French Black Marans have lustrous black plumage and slight feathering on the legs. They were recognized by the American Standard of Perfection in 2020.

Be aware that these black chickens commonly have a few white feathers in the first and second stage molt. But by about six months of age the plumage will be solid black.

Marans chickens are a friendly, dual-purpose breed. Even the roosters get along well with each other.

The hens lay eggs with incredibly dark chocolate brown shells. As with any brown-shell egg, the color becomes lighter during the laying cycle. However, at the beginning of the next cycle the shells will again be darker.