Let's talk Cuckoo and WHITE marans... breeding strategies...

[xlboergoats]

There were A LOT of really nice whites at the Newnan show. The reason Shawnee was chosen is because it is closer to the breeders that have been showing them quite a bit. They are also the ones that brought the majority of the birds to GA. I don't think there are enough this way to make a good qualifier for them.

The club is trying to make it so that the Qualifying meets and National meets are spread so that it is easier for everyone to try to make it to one once in a while. I believe that the Ohio may be chosen for 2014 National meet which COULD be a qualifying meet or at least a Pre-Qualifying meet for the Black Marans.

If anyone is interested here are the Newnan numbers..
Total marans entered = 232
Total marans exhibited = 195
Cuckoo
K - 5
C - 6
H - 2
P - 18
Total = 31

Wheaten
K - 5
C - 0
H - 10
P - 8
Total = 23

BTB
P - 1
Total = 1

Lavendar
K - 1
P - 1
Total = 2

Birchen
K - 4
H - 1
P - 5
Total = 10

Copper Blue/Blue Copper =)
K - 2
C - 5
H - 3
P - 6
Total = 16

Blue
P - 3
Total = 3

Black
K - 2
C - 0
H - 4
P - 19
Total = 25

Blue Wheaten
K - 1
H - 3
P - 3
Total = 7

Splash
H - 1
Total = 1

White
K - 8
C - 7
H - 8
P - 16
Total = 39

BCM
K - 13
C - 9
H - 13
P - 12
Total = 48
I don't know how we keep losing her, but there was a Blue Marans hen entered in Newnan. She was owned by my Mother, Dorothy Haire, and was best of Variety. Everything that we have seen only shows the pullets that were entered. I realize that it is not Nicole who lost track of the Blue hen. She was lost by the show officials.

It was a great show. We almost froze to death, but had a great time.

Regards,
Ernie

 

[xlboergoats]

Nicol, Do you think there are 50 good whites that conform to the SOp. I believe there are more Cuckoo that conform than there are white. shawnee is a long way for the East Coast.

Don,

Fifty Whites will not be near the problem that the Cuckoos would have been based on what we saw in Newnan. I thought that there would be more Cuckoos there since we were trying to use it as a prequalifying meet. We have been working toward having Cuckoos ready to go later this year.

Shawnee is more centrally located than Newnan for a Qualifying Meet and the facilities are really nice. We stood in mud for three days in a tent at Newnan with the wind and temperatures almost unbearable. I agree with you that it is a long way from the East Coast, but much closer for those from the West Coast.

Changing Directions,
Ernie

 

[xlboergoats]

I don't know how we keep losing her, but there was a Blue Marans hen entered in Newnan. She was owned by my Mother, Dorothy Haire, and was best of Variety. Everything that we have seen only shows the pullets that were entered. I realize that it is not Nicole who lost track of the Blue hen. She was lost by the show officials.

It was a great show. We almost froze to death, but had a great time.

Regards,
Ernie

Oops, my mistake, There was a Blue Marans hen that was Best of Variety, but it was not Mom's. The Blue Marans hen that won Best of Variety belonged to Mary Laska. I knew that I hauled the Blue hen to Newnan. I just got mixed up on who I hauled her for. It was Mom's Cuckoo pullet that won Best of Variety.

The mistake on paperwork is not the worst thing about the trip to Newnan. After loading all of the birds onto my trailer, we realized that we were short a couple of birds. We went back in to the tent, and they were not there. Someone else loaded Mary's Blue Marans hen and her Blue pullet by mistake. Thankfully it was an honest person who turned around and brought them back as soon as he realized that he had drove off with someone else's birds. It just goes to show that there are still honest people out there.

Thankful,
Ernie

 

[OHmamma]

Hi Ernie!

Sorry, I copied that from the Officers page. I didn't realize the hen was "lost" poor thing. I wonder if one of them was mistakenly counted as a blue copper when they did the count. I know her picture was posted wasn't it?

