🐣🐥Black Copper Marans and Whiting True Blues. Lots of videos🎥

[wrathsfarm]

Looks like you’re off to a great start. I have whiting true blues and I’m picking up black/blue/splash copper Maran eggs next Saturday. Looks like we have similar taste in chickens lol. Those chicks look great, very healthy birds.

You should come join the conversation in the Marans thread. Love to see your eggs when they arrive.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...ng-to-the-sop.1122465/page-2297#post-27385491

 

[TexasBlues]

Great videos! And I love how you have them trained! Those little peeps were hitting me hard I just love them

Here’s some more peeps from today. These chicks I haven’t spent as much time with as the black copper marans so they aren’t so quick to come when called. They are 2 weeks old now and growing fast.

 

[WhoDatChick]

Here’s some more peeps from today. These chicks I haven’t spent as much time with as the black copper marans so they aren’t so quick to come when called. They are 2 weeks old now and growing fast.

Simply adorable and so funny
I changed the old saying “Monkey see, monkey do” to “Chickie see, chickie do”

 

[TexasBlues]

Here’s the little chicks from today.

They’re slowly starting to get to know the older marans. I’m introducing them in small controlled sessions. Hopefully when it comes time to fully integrate them it will go smoothly.
If you notice in the video the dark chick with spot on top of his head. That chick was the last one to hatch a full day after the other 8. I ended up helping him get out of the egg and coincidentally that chick is extra friendly. Always the first to come over to me and doesn’t mind being picked up and handled. He doesn’t seem bothered when away from the hatchmates either. I like his dark feathering and yellow legs/beak. The other 2 dark chicks have dark legs. I’m guessing he’s going to be barred. I say HE because of the spot on his head, but I don’t think that matters. I’m not experienced with sex linked traits.
I was told by the breeder there was some barred or cuckoo patterned hens in the flock the hatching eggs came from. I don’t think there were barred roosters.
The light blonde colored chick looked like it had a muff when born, but it’s faded some. The 2 blonde looking chicks sure stand out. If I was to breed for natural camo, I’d probably leave them out and just use the 4 chipmunk patterned ones. The chipmunk and brown/red ones blend in nicely with the dry pecan leaves. There’s 2 with arrowhead markings on their heads like brown leghorn chicks. And there’s 2 that don’t have head/face markings. All 4 of those have brownish barred wings.

 

[wrathsfarm]

I know nothing about Whiting's and the barring to comment on that. Seems like you might be on to something tho....
I do know integrating them goes much easier when introducing them young, so I hope it all goes good for you.

 

[TexasBlues]

I just had a big hawk attack the Marans this morning. I think it was either a red tail or broad winged. Three of the Marans were hiding under the coop and it took me five minutes to find the last hen. She was hiding and frozen in the bushes. I’m lucky the hawk didn’t get one. Their run is under construction and I can’t get it finished quick enough.

 

[wrathsfarm]

I just had a big hawk attack the Marans this morning. I think it was either a red tail or broad winged. Three of the Marans were hiding under the coop and it took me five minutes to find the last hen. She was hiding and frozen in the bushes. I’m lucky the hawk didn’t get one. Their run is under construction and I can’t get it finished quick enough.

Good to hear it was a near miss. Hawks will keep patrolling now that they've got your chicks in their sites. Is under the coop completely open? You could block off 2 or 3 sides for a safe area. Anyway you could whip up a quick 'run' for them. Don't need to be pretty.
Other than locking them up in the coop for a couple weeks until the hawk moves on its best to keep a watchful eye to the sky while they free range. Your their rooster for now.

I keep a pair of binoculars just inside my barn door when the boys sound an alarm I can't see.

 

[wrathsfarm]

This is a quick 'cobble' run I had to get up for the growouts to get them outside time. Just to throw you an idea or 2. It's just 3' tall hc roughly 6x7 and I can pull the plastic off for sun....Way more function than flash. On the one side is just 2 outdoor tables with steel over and on side to block rain/snow/wind for the free rangers. Cold winter wind is frigid here in Michigan.
Hope it helps with a quick idea for you.

 

[TexasBlues]

Thanks for the run advice. I’m making a simple A-frame type of run for now. Something not too big that can be moved around.
I had some snags getting all the supplies so I’m behind on the project. The chickens stay in a big pen/coop at night and free range during the day while I’m home. They’re good about going into the pen when called. I’ll put them up if I’m going to leave the house.
Hawks are tricky. I could trap and handle any furry predators that come my way, but hawks are untouchable. If the chickens are not going to be in a protected run, then I’ll probably need to string lines above the areas they’ll free range. Would be nice if I had dog that stayed outside all the time also. The hawk startled me and looked so large close up that in my mind it was big as an eagle.

 

[TexasBlues]

Anybody read the old book called “Call of the Hen”? It was written by Walter Hogan in the early 1900s. He was a phrenologist and developed a system to tell what birds had the best physical traits for laying or meat production by feeling their abdomen, pelvic bones and also the skull.
I downloaded it off of archive.org it’s a good source for old publications.