Black Copper Marans discussion thread

[hosspak]

I do that with the pumpkins and they devour the mush. With a whole uncooked pumpkin (cut in 1/2) seeds get eaten immediately but the rest sits around forever and they occasionally peck at it never eating the peel.

I still have frozen pumpkins cut into 1/8 slices. I put 2 slices out a week, rarely makes it to the end of the day, the flock loves and attacks it... I introduced pumpkin to them by giving them the top from a carved pumpkin, 8 inches round X 2 inches thick. In 2 hours all that was left was the stem plug... lol

 

[Wynette]

I still have frozen pumpkins cut into 1/8 slices. I put 2 slices out a week, rarely makes it to the end of the day, the flock loves and attacks it... I introduced pumpkin to them by giving them the top from a carved pumpkin, 8 inches round X 2 inches thick. In 2 hours all that was left was the stem plug... lol

Do you put them out frozen? I freeze bananas that are over the hill in the summer, and peel/put out on those extremely hot days to cool them down. I never thought about doing pumpkins the same way! Great idea.

 

[marquisella]

Quote: I normally grow squash for the chickens and feed it to them in the fall as a treat. Pumpkins they like as well. Never froze them though. Kale, they devour. I don't give them much fruit, except maybe skins from apples I peel for pies. I'm going back to fermenting oats as a supplement this fall, until it gets too cold & it freezes in my unheated tack room.

 

[hosspak]

Do you put them out frozen? I freeze bananas that are over the hill in the summer, and peel/put out on those extremely hot days to cool them down. I never thought about doing pumpkins the same way! Great idea.

I had to freeze them so they wouldn't start molding. I have set them outside until they thaw and I have given them frozen. They last longer when frozen, but the tribe likes them no matter what.

 

[Runawaylobster]

If you are having trouble with barley, maybe try wheat instead? I use a mix of wheat, boss, and lentils. I never have mold. With the barley it was a battle. My Marans are greedy feeders. The fodder helps keep them busy without making them too fat.

now the weather is cooling down i will give it another try., I tried using wild birdseed, i have not found out where to get unprocessed grain from yet, everything is made up into animal feed already around here. I can't do much free ranging for them in the winter because it's almost dark when i get home from work and the dogs are out during the day so they only get a few minutes and i rotate coops as well so they take turns..

thanks for the hints, i won't try barley LOL!!

 

[math ace]

oops

 

[math ace]

Posted in the wrong thread - my bad

 

[math ace]

still fixing my posting . ..

 

[Broad St Farm]

Since we were on the conversation of white feathers growing in after molts and the like, here is another perplexing occurance. Went out to the coop today and I was looking at the 3 Black Copper females I have. They are still in molt. Two of them are almost done and one is still a mess. First my questions before my findings. 1. Do most of you find that the black feathers of our birds tend to get dull or a brownish tinge to the old feathers before molt? 2. Has anyone noticed individual Mossy or brown feathers come in after a molt to a bird that was otherwise completly black?

So I glanced at my birds, which all of them were completely black and actually they are way to dark with hardly any copper. So the one bird that is still molting and looks horrible has blackish/brown patches on her fuzzy bum and fuzz around the thighs. Its like the old fuzz is turning brownish black and the new fuzz is coming in black. At least I hope I looked at her right and the new feathers are black.

Another female has grown I think two Brown mossy feathers. One on her back and the other on the side of her wing. All I have to say is what the heck. None of these birds were mossy growing up, and they were over-melanized. Ok genetic wizards. What causes this?

 

[maryhysong]

Since we were on the conversation of white feathers growing in after molts and the like, here is another perplexing occurance. Went out to the coop today and I was looking at the 3 Black Copper females I have. They are still in molt. Two of them are almost done and one is still a mess. First my questions before my findings. 1. Do most of you find that the black feathers of our birds tend to get dull or a brownish tinge to the old feathers before molt? 2. Has anyone noticed individual Mossy or brown feathers come in after a molt to a bird that was otherwise completly black?

So I glanced at my birds, which all of them were completely black and actually they are way to dark with hardly any copper. So the one bird that is still molting and looks horrible has blackish/brown patches on her fuzzy bum and fuzz around the thighs. Its like the old fuzz is turning brownish black and the new fuzz is coming in black. At least I hope I looked at her right and the new feathers are black.

Another female has grown I think two Brown mossy feathers. One on her back and the other on the side of her wing. All I have to say is what the heck. None of these birds were mossy growing up, and they were over-melanized. Ok genetic wizards. What causes this?

I have noticed some birds with brownish fluff. I don't think it was like that earlier in the summer and I have wondered if they don't sort of fade from the sun over time. Or perhaps as the old feather is getting loosened up and all the nourishment is going to the new feathers coming in. Reminds me of if I leave a black tshirt out on the line for a couple weeks in the summer it fades to a brownish color.

Don't know about the mossy but I had a Welsummer pullet that had a bare back for awhile this summer. Some of her feathers in that area have grown back with white tips.