I had 75 cuckoo growing when I was told that the meet for the cuckoo would likely be cancelled because there was concern that they would not be correct, that was back in October. I sold off or butchered all but 11. I wasn't going to bring them all to GA after I knew that the whites were most likely to get it. I was certainly not going to winter them all. I only have enough room to
keep 150 birds warm in the winter. I had already sacrificed enough of my Coppers and many others to make room.

I still think the type on the whites need work, and the combs, and the egg color most likely. I still consider mine a work in progress since they only lay a solid 5. Anything less than a 6 or 7 would be lost too fast once they really got into population. And then they just aren't real Marans anymore

I guess we will see how it goes. I am still learning about the whole qualifying process, if we only need 50 that conform to the standard it could be a possibility.

And I guess white is white most of the time, so it will be easier than mis-matched cuckoo any day. I just think that once we get different lines of whites together then the type difference could cause the same issue as the color of the cuckoos did. I hope not. I would like to see them pass, otherwise It would be a long sad ride home for a lot of people.

It is also a lot of work washing them so they look like true white birds. They are one of my favorites but when it comes to show prep they take twice as long as the rest. Mine are used to it now my big ol roo falls asleep on my lap while he is under the blow-dryer. I plan on taking a few to Shawnee plus several other varieties, but I wont' take a dirty bird so I hope they travel well or they will get left in the trailer. I might have to wrap them in towels for the ride out. Maybe I can make a "show sheet" for chickens.

-Nicol

 

[OHmamma]

Oops, my mistake, There was a Blue Marans hen that was Best of Variety, but it was not Mom's. The Blue Marans hen that won Best of Variety belonged to Mary Laska. I knew that I hauled the Blue hen to Newnan. I just got mixed up on who I hauled her for. It was Mom's Cuckoo pullet that won Best of Variety.

The mistake on paperwork is not the worst thing about the trip to Newnan. After loading all of the birds onto my trailer, we realized that we were short a couple of birds. We went back in to the tent, and they were not there. Someone else loaded Mary's Blue Marans hen and her Blue pullet by mistake. Thankfully it was an honest person who turned around and brought them back as soon as he realized that he had drove off with someone else's birds. It just goes to show that there are still honest people out there.

Thankful,
Ernie

You are very lucky, at the Ohio National someone left with the GCH Silkie roo and two others. Right off of champion row. they even had it on the local news about a week later. I would be nervous taking so many. The most I will do is 30 if my kids come to help.

Your mother's cuckoo hen was very nice can I post her picture?

 

[DMRippy]

Quote:
Someone took a silkie out of someone camper at Newnan too.

 

[xlboergoats]

You are very lucky, at the Ohio National someone left with the GCH Silkie roo and two others. Right off of champion row. they even had it on the local news about a week later. I would be nervous taking so many. The most I will do is 30 if my kids come to help.

Your mother's cuckoo hen was very nice can I post her picture?

You can post her picture if you have it. I tried to copy it, but it was about the size of a postage stamp.

See Ya,
Ernie

 

[OHmamma]

Here is Dorothy Haire's Cuckoo Hen that won BOV in Newnan GA this year.





Thanks Ernie!

 

[OHmamma]

Here are two of my white Marans at the Ohio National. The hen won BV the roo RV and he also got 2nd at the Newnan Meet this year. There were only 5 Whites shown.






I am working on some more cuckoo info for everyone.

 

[xlboergoats]

Here is Dorothy Haire's Cuckoo Hen that won BOV in Newnan GA this year.





Thanks Ernie!

Thanks for posting the picture. We did not get any pictures from Newnan. Going to Newnan, I forgot the camera. Coming home, I almost forgot the Blue Marans hen and pullet. Now you know why I have people who travel with me everywhere I go. They have left for a show in LaGrange, Texas today. They will show there tomorrow. I had to stay at home and work at my JOB. Tomorrow, I have to haul a set of eggs, chicks, and chickens to meet people who have bought them through the Internet. I well, I guess we have to pay the travel and show expenses some way.

See Ya,
Ernie