A Full Dozen

[3KillerBs]

Sorry had to run to work earlier....

I think your eggs are beautiful. Maybe someday I will have to get some Marans in my flock....

They're nice, low-drama birds -- though they were prone to fly over the fence as POL pullets.

 

[21hens-incharge]

They're nice, low-drama birds -- though they were prone to fly over the fence as POL pullets.

I like low drama birds!

Adding them to my lock wish list for when I need to add birds.

 

[3KillerBs]

I like low drama birds!

Adding them to my lock wish list for when I need to add birds.

I chose the French Cuckoo Marans because I like black-and-white birds, I like feathered feet, and I had read that the French type Marans laid darker eggs.

I got them from Ideal because they had the French kind and because of their low order minimums. (I liked handling a dozen chicks at once. I am having some issues with the Welp batch because dealing with 26 of them -- 18? now that I've sold some -- is a bit of a pain.

 

[21hens-incharge]

I will keep Ideal in mind since I definitely don't/won't need 18++ birds at once.

It's gonna be a long time before I need birds since I have 16 laying hens that will hopefully live many more years. Long term I am scaling back to just 6-10 in the flock.

 

[3KillerBs]

I will keep Ideal in mind since I definitely don't/won't need 18++ birds at once.

It's gonna be a long time before I need birds since I have 16 laying hens that will hopefully live many more years. Long term I am scaling back to just 6-10 in the flock.

My intent over the long term is to replace ~ 1/3 of my layers each year.

I really shouldn't have carried Popcorn and Dumpling over through their first molt because Dumpling is a poor layer and Popcorn is both undersized for a Wyandotte and lays eggs with frequent calcium deposits.

But I think it will be easier on my family for the first cull if all the 2-year hens go at the same time next fall (possible exception for Cordon if she proves to be a good mother as a broody).

 

[blackacres]

French Cuckoo Marans from Ideal.

They're not breeder-dark, but to the best of my understanding they're in-range for the SOP.

I have a few Marans pullets and can’t wait to see their eggs!

 

[blackacres]

My chickens don't seem to get this "don't lay during short days" thing.

The new pullets are coming online and some of the 17-month old hens are starting up after molting so I had a full dozen today!

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Beautiful spread!

 

[TheCluckyClucker2]

How nice!! Congrats they are beautiful eggs! I have 14 ladies and no eggs…3 are 8.5 months old! I’m starting to think I may have bought some broken chickens

Same! I can fit two fingers between the bone and everything. They are 8 months old and making nests in boxes. Like excuse me?! Look at that comb!

 

[kurby22]

Same! I can fit two fingers between the bone and everything. They are 8 months old and making nests in boxes. Like excuse me?! Look at that comb!
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Why do they torture us so?? That’s what my girls look like! Nice red combs and no eggs!!