Giving up on Marans..

[cariboujaguar]

Looking for a little advice here... From the second I saw marans I was hooked, they are the breed I want. I love developing breeds that need lots of improvement and really want to show... My husband and uncle want to get chickens NOW and my deadline is fast approaching. They just want to order hatchery chicks or go to a feed store and they don't care what breed we get they just want farm fresh eggs and chickens to watch. I have tried everything I can think of, including bartering transpotation services anywhere in between CA and WA in exchange for some chickens, but noone is biting and we simply can't afford Marans.

I keep telling myself I'll just get something else, I love all chickens, but then I see a pic of a Maran and my heart breaks, I want some sooo badly! So here's my question, should I get a 'cheap' breed just to 'hold us over' until I can afford Marans or should I hold out for what I really want, or should I get hatchery cuckos and try to cull and breed them as a project to get what I want... I have looked all over for someon with a 'bator' who would hatch eggs for me and noone seems to be around... I have looked high and low for a local breeder and just can't afford their birds...

thanks

 

[Wynette]

My advice would be...if you are just starting out, which it sounds like, get a few layers to make sure you're on board with knowing all that it takes to be a responsible chicken owner. There's lots to know and learn. This way, you can learn while getting some fresh eggs and getting to know your chickens. Take your time & do lots and lots of research...you indicate you want to show...if that's the case, you should not settle for hatchery stock. You will not be satisfied, and it will take years to get them to where they would be show quality producers. Don't just jump in without some experience first - you'll be happy you didn't!

That being said, Marans are most definitely a wonderful breed. They are the most laid-back chickens I have, I just love them! Be very careful...there are many breeders of them out there now, and lots of folks are just breeding them for dark eggs, not conformation. Just be careful, is all I'm saying, when you're ready to take the plunge! Good luck!

 

[horsejody]

Get an incubator and order hatching eggs from somebody with Marans. Eggs are cheaper than chicks and they are easily shipped.

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Except of course that there is no guarantee that shipped eggs will hatch. And for someone with no experience incubating, that is even more likely.

I agree with Wynette--get a few simply for layers and continue looking for the birds really wanted.. Be willing to pay more for a breeding pair or a bit less for started youngsters. Save up, keep looking and be ready to strike when the opportunity arises. Meanwhile enjoy some hatchery birds--you may want to chooose something entirely different--both for eggs and for variety.

 

[Ryu]

We went through something similar. We fell for the BC Marans hard and bought eggs. We put the eggs under a cochin, and she stomped the babies when they were born. We pulled the rest of the filthy unhatched eggs out from under her and put them in the Hovabator to finish. We ended up with three chicks with a high bacterial load. The two hens died at 2-3 months, one had an intestinal problem from birth, the other got a crop infection and we couldn't save her. The young roo got a crop infection, but we saved him.

He is now a big beautiful Roo. We named him C-Note because when all was said and done he cost $100. He turned out to be extremely truculent, so you've got to watch your back when he's around.

We don't know what to do with him now. He is a lovely bird, but we would feel bad selling to someone because he's so mean. We wanted to take him to a show for exhibition, but I wouldn't do that to a judge. We'd eat him but we spent so much on him. We go back and forth between getting more eggs or ordering chicks or just forgetting about it every other time we look at him.

He is out guarding the laying flock right now. We felt bad putting him out, but he can't fill up a breeder pen when he doesn't have any hens.

There are some very nice Marans breeders here on the forum. If the BCs are too spendy, the Wheatons are lovely and not so costly.

Best of luck!

 

[onthespot]

PM sent to OP

 

[monarc23]

Quote:

I know what that's about

 

[92caddy]

What colors are you looking for? I have BC, wheaton and golden salmon. I cant sell the golden eggs, so if you want some you can have some of the goldens eggs for the shipping. They are clean legged, I dont know their lines, the bird color is good, their egg color is good also, BUT the birds have blue legs and thats a NO NO in the marans. If you want em, send me a pm with your info.

 

[geareduplyn]

I bought Black Copper eggs from a bunch of breeders last year. So far I have had to cull all the cocks but one. People are breeding from every thing to get on the gravy train, and are breeding from agressive man fighting roosters. If you do get BCs get them from some one who has been a breeder for more than 15 minutes and knows the disposition of their birds.

 

[Birch Run Farm]

Yeah, it is definitely an investment for some breeds. I bought a quad of started araucanas last year to get into that breed. Three were pullets and one cockerel. None had good plumage color, but mixed. One pullet died shortly after arriving, another pullet lays yellow/brown eggs which left me with one pullet and cockerel to work with. I've gotten some really neat chicks from them but the colors make hard core breeders turn their nose up at me. I love them none-the-less!

I can tell you it is very hard to get top-of-the-line but they were decent to work with and worth the initial cost. Birds can be fun unless you are in it to make money. Some people are, some aren't. Marans just happen to also be pricey.

My marans were plain old cuckoos to start with and are ok, they lay fairly well but most are aggressive. I bought some golden cuckoo hatching eggs and have three awesome babies to work with out of a dozen eggs, eight of which did not develop.

I've had a terrible time with hatching eggs this year. I think the PO is handling things too rough so I am done buying eggs. Lots of money down the drain. While the easiest route is hatching eggs it is also the lowest success rate for getting started. I'd recommend getting some started birds to work with.

Don't give up, just plan and save....