Birchen Marans Thread

[Bantambird]

Saw this thread from a long time ago. Figured I would still post and see what happens.

we are guessing that these roosters may be Marans or Maran crosses. Could anyone confirm and if so which one would be better to put with our barred rock and other lighter brown egg layers in hopes that their little ones would lay darker eggs.

It's hard to say whether or not those are marans crosses. The first one is potentially closest to a marans, and you can occasionally get clean legged marans. If that first one is a marans, he's got some flaws, but if he's going into a mixed flock that won't matter. The second and third look more like Wyandottes with those Combs, but they could be crosses.
I can't tell you definitively if any of those boys are for sure marans. The first one looks closest. For marans cocks to pass dark shells on, they themselves will need to have hatched from a dark egg.

 

[Chooks man]

Hello,

Not sure if this 11 months rooster of mine is a Birchen Marans or maybe a cross?
Perhaps some of you are much more knowledgeable on the subject.
The color is not silvery, is more yellowish and it's I think not widespread enough.
What do you think? Is this a Marans or something completely different? Thanks.
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he is marans for sure not pure birchen but marans
chooks man

 

[LadiesAndJane]

Bumping this thread.

Here is our birchen hen and her egg next to a bantam cochin egg. She will be 2 years old this spring. She’s just coming out of a molt, so not the most flattering pic of her.
I’ve only been able to hatch olive eggers with her this year. Working on sourcing some quality hatching eggs so we can get a rooster for her. She was a lucky find as a 5 weeks old pullet. Went to get faverolles and the owner didn’t want her. Fine by me. But now I need more!

She’s a pretty girl! Gorgeous egg as well. I have a blue birchen Marans pullet that I hatched. 7 months old, not laying yet, but I think will soon.

 

[ChickenRun96]

Eggs from GypsyHenPoultry in Oklahoma in the incubator. 8/10 took off, so we shall see how many hatch. They are day 15 today from a blue/black breeding pen.

 

[Bantambird]

Hi everyone! I received 3 Blue Birchen Marans chicks from Meyer yesterday, and I wanted to confirm the color variations. I'm new to the breed, but my understanding is that when breeding for blues, results are typically 50% blue, 25% black, and 25% splash.

Here's what I have, and my assumptions about what colors they are (seems obvious, maybe, but I would love to get your expert opinions!)

I'm assuming:
- the light buff-colored one is splash
- the darkest one is black
- the grey one is blue
Does that seem right to you?

Thanks so much!

looks like an accurate statement so far

 

[wrathsfarm]

Any Birchen breeders active here? Looking for Black Silver hatching eggs, day olds or started pullets/cockerels or culls.

I'm also in no rush, trying to locate by Spring 2024. Any info/links/pics/random ramblings you have would be awesome.... ie. Breeders in your area. I'm in Michigan for reference.

 

[Chooks man]

Any Birchen breeders active here? Looking for Black Silver hatching eggs, day olds or started pullets/cockerels or culls.

I'm also in no rush, trying to locate by Spring 2024. Any info/links/pics/random ramblings you have would be awesome.... ie. Breeders in your area. I'm in Michigan for reference.

ask @Bantambird she has a best Birchen I know of.
chooks man

 

[wrathsfarm]

ask @Bantambird she has a best Birchen I know of.
chooks man

Way ahead of you, bud. She doesn't ship and 24 hr drive one way....I wish there was a way. Her birds are top shelf for sure. I love seeing the pics when she posts them.

 

[Chooks man]

Im finding this to be very true.

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

good luck to you ,hope you will find what are you looking for .
must be some breeders some where for sure ,or hatchery .
why you don t look at the breeder chart ,we do have breeders chart of any poultry breed in Australia I think maybe you guys have some thing similar .
chooks man

 

[bigsurfwaves]

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!