Birchen Marans Thread

[wrathsfarm]

very hard to find good Birchen breeders .
chooks man

Im finding this to be very true.

Now it's a challenge.....I'm up for a challenge.

 

[Bantambird]

And you are here too wrathsfarm ! Too funny. I ordered a Birchen male from Meyer Hatchery but it's BBS. Any thoughts about this being worthwhile? It's just a school project but would be nice to see the silver genes going and get some really dark eggs from the effort!

I didn't see this one, but yes, if you were to stop by in Montana, let me know and I can get you some birds. The hatchery is fired up by January, the first chicks are out by February, and the hatchery is shut down for the season by the end of May. I do grow out a number of birds that don't sell right away, and even sell some of those later. I almost always have a lot of cockerels going into fall that end up getting picked through and then I fill my freezer, but if it is birchen cockerels you want, I have a whole lot in their prime for selecting through in early fall.

 

[Chooks man]

more for you guys

 

[Bantambird]

I'm going to bathe some Birchen for a Poultry show. I've noticed that over time, the cocks and cockerels get yellower on the hackles and saddles but are much brighter right after molt, so I'm guessing that perhaps some sun bleaching is at play? Anyhow, I'm going to use bluing on them and see if it clears up some of the yellowing on the hackles.
They are filthy, since the splash birds are tinged yellow as well, so at least I will know how much is genetic and how much is dirt/sun once the deed is done.

 

[Bantambird]

I'm surprised that the birchen variety has not had more popularity, I prefer the black and white/silver contrast compared to the black copper marans, I do not own any yet but plan on getting my hands on some maybe this spring, I only have black copper and blue copper so far. I just hope birchens get the egg color up there similar to quality BCM.

Shop carefully before purchasing your Birchen. If you can, ask for egg pics too. Generally speaking, they don't usually get as dark as the black copper, but they can get pretty dark. I picked up some blue Birchen chicks this spring. I'm pretty sure that the splash that were used in their breeding pen may have been hiding some copper or autosomal red (or both), but overall I am still happy with them.

 

[Chooks man]

Birchen and Silver cuckoos hens with a Blue cuckoo Cockerel Blue shamrock .

looking forward to see they chicks .
the eggs are going under the broody hens tomorrow .13 large dark eggs .

chooks man

 

[Bantambird]

 

[Bantambird]

2 bantambird.
the cockerel hackle is a pure silver . love that
the shoulder still a little yellow . like mine .

by the way .the birchen pullet on the back has a stunning silver hackle and nice long back /tail .
can you please post some photos of her .

you are not far away to come out with a pure birchen cockerel ( pure silver )
when the pullets start to show a pure silver it is a good sign ,soon after the cockerel will follow .

chooks man

here is that silver hackle one today. And those eggs are from the pullets in the same group.

 

[Bantambird]

Wow are those eggs from birchen? Beautiful!

Indeed! Those are my Birchen Marans eggs! So proud of my girls!

 

[baunlee]

Hey everyone. Trying to do better with my birchens. My breeding pair was lost to a predator during the day and I set the eggs the hen left behind. Hoping to get more from the breeder this season. UGH. Anyways my guy is steady growing up. His name is sweetjames jones.

He looks so much like his dad!!