Black, Blue and Splash (BBS) Marans discussion thread

[mikeypalone]

The blue pullets are 8 months old and the black is only 6 months old. I hatched eggs from the blue after they had been laying for several weeks. I had all twelve eggs hatch and there is only one,a cockerel,that I won't keep.

 

[xlboergoats]

We have not been working on Blacks or Blues very long. It is a battle trying to find something that is true Black or Blue. I guess we will just keep plugging along with the few that we have.

Ernie Haire
Arp, Texas
www.Marans2XL.com

 

[mikeypalone]

I am planning on taking mine to the west central Ohio show in march. I am hoping to see several more blue Marans there. I have finally kept one blue cockerel out of many that I think will be very good. He's still young but really starting to come into his own now. This guy was a keeper from the go. Anyone else going to this show with Marans ? There will be an egg show,and I love egg shows.

 

[flgardengirl]

Hi, Good luck on your show. I would love to be able to go to more shows. It's good that someone is out there representing the blue Marans.
I am an RN and work 12 hr shifts on a rotating schedule and also get called in a lot so shows are pretty much out unless I can schedule vacation time right around the shows etc (lol fat chance). I am also taking some classes with labs this semester so kinda sucks.

Today was not a good day for pics since I got called in to work grrr. Leave when its dark and come home and its almost dark again. I will be glad when spring is here and the days are longer. I miss my birds!!

 

[mikeypalone]

Yea,that's no good. This time of year can go by sooooo slow. On a happy note,I will be taking a pullet that was hatched April 2 that I showed 30 times last year. She is 29 wins and 1 second. I started at county fairs and ended at Ohio nationals. I came across a few blue Marans along the way but not many. I am hoping to see many more this year. This will be my first time showing a blue rooster but this guy is really good. I have very high hopes for him this year. I also have silver birchen that should be of show age middle of summer.

 

[flgardengirl]

Well I guess I could post some of my older blue pics on here.

Here are some blue Marans chicks

Some young males

One of the cockerals with good lacing.

Older blue male

 

[Hens and Roos]

Well I guess I could post some of my older blue pics on here.

Here are some blue Marans chicks

Some young males

One of the cockerals with good lacing.

Older blue male

 

[mikeypalone]

Those are very nice birds. Have you ever shown any blues ? I like that older rooster,my young one has that kind of body and he is growing out very fast.

 

[flgardengirl]

Thanks. No I have never shown anything at all and have only been to a few shows so far lol. We have had chickens since I was a kid though.
I think I enjoy the process of breeding the birds and trying to reach goals with them more than I would showing them. I probably might try showing sometime but not sure when. Maybe when we get more time and get birds that are more to the standards. I am real happy with my egg color on most of the Marans varieties that I have but still working on type etc. .
A lot of my blue/black roos seem to have really huge- kinda ugly combs. Not sprigs or anything like that but just huge and some do not raise up off the back of their necks. Its something that I am working on.

That older roo is a sweetheart. He waits for you to sit down somewhere and then jumps up on your lap so you can scratch the back of his neck. He is jealous if you pet the other chickens.

 

[flgardengirl]

This is the egg color that I am getting from my older black hens

This is the egg color that the pullet that I posted at the beginning of this thread lays (the 4 reddish darker brown eggs on the left). Heck if I know where the red came from but I really like it. I am hoping to eventually get a whole flock of black girls that lay that color.