This ensures that the chickens have access to fresh grass and spreads their natural fertilizer evenly throughout the pasture. We also supplement our chickens diet with locally purchased grains and minerals to ensure proper health and nutrition.

Here at Whitmore Farm we routinely test for the following diseases:

Avian Influenza
Pullorum Typhoid
Mycoplasma
Infectious Bronchitis Virus
New Castle Virus
Infectious Laryngotracheitis Virus

Rest assured when you buy from Whitmore Farm you will be getting disease free stock. All hatcheries are in the NPIP program, but they only monitor for Avian Influenza and Pullorum Typhoid, the minimum required by law. Whitmore Farm is very proud to be the only hatchery selling heritage breed poultry that are certified Mycoplasma free by NPIP.

There is a lot of confusion regarding the terms used to describe how poultry are raised. Below are some clarifications.

Pastured - means they are raised outdoors on grass. Some people use temporary fencing to protect the poultry and move the pens on a daily basis. Whitmore Farms allows its chickens to roam freely, out in the open, and relies on guard dogs for protection.

Organic - means they are fed grains and other foodstuff that have been grown without chemicals and that have not been genetically modified. It also means no antibiotics or hormone supplements are fed to the animals. Chickens can still be raised inhumanely in tiny cages in factory farms and fed organic grains. The eggs and meat will not have all the nutrition benefits associated with pastured products.

Free Range - means the animal is not individually caged and has access to outdoors. Access can be an open window or a door to a small run that may be open for a few minutes a day. Chickens can still be raised inhumanely with thousands of animals crammed in a metal shed, shoulder to shoulder, walking in their own feces. The eggs and meat will not have any of the nutritional benefits associated with pastured products.

Bottom line, grass is where it's at! Let a chicken be a chicken and do chicken like things outdoors! They are happier, you get better tasting, more nutritious food! Come by sometime and see for yourself. Visitors are welcome at Whitmore Farm.

Whitmore farms sells eggs, meat, and breeding stock for all of our breeds. For more photos of these breeds and any other type of poultry, see www.feathersite.com

For pricing and to order day old chicks, click here.

For pricing and to order hatching eggs, click here.

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elsummers are named after the village of Welsum in Holland where they originated. They are famous for their large, dark, terracotta-brown eggs. They have a wonderful disposition. By far, they are the friendliest breed we have on the farm. They are the first to figure out who butters their bread and readily come to us when we call them with treats. In addition to breeding to the APA standard for the breed, our breeding program emphasizes egg color, size and lay rate.

These beautiful birds are also well known from their role in American advertising. The Kellogg's Corn Flake Rooster, "Cornelius" is a Welsummer.

 

Here is a sample of the eggs laid by our Welsummer flock. The white eggs in the top right row are Leghorn, the egg in the middle is an Ameraucana, and the two tan eggs on the left are Delaware eggs. Welsummer have a higher lay rate than Marans and lay a large egg. Eggs from one year old hens average 2.09 oz (59.2 g) meeting the USDA "large" classification. Eggs from adult hens consistently hit the extra large USDA weights. The Welsummer eggs are by far the most popular at the farmer's market. The dark spots bring a certain individual charm to each egg with no two being the same. An individual hen will lay the same general egg pattern throughout her life, so you can select for more or less spots, or large or small spots on eggs using trap nesting or simply only hatching the eggs with patterns you like.

Those interested in the breed, should join the Welsummer Yahoo group.

Although Whitmore Farm only sells straight run chicks, Welsummers can be sexed at birth. The female has what I like to call "eye liner" the dark line extending beyond her eye towards her ear is dark and very well defined. On the male, that same line is light and blurry. Similarly, if you look at the triangle on the top of their head, on the female it is dark and clearly defined, the male's triangle is lighter and the edges are not clearly defined. In both of the chick photos below, the female is on the left, and the male is on the right. If you plan on doing your own breeding, it is highly advisable you grow out all the cockerels and select the best two to keep as breeders. The male if very important and under ideal conditions, should not be judged until one year of age. 

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arans have yet to be recognized by the American Poultry Association (APA) despite their increasing popularity. They were developed in France and are known for their famous, chocolate brown egg. The English standard calls for clean legs, the French standard calls for feathered legs. Whitmore Farm breeds to the French standard.

