Marans Thread - breed discussion & pictures are welcome! - Page 3385

Sorry to hear that; get a good night's sleep!

I spoke to Don today, via e-mail. He said in about 2,000 chicks, he never had a Wheaten sport appear, so he had never tried to breed a sport to a Wheaten. He did say that Pip does sound like a Wheaten or maybe a cross. He says usually, the crossed (BCM x Wheaten) have that brownish looking fluff and feathering on the breast.  Pip has neither, he is a very deep matte black. He hatched out looking like a BCM, albeit very dark, very little white on him, so I would have to think he is a cross? Wonder why those feathers decided to color in now?? Shoot, he'll be 2 years old in August.  He also has the whiteish/pink legs of a Wheatie too. Ah Pip...the enigma continues!

Oh yeh, not happening here with the roos! I just wonder if he was a slow grower, but that still would not explain his chick coloring. He really didn't even start to bulk up and look mature until just a few months ago. Had never breed anything either, well, except his coffee can which I took away! Since he's been having little romances with the ladies, he has cooled his jets with me considerably. I was telling poor Don this today, and I can just envision the expression on his face, and what he was thinking when I told him all of that..."fool woman, WHY would you keep such a bird???"  Believe me, I've asked myself that same question many times, yet Pip remains.

we all have favorites, no matter how misfit they might be. I know I do, there's no explaining it... 

I guess it's kind of like dating that bad boy in High School. You know he's no good, and the whole thing isn't going anywhere, but you just can't help liking the little turd!

The whole 50/50 thing is based on much larger numbers... so yes, that is a pretty normal hatch ratio... not very fair... but normal. Maybe your next hatch will even out your odds... one can always hope :)