Marans Thread - breed discussion & pictures are welcome!

[Mountain Mel]

Quote:
Hi Mel,

I've watched my hens chase down movin frogs and eat them totally in a min or less.....nice protein!

They love frogs.....I've never seen a frog disappear that fast. Froggy all gone, bye bye. They literally go nutz over frogs and tear thems to pieces fighting over who is going to get it or them.

This has given me an idea...

My Bluegill pond is loaded with big (12"+) Bullfrogs. They will be out in full force as soon as it gets a little warmer...

I wonder if I'll be able to sell tickets to the event?

 

[sewandgrow]

Heckel's Hens :

Quote:
Thank you!

This is the response I got whe I wrote to Bev Davis herself:

I use the dry method which is humidity at 50* for the first eighteen days and then increase it to 65 to 70* for the last three days. I incubate in a Sportsman for the first eighteen days and hatch in a styrofoam incubator. Eggs are very forgiving, I have left them in the Sportsman with the humidity at 50* for the whole hatch and had a good hatch. I think people get bad hatches because they have too much humidity.Bev


Hope it helps.​

 

[sewandgrow]

Quote:
Thanks, yes we were hit with an ice storm, loss of power which also zapped our main work p.c., frozen water lines off an on for weeks and our old home dropped to below freezing (inside) with no electricity to heat it. So I was already feeling poorly and being out in all of this, hauling water to animals, certainly didn't help. But hey.....I've been able to catch up on BYC.

So sorry you have been sick & had such bad weather. I feel guilty for being soooooo happy that our last 4 days have been so nice here. I hope you get better & your weather changes for the better real soon.
Karen in California

 

[sewandgrow]

Quote:
Hi Mel,

I've watched my hens chase down movin frogs and eat them totally in a min or less.....nice protein!

I have never fed them live fish but I have fed them many cans of Sardines in hot sauce...........

 

[sewandgrow]

Quote:
Hi Mel,

I've watched my hens chase down movin frogs and eat them totally in a min or less.....nice protein!

They love frogs.....I've never seen a frog disappear that fast. Froggy all gone, bye bye. They literally go nutz over frogs and tear thems to pieces fighting over who is going to get it or them.

They do that with the tomato Horn worms I throw to them in the summer. It's just too much fun to watch them chase each other to steal.....LOL

 

[Debbi]

Quote:
Thank you!

This is the response I got whe I wrote to Bev Davis herself:

I use the dry method which is humidity at 50* for the first eighteen days and then increase it to 65 to 70* for the last three days. I incubate in a Sportsman for the first eighteen days and hatch in a styrofoam incubator. Eggs are very forgiving, I have left them in the Sportsman with the humidity at 50* for the whole hatch and had a good hatch. I think people get bad hatches because they have too much humidity.Bev


Hope it helps.

I saw when Bev posted this, and it confused me. I thought the "dry" method had lower humidity, like 30-35% for the first 18 days?? Then upping the humidity to 50-60% for the lockdown? Maybe in Florida 50% IS dry humidity?

 

[HarmonyOaks]

You all are too much sometimes.... who would have ever thought feeding chickens was a blood sport??? Or it would have such a following?

...makes you sorta wonder about them "vegetarian" fed eggs in the stores.... Not to burst anyones misconceptions, but really? I am sure when the opportunity presents itself, they are munching out on spiders and flies.

Chicken watching is so entertaining. I am rather fond of watching the teenie boppers try and steal tidbits of tomato, bread or crickets... they do the snatch and grab, then have to run so nobody else takes it... more often than not they dont get an opportunity to enjoy their "prey" as it gets stolen by another.

its it no wonder "feeding" and "rounds" takes me a couple of hours?

 

[xyresicchick]

Bantam Marans chicks hatched this week. (cuckoo and maybe black copper. non-french, obviously.)

Any input would be greatly appreciated!For your viewing pleasure...

 

[Mgui35]

Wow!!! Fogelly I think your chickens are beautiful. I hope my BCMs look half as good as yours when they are matured. All of those rich greens and copper feathers on your roos are just stunning. Of course Im no judge but I love your birds.

 

[Heckel's Hens]

Quote:
That does help! Thank you. I am FREAKING OUT, b/c I want BCMs sooooooooooooooooo badly it hurts. There is absolutely nothing local. Lots of very sweet farmers who look at my "eccentric chickens" and smile politely. LOL