Whitmore Farm raises both Black Copper Marans and Blue Copper Marans. The Black Copper variety is the most common variety in France and is generally believed to have the darkest egg color of all the varieties. The Blue Copper variety is a striking color combination with all the traits Black Copper Marans are famous for. The French Marans website acknowledges that Blue Copper Marans, although rare and not a recognized variety, have been around as long as the Black Copper variety has. The nice thing about raising Black Copper and Blue Copper Marans is that you can run the birds together and still get purebred Black Copper Marans and purebred Blue Copper Marans. The blue color gene is a variant of the black color gene, they occupy the same loci on the chromosome. Think of the blue color gene as a dilution gene. It dilutes out the black color. Gray is a dilute black.

Whitmore Farm recently added several Blue Copper cocks to the breeding flock. This Blue Copper variety is a striking color combination with all the traits Black Copper Marans are famous for. Because the blue color gene is a variant of the black color gene, the two varieties can be run together.

A farmer named Will had some chicks,
World famous because of their tricks,
They would stand on one leg,
Lay a copper-hued egg,
And escape Bar-b-Quing on sticks!
- Rose Woodsmall

Here is a sample of the eggs laid by our Marans flock. The white eggs in the top right row are Leghorn, the egg in the middle is an Ameraucana, and the two tan eggs on the left are Delaware eggs. Marans lay the largest egg of the breeds we raise. Eggs from one year old hens average 2.27 oz (64.4 g) and meet the USDA "extra large" classification. Eggs from adult hens frequently hit the jumbo benchmark.

Marans egg color is a very controversial and often misunderstood topic. I've raised several different bloodlines of Marans and these are by far the best. They have the darkest eggs I've been able to find. Egg color does vary by individual bird, by the time of the year, and varies depending on their diet and management (free range on green pasture vs. confinement). Generally speaking, the eggs from these birds average around 7 with some 8 and some 6, on the French 1-9 color scale. It is unrealistic to expect every bird in your flock to lay a dark egg all year long. Egg color does not work like that. We occasionally get a 9, but it is the exception and it is usually in early spring or late fall when birds are just coming on line.

Marans have the lowest lay rate of the breeds we raise. Some speculate that selecting for dark eggs reduces lay rate because dark eggs pass thru the oviduct more slowly receiving additional coats of color. Brown egg color is controlled by at least 14 genes and is not well understood. If it were as simple as only hatching the dark eggs, everyone would have a good line within one generation. Whitmore Farm will continue to select for improved lay rate and monitor egg color in successive generations to be sure it does not suffer. If you are simply interested in dark brown eggs, you should also consider the Welsummer. Our Welsummer lay eggs nearly as dark as our Marans. We have to collect them separately to avoid confusion. Here is a pic showing eggs from both breeds in the same tray. The Marans eggs are on the left, the Welsummer eggs are on the right. Leghorn eggs are in the middle and two Delaware eggs and one Ameraucana egg are in the top row for additional color reference points. These represent the best of the Welsummer eggs during a single days collection. To view the full color spectrum of Welsummer eggs see the Welsummer page.

Those interested in the breed should join the Marans Chicken Club USA and the Marans of America Club. The French Marans Club is the premier source of information on Marans. I refer to it often. If you speak/read French, you should definitely join their club. They have their own forum and newsletter. There are also several Yahoo groups where people can go to for advice and discuss the Marans: Yahoo Marans Breeders of America, Yahoo Marans Chicken Club, and Yahoo French Marans.

Whitmore Farm employs flock breeding, so when you place an order for day old chicks you will get a mixture of both Black Copper Marans and Blue Copper Marans chicks. Basically, whatever black copper/blue copper color ratio hatches out that week. Similarly, if you purchase hatching eggs, you will hatch a mixture of both Black Copper Marans and Blue Copper Marans chicks.

For pricing and to order day old chicks, click here.

For pricing and to order hatching eggs, click here.

For more photos of these breeds and any other type of chicken, see www.feathersite.com

 

 

Customer comments:

Hi there, I just wanted to let you know how pleased I have been with my Marans. I have had chickens for about 20 years but none so hearty and well dispositioned as the Marans. - Christine Radanovaich

 

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meraucanas lay the most beautiful blue eggs. They are a uniquely American breed derived from South American Araucanas, but improved for fertility and lay rate. Most people mix up Ameraucanas, Araucanas, and any mutt that lays a blue egg and calls them all Ameraucanas, or worse yet Easter Eggers, a catch all phrase with little meaning. For an excellent article on the differences in these terms read Ameraucana Myths & Facts by Vicky Thompson on the Ameraucanas Breeders Club MSN group. If you are interested in Ameraucanas you should join both the Ameraucanas Breeders Club (ABC) and the ABC Forum.