Marans Thread - breed discussion & pictures are welcome!

[gilavina]

I have found it a good time to dip the chickens with adams flea and tick dip...
You will have a very peed off hen, but she won't be broody by the time she dries out.
Plus, she will smell good LOL

I have a few marans that go broody and they are always in the Spring or Summer, so dipping isn't a problem in that kind of weather.

the only thing I'd caution about with the Adam's is that it should be done in a place with plenty of ventilation for both you and the birds since it has ether in it.

 

[DMRippy]

botulism is deadly.....you said you have not had any to die. I would think mortality would be 100%.

Just an opinion have not look at botulism in chickens.

 

[gilavina]

Did you hatch lots this year Lisa? Feel like I haven't talked to you in forever!

 

[math ace]

the only thing I'd caution about with the Adam's is that it should be done in a place with plenty of ventilation for both you and the birds since it has ether in it.

I use the dip... I do it outside.. I do it first thing in the morning and then let the birds free range all day so that they are dry by night.

I didn't know about the ether... thanks for the heads up...

 

[gilavina]

I use the dip... I do it outside.. I do it first thing in the morning and then let the birds free range all day so that they are dry by night.

I didn't know about the ether... thanks for the heads up...

No problem, I know of several people that would do their end of year spray before snow started to fly and would spray in a too confined area out of the weather and would pass out, and know a couple people that lost birds because of it.

 

[math ace]

Did you hatch lots this year Lisa? Feel like I haven't talked to you in forever!

It has been FOREVER!
My dad is really narrowing my scope on life.

I hatched a TON Of chicks this year. Unfortunately, very few were marans.
I am going to replace at least one of my marans cocks this winter with a cockerel from the Spring hatch.
The oldest male cock is having fertility issues this year. I am very happy with the handful of marans I did manage to hatch.

 

[gilavina]

It has been FOREVER!
My dad is really narrowing my scope on life.

I hatched a TON Of chicks this year. Unfortunately, very few were marans.
I am going to replace at least one of my marans cocks this winter with a cockerel from the Spring hatch.
The oldest male cock is having fertility issues this year. I am very happy with the handful of marans I did manage to hatch.

How old is your old one? I have some coming up to 4 and 5 years now and just curious about when people start noticing a decline in fertility with them on average? So far, they are doing well here.
Wyandotte fertility is an entirely different matter tho.

Is your dad's health declining? its somewhat similar here over the last year, its becoming noticeable week to week small changes.

 

[math ace]

No problem, I know of several people that would do their end of year spray before snow started to fly and would spray in a too confined area out of the weather and would pass out, and know a couple people that lost birds because of it.

The Spray is too expensive and not as effective as dipping IMHO.

All I need is One bottle of dip, 1/2 of a 55 gallon plastic drum, and I can do all on my property in one morning. Then I must the dirty water in a pump-up sprayer and hit all the turds on the ground I can find. This serves as a fly control too. The same active ingredient in Adams flea and tick DIP is the Repel-X used for horses.

 

[upthecreek]

Quote:
Do your chickens appear to be slightly drunk after dipping them in the Adams flea & tick dip ? (i might be using a little to much concentrate ?)
But it's good stuff ......... when you don't want to dip you can use Adams flea and tick spray ..... they took the smell-good out of it couple years back but might have put it back in by now(i know they got a lot of complaints when they took it out) i think the spray is the one with ether .

I also make a spray using some of the dip concentrate and water .... smells good and works .
Been using Adams for over 40 years-give or take ( if my memory is correct).

 

[math ace]

How old is your old one? I have some coming up to 4 and 5 years now and just curious about when people start noticing a decline in fertility with them on average? So far, they are doing well here.
Wyandotte fertility is an entirely different matter tho.

Is your dad's health declining? its somewhat similar here over the last year, its becoming noticeable week to week small changes.

The old cock is still fertile, but he is a "gentleman". He propositions the marans hens and they say "No". He accepts it and moves over to my Easter Eggers, Partridge Rocks, etc. Those ladies don't say "No". So he is getting the job done, but not with the hens I want him to do it with!
He has always been nice to his hens. . . ..