FRENCH Cuckoo Marans?

[3KillerBs]

I'm not ready for them right now but I want to collect resources for spring.

I'll be looking for either chicks or hatching eggs and I want the feather-footed French kind of Cuckoo Marans. My favorite hatchery, Ideal, switched to the clean-legged ones.

I'm not looking for show quality and don't have to have the super-deep, chocolate eggs -- my Ideal girls lay a solid 5 and that's fine with me. But I really prefer the feathered feet over the clean-legged birds.

Any ideas for me to file away?

 

[AnnPann]

sorry to hijack with a question instead of answer but just curious why the desire for feathered feet? i think they are beautiful breed and love the color of the eggs, but always assumed the feathered feet would be so messy.

 

[LadiesAndJane]

I'm not ready for them right now but I want to collect resources for spring.

I'll be looking for either chicks or hatching eggs and I want the feather-footed French kind of Cuckoo Marans. My favorite hatchery, Ideal, switched to the clean-legged ones.

I'm not looking for show quality and don't have to have the super-deep, chocolate eggs -- my Ideal girls lay a solid 5 and that's fine with me. But I really prefer the feathered feet over the clean-legged birds.

Any ideas for me to file away?

I believe Cackle still has the feathered leg variety.
They are also a good hatchery. I have ordered birds from them (other breeds though).

 

[JacinLarkwell]

I got a source for really nice splash marans with feathered legs, but that's about its, sorrt

 

[3KillerBs]

sorry to hijack with a question instead of answer but just curious why the desire for feathered feet? i think they are beautiful breed and love the color of the eggs, but always assumed the feathered feet would be so messy.

I just like them. I'm on well-drained, sandy ground so there's never any mud or mess involved for me.

Also, though it could be wrong, I've been told that the French varieties lay darker eggs.

I believe Cackle still has the feathered leg variety.
They are also a good hatchery. I have ordered birds from them (other breeds though).

I've tried to avoid ordering from Cackle because every time I make up identical orders from different hatcheries Cackle costs significantly more.

 

[Shadrach]

I get into trouble when I write this but if you want French Marans then you need to get them from Marans in France.
If on the other hand you would be happy to get something that looks a bit like French Marans then the usual very low quality hatchery stock will probably do.
It is an unfortunate fact countries that have sever restrictions on the importing of livestock such as the USA and Australia are dependant on a very small gene pool and less than ideal breeders.
The main problem is it seems that many of the attributes that are traditionally valued in a particular breed get lost due to poor breeding practices. Just as an example, if you want a breed that is valued for it's self reliance and foraging abilities then you want a chicken from a flock that has been kept in the conditions that promote these attributes, not some creature hatched in a machine and kept in confinement.
There is a great deal of merit in getting indigenous breeds for the country and preferably the area one lives in.
These are French Marans collected from a breeder in Marans in France.

 

[3KillerBs]

I get into trouble when I write this but if you want French Marans then you need to get them from Marans in France.
If on the other hand you would be happy to get something that looks a bit like French Marans then the usual very low quality hatchery stock will probably do.
It is an unfortunate fact countries that have sever restrictions on the importing of livestock such as the USA and Australia are dependant on a very small gene pool and less than ideal breeders.
The main problem is it seems that many of the attributes that are traditionally valued in a particular breed get lost due to poor breeding practices. Just as an example, if you want a breed that is valued for it's self reliance and foraging abilities then you want a chicken from a flock that has been kept in the conditions that promote these attributes, not some creature hatched in a machine and kept in confinement.
There is a great deal of merit in getting indigenous breeds for the country and preferably the area one lives in.
These are French Marans collected from a breeder in Marans in France.
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This is undoubtedly true for someone who wants top-level, show quality birds.

I've just decided that while I want to focus on my Blue Australorps, I want a few different colors of eggs in my basket -- especially because I'm getting into egg sales. So I'm moving my flock to having the Australorps as the only light brown layers, California Whites for white eggs, FCMs for dark brown (because I have a fancy for feathered feet), and a yet undetermined breed for blue/green. A move that will probably take several years to complete.

I don't need show stock for my purposes. Close enough with good egg production is what suits my needs -- which is what a reasonable-quality hatchery provides.

I was absolutely satisfied with my Ideal FCMs, but Ideal stopped carrying them.

 

[Shadrach]

This is undoubtedly true for someone who wants top-level, show quality birds.

It's not really about being show quality; it's about all those other attributes that make the breed.

I don't need show stock for my purposes. Close enough with good egg production is what suits my needs -- which is what a reasonable-quality hatchery provides.

Hatchery stock should be fine then.

 

[3KillerBs]

It's not really about being show quality; it's about all those other attributes that make the breed.


Hatchery stock should be fine then.

The problem is finding them.

Cackle's chicks are twice the price of other hatchery's chicks.

I like foot feathers, but not enough to pay that level of premium for them. :/

 

[AnnPann]

I'm on well-drained, sandy ground so there's never any mud or mess involved for me.

I have soil envy. I have heavy clay. The kind that doesn’t drain for DAYS and sticks to everything. I can’t even keep my own shoes clean in the spring, let alone my kids, husband, dog, cats…. Having chickens with feathered feet would be a nightmare. Also probably a bit comical. In a “my life is a total disaster” kind of way.