Have you noticed

[Frogtown]

Maransguy,
what do you think about this guy?



Do you sell hatching egg or chicks?

 

[MaransGuy]

Hi Frog,

He looks great. How old is he? He looks a bit young in that photo. I also notice that he has clean legs. That is a trait that some people have bred for while others work to keep the featherd leg. It is really just a matter of preference. Do you know what line he is from? I will probably have some eggs available at some point later this winter/spring. It has been so cold and snowy here that I doubt fertility is very high right now. My guy's attention to the hens if half-hearted at best right now and I have not seen a mounting in a couple weeks. You can contact me privately for details if you like.

Thanks,
Richard

 

[Wildsky]

Wow, Nice Roo's there.......

The eggs are really pretty but not sure its worth that much to get dark brown eggs.... (they DO look like chocolate!)

 

[MaransGuy]

Hi Tazcat,

Pullets will typically lay the darkest eggs but it varies alot. For instance, my first eggs were actually kinda pale. Not too bad, but not what I was looking for. Then, they started getting darker. Afer they have been laying for a while the color will get lighter again. If they take a break, even for a few days, the color darkens right back up again. One reason for this is that, unlike typical brown egg layers, the pigment in a marans egg is actually laid down on top the the shell at the very end. This color can even be washed off with just a bit of scrubbing. It is even more delicate when the egg is still moist right after laying and I learned this hard way. While trying to figure out which of my hens were laying what, I would try to catch them while still on the nest. One day, I found a hen on the nest about to lay. I saw her drop the egg and then she rested a bit. Once she got up I saw the egg and it appeared dry but when I picked it up there was a tiny bit of moisture left on the egg and I wound up putting a nice finger streak down the egg. It was a really dark egg that would have been perfect for the egg contest I was entering too. I was so mad!!

Richard

 

[Frogtown]

He is young, bought him in Sept. as a 9 weeks old chick. He came as part of a trio-he was supposed to be a hen. I got him from Ray Valentine in Florida. I do have a splash roo that has feathers down his legs.