Thanks to some wonderful people on BYC I now have BCM, Birchen Marans, Blue Marans, Black Marans and Wheaten Marans. I only have a couple of BCM Hens that are about to start laying in a month. I have a very nice BCM Rooster that so far seems to be head of the flock. I am making seperate pens for the new birds. The others are just chicks so they are asll still together. I am going to let my EE's go in with my BCM Rooster to get the olive eggs. I do also have really nice Delawares also thanks to a fellow BYC member. I have a couple of Black Jersey Giants just for fun and I am getting some Really great RIR eggs from Pine Grove. Hopefully that will give me the RIRs I have always wanted and not the run of the milltype I have had in the past with the exception of the ones from Bargain ( Nancy ). I also have 28 BCM, Birchen Marans and some Wheaton Maran eggs in the incubator right now. I am meeting a young man on Saturday morning in hopes of getting some nice EE hens from him to add to my flock.
NOW for the question above. I understand that Marans don't lay but so well and that they don't brood very well either. What age should I start looking for eggs. I think around 4.5 months old. I hear marans lay about 200 eggs a year. I just want to get the facts right. I also want a rate of 1 rooster to 6 hens. Most all the Marans I have all have feathered legs.
I have had EEs before and really like them. I just have never tried the olive egg mix as I had no Marans. Please if you know how and the ins and outs to this mix let me know. Is it more than putting a BCM Rooster to a EE hen. Do I need the green egg laying hen or is the blue type fine? The EEs I have came from blue eggs. I have access to green eggs layers if I need them.
I feed my chicks start and grow along with some breads and some table scraps when they get about 3 months old. I start putting laying mash to my hens at about 3.5 months old. They also get scraps and such. They are in big runs and all have good access to the outside and to plenty of clean fresh water.
Please feel free to leave me helpfull information as I do have about 9 years of experience with chickens but just 3 years of working with these breeds and to this extent. I have been trying to get some really nice RIRs but most around here have production in them as do a lot of others even online. Thanks for the help look forward to hearing from all of you. Later, Dave in Eastern NC
NOW for the question above. I understand that Marans don't lay but so well and that they don't brood very well either. What age should I start looking for eggs. I think around 4.5 months old. I hear marans lay about 200 eggs a year. I just want to get the facts right. I also want a rate of 1 rooster to 6 hens. Most all the Marans I have all have feathered legs.
I have had EEs before and really like them. I just have never tried the olive egg mix as I had no Marans. Please if you know how and the ins and outs to this mix let me know. Is it more than putting a BCM Rooster to a EE hen. Do I need the green egg laying hen or is the blue type fine? The EEs I have came from blue eggs. I have access to green eggs layers if I need them.
I feed my chicks start and grow along with some breads and some table scraps when they get about 3 months old. I start putting laying mash to my hens at about 3.5 months old. They also get scraps and such. They are in big runs and all have good access to the outside and to plenty of clean fresh water.
Please feel free to leave me helpfull information as I do have about 9 years of experience with chickens but just 3 years of working with these breeds and to this extent. I have been trying to get some really nice RIRs but most around here have production in them as do a lot of others even online. Thanks for the help look forward to hearing from all of you. Later, Dave in Eastern NC
