Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[SimpleJenn]

I was mistaken, it is Gertrude and Red I moved out to the big coop. I got them confused in the dark.

 

[Ikslo]

Oh be still my heart, he is STUNNING!!! I LOVE LOVE everything about him. He shocks me, I do not know what I was expecting with Wheaten Marans rooster coloring, but it sure was not this. I had to take a second hard look to spot the differences between Wheaton and Black Copper Marans roos.

Here was my boy Drumstick. He set the bar high in his time here and his son Bubba met it. I'm hoping Grandson Homer can also rise to the challenge.
View attachment 4218266
Can you spot the differences? Besides the coloring on Dusty's chest which I guess is a fault, the only other difference I see is the coloring on Dusty's wing tips and that brown feather in the tail.

It is interesting how close they are! Not what I was expecting before she showed me a picture. I guess less color, more buff/wheaten. But he is such a friendly darling. I already warned my boyfriend that his boys would be on the chopping block if introduction proves detrimental to this guy. He definitely looks better in the photo than when I got him though - it seems he’s molting a bit and has lost a few feathers. But still handsome.

ETA: in this thread The Moonshiner suggests that yes the wheaten have the colored wing triangle
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/wheaten-or-black-copper-rooster.1450209/

 

[RebeccaBoyd]

It is interesting how close they are! Not what I was expecting before she showed me a picture. I guess less color, more buff/wheaten. But he is such a friendly darling. I already warned my boyfriend that his boys would be on the chopping block if introduction proves detrimental to this guy. He definitely looks better in the photo than when I got him though - it seems he’s molting a bit and has lost a few feathers. But still handsome.

ETA: in this thread The Moonshiner suggests that yes the wheaten have the colored wing triangle
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/wheaten-or-black-copper-rooster.1450209/

You have a couple wheaten girls too correct? When you get time please tell me about those girls temperaments and personalities, and the roo too once he has had time to settle in. Marans and silkies are my true loves in the chicken world. My personal experience is with the Black Copper variety. I have been told from several people that the blue and splash also fall into the general description of the black copper's temperament traits. My girls, while they go broody at the drop of a hat they are wonderful mother's who are not evil with me when they have chicks. When they are not broody they are such sweet loving hens. They are easily turned into lap chickens. My boys, while yes they are stunning to look at which is a plus, it has been their temperaments that set them apart. For a large rooster they have each been gentle giants. Excellent with the hens and chicks. Drummie was my baby and he was spoiled. If I was out and sat down he was in my lap. He waited every single night for me to put him up on top of the big roost. He could get up there himself, but he waited on me. His son Bubba, conformationally was better then Drumstick and he also had his father's calm gentle demeaner. He was not a lap chicken like his daddy, although I could pick him up and hold him when needed with no fuss. He preferred to just be in my presence. He would come stand beside me and preen or lay down beside me and dust bathe and nap. I could reach down and pet him all I wanted and he was happy with it. I currently have Bubba's young grandson. He is not full marans, but a mixture of Marans, Buff orp and Silke x polish. Looking at him, he is identical to a young full marans cockerel. He turns 4 months old the end of the week and he is so calm and level headed. He has been since day 1.

I have heard that the Cuckoo Marans variety can be spicier then the black copper variety. I just wonder where the wheatens fit in the marans personality department.

How old is Dusty? Marans take a while to fully mature. He is going to grow until he is about 18 months old. If he is under a year and already that gorgeous, look out in a few months time.

 

[Ikslo]

You have a couple wheaten girls too correct? When you get time please tell me about those girls temperaments and personalities, and the roo too once he has had time to settle in. Marans and silkies are my true loves in the chicken world. My personal experience is with the Black Copper variety. I have been told from several people that the blue and splash also fall into the general description of the black copper's temperament traits. My girls, while they go broody at the drop of a hat they are wonderful mother's who are not evil with me when they have chicks. When they are not broody they are such sweet loving hens. They are easily turned into lap chickens. My boys, while yes they are stunning to look at which is a plus, it has been their temperaments that set them apart. For a large rooster they have each been gentle giants. Excellent with the hens and chicks. Drummie was my baby and he was spoiled. If I was out and sat down he was in my lap. He waited every single night for me to put him up on top of the big roost. He could get up there himself, but he waited on me. His son Bubba, conformationally was better then Drumstick and he also had his father's calm gentle demeaner. He was not a lap chicken like his daddy, although I could pick him up and hold him when needed with no fuss. He preferred to just be in my presence. He would come stand beside me and preen or lay down beside me and dust bathe and nap. I could reach down and pet him all I wanted and he was happy with it. I currently have Bubba's young grandson. He is not full marans, but a mixture of Marans, Buff orp and Silke x polish. Looking at him, he is identical to a young full marans cockerel. He turns 4 months old the end of the week and he is so calm and level headed. He has been since day 1.

I have heard that the Cuckoo Marans variety can be spicier then the black copper variety. I just wonder where the wheatens fit in the marans personality department.

How old is Dusty? Marans take a while to fully mature. He is going to grow until he is about 18 months old. If he is under a year and already that gorgeous, look out in a few months time.

I was told the rooster was over a year. Nothing more specific than that. So far he is very docile.

The pullets are, well let’s just say they are nondescript. Meaning, in my flock of newbies this spring, they just did not stand out. No dominance, no bottom of the pecking order, just there. As such, until we got those beautiful dark brown eggs, we hadn’t even named them. They don’t tend to come over for attention. They aren’t the first to run to treats. They hang out together mostly. They do get up to the roosts on their own; all the youngest figured it out around the same time and they followed along. Not the first and not the last. One thing they do not do, that almost all the others do, is jump the fence on their own. They just mill nearby and wait to be let out (most all the other hens jump on the strategically placed chair back and out). Only recently, now that the one is laying, has the dominant rooster, Curiosity, paid them any attention. He will escort Shirley now. She’s kind of drama queen about laying eggs, even if she’s boring otherwise. I think she knows how pretty they are!

 

[featherhead007]

I was mistaken, it is Gertrude and Red I moved out to the big coop. I got them confused in the dark.

Doo doo happens!

 

[RoyalChick]

DustyView attachment 4218264

Well there’s a handsome dude!

 

[bgmathteach]

OMG, her head is soooo tiny on that big floofy body so cute!

 

[bgmathteach]

View attachment 4218196
View attachment 4218197View attachment 4218198

Me thinks thou dost protest too much!

( I suspect they were on beakbook and were trying to distract you from their activities until they could hide the phone!)

 

[rural mouse]

Well, Castor and Bijou are back from the vet. Both fixed, so hopefully no more going on rambles, Castor, and Bijou won't be drawing in other toms. Revamped patio to hopefully keep chickens out of kitty food. Bijou is out and about and chickens are freaking. They'll adjust. Sherlock went with to pick up. Castor was NOT happy (growly gus) until he was home, then all good, again.

 

[rural mouse]

Here's the set up

and another size comparison