Birchen Marans Thread

[Overoberyl]

Well, it all depends on what you are looking for I guess. The GFF birds were big, and laid nice eggs, but the body type and color was all wrong. If I were to start again I would look for a breeder that specializes in Marans to get my start from.

I was thinking the same about the type...also if the eggs pictured are from their stock, they only look to be between a 3-4 to me, so egg color is nothing remarkable either. Not something I would personally consider top of the line or be willing to pay top dollar for. Jmo, but if you have a very dark egg, I would think a less typey bird would be forgiven as they are a work in progress. A typey bird might be forgiven a lighter egg. Both lack of type and lack of color are a problem.

 

[GaryDean26]

I got 15 assorted rare breed eggs from GFF. I didn't want to get any of their Marans since I already had a nice line of Black Copper Marans(i was hoping for lots of orpingtons), but the two eggs they sent me were the two eggs I was most excited about out of the whole mix. One egg was the only true #8 I have ever seen (my Black Coppers lay around a six). The other egg was a very impressive #6. They may have sent me the two darkes eggs from their flock for the whole week, but the eggs were too large to be pullet eggs. The GFF line can definatly lay dark eggs. I was really excited to see what quality of offspring they would produce, but decided again starting a new variety since I was already too investing in the Black Copper Marans. The cockerel was the largest boy I had on the property. The Hen was good sized too (and even had really good type (although the cockerel's type was not there). Pefect birds for people that want meat and eggs, but not quite perfect for nerdy chicken breeders that spend 100 hours a year studying SOP's and trying to work towards lines that produce high percentages of birds that reasonably well fit the SOP.

 

[Lorre]

Hello to all the Birchen Marans lovers!!! I am new here and just hatched my first set of eggs. I bought some Birchen Marans shipped because I love their coloring. I currently have Back Coppers and Cuckoo's. My question is this... Is there any markings on the Birchen that distinguishes them from the Black Copper? I have hatched to two together and now I don't know which is which.... Please help if you can.... Thanks a million!

 

[snowbird]

Hello to all the Birchen Marans lovers!!! I am new here and just hatched my first set of eggs. I bought some Birchen Marans shipped because I love their coloring. I currently have Back Coppers and Cuckoo's. My question is this... Is there any markings on the Birchen that distinguishes them from the Black Copper? I have hatched to two together and now I don't know which is which.... Please help if you can.... Thanks a million!

The Birchen will have silver when they start feathering up. I do not know of any other way to tell the difference.

 

[chickenlisa]

Anyone here on BYC have Silver Birchen eggs to sell for hatching? I've looked in the BST threads and even posted asking for some there...nada...
I'm going to be setting some eggs I won soon, so thought I'd look for some gorgeous Birchen eggs to pop in with them....
Thanks
Lisa

 

[Lotsapaints]

I don't have any listed but mine are a work in progress that said they bigger than most pretty beefy but are carrying gold and I haven't tested them for recessive yellow shanks but I haven't had any show up either they egg color at best was a 4/5 and right now some of the eggs are pretty light I just hatched a bunch for me and my incubator is full so I'm just eating them PM me if you want to work with what I have

 

[gilavina]

How in the heck have I missed this thread for this long? Kim, you should have yelled at me! haha
Hi everyone!

 

[pinkchick]

LOL!

 

[tracyork]

I have a question about the color genes and how they are carried. I hatched birchens last summer and had a couple that expressed the off color (I was warned). One cockerel developed straw hackle feathers almost immediately. He was sent to a backyard flock, where it wouldn't be an issue. I kept the other in hopes that he wouldn't develop the same issue. He seems a lot better, but may still have a hint of the straw color. Also, one of the pullets is mahogany. All the other pullets are silver.

So my question is whether or not the silver individuals are carrying the off-colors (straw/copper/mahogany) if they are not expressing it? Is the gold recessive to the silver, and therefore hidden?

My rooster is not nearly as silver as TheCosmos' Hyperion, and I haven't seen a lot of examples that are that silver. Is that the target? I have included a few pictures. They definitely aren't perfect, and are expressing a lot of the less desirable traits mentioned elsewhere (egg color, short back, leg feathering, etc.) Input is appreciated.

It's nice to see a separate birchen thread, those other marans threads are too crazy if you aren't doing the BCM thing!

 

[nicalandia]

I have a question about the color genes and how they are carried. I hatched birchens last summer and had a couple that expressed the off color (I was warned). One cockerel developed straw hackle feathers almost immediately. He was sent to a backyard flock, where it wouldn't be an issue. I kept the other in hopes that he wouldn't develop the same issue. He seems a lot better, but may still have a hint of the straw color. Also, one of the pullets is mahogany. All the other pullets are silver.

So my question is whether or not the silver individuals are carrying the off-colors (straw/copper/mahogany) if they are not expressing it? Is the gold recessive to the silver, and therefore hidden?

My rooster is not nearly as silver as TheCosmos' Hyperion, and I haven't seen a lot of examples that are that silver. Is that the target? I have included a few pictures. They definitely aren't perfect, and are expressing a lot of the less desirable traits mentioned elsewhere (egg color, short back, leg feathering, etc.) Input is appreciated.

It's nice to see a separate birchen thread, those other marans threads are too crazy if you aren't doing the BCM thing!

what you are seeing is Silver Birchen(S/S ER/ER) males mated with Gold Birchen(s+/- ER/ER) hens. the S/s+ ER/ER males will have straw colored hackles and saddles because Silver is incompletely dominant to gold(S/s+) at least on the adult stage. BUT seems to be completely dominant at the chick stage. S/s+ even with Mahogany when chicks will look like plain old silver.. but will show their straw/lemon colors when growing into adults