Marans Thread - breed discussion & pictures are welcome!

[Harris5]

Hopefully everyone is ready for a good down-n-dirty rooster evaluation again! I have four roosters for you all to critique.

Rooster 1:

largest, no white feathers, does have some light under-fluff

Rooster 2:

smallest, no white feathers or fluff

Rooster 3:

color nightmare...but is this where building the barn comes in?

Rooster 4:

blue copper

I'll post pictures of some girls in a minute.....

 

[Harris5]

OK...and a few of the girls so you have an example of what I plan to breed to. I have 5 black copper, 5 blue copper, and 2 splash hens:

Everyone...PLEASE excuse the background...it's winter at my house and all are set in temporary pens close to the house protect from predators.

 

[gilavina]

Quote:
Ok...I just have to comment on your last photo of all the girls (btw-things look about the same around my place too...all brown and crappy

) I really like the side profile of that blue copper girl to the right of the photo right next to that splash. I'd love to see some more photos of the girls. For your cockerels on your previous post...I like the first and third ones for the BCMs...the second one..I don't know..his tail just isn't set quite like the other two. I will have to see if anyone else chimes in on the first and third one...but the third one seems to have a bit of straw color in his neck...but I can't tell if its just light hitting it.
I think you have a good start...from what I can tell the splash don't look bad either. I really like what I can see of the blue girls tho....very pretty and nice body

Oh...i did have a question...on the blue copper girl in the last photo all the way to the left...does her tail usually set off to the side at an angle like that, or is it just the pic?

 

[cpartist]

Harris....Love that last pic, their contrasting colors are soooo striking.

Your girls have very nice coppering and eye color

...can be difficult in the blues.

I really like that Blue Copper roo...very nice top line and tail angle. His back flows
into his tail in a nice smooth line. He has very nice coloring as well, and the best comb
of the bunch. I'd use him only over the girls if they were mine. I'd keep the first roo
as a back up and breed some of the offspring to him. He looks a bit better size wise,
and crossing back to black will give you that crisp, dark lacing on the blues. First I'd lock in that nice
tail angle though

. The judge at Newnan mentioned that tail angles need work, I believe. The Blue Copper should
give you good results here. I would not use #3 because of hackle color, nor # 2 because of
short back/tail angle.

You are lucky to have so many nice birds to work with.

 

[pinkchick]

Quote:
CP said it all!

I would use the Blue Copper too (and no...I'm not just saying that because he is blue

) IMO, he is the best male. Roo #1 is second best. CP said what needed to be said about the other 2 boys.
I too love that Blue Copper girl as well. Very pretty girls!

Now where's some egg pictures to go along with those pretty birds?

 

[pinkchick]

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Hi HenThymes! Good to see you again! Was wondering about your little chickies and how they were growing and yes you are right about needing new pictures. We need pictures of these birdies to help........

 

[sewandgrow]

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I had a JUMBO egg out of the Wheaten Marans pen & was so excited until my experienced friend told me it was a double yolker.......................and I was gonna hatch it too.................

haha...the first time this hen layed one of these last year I thought it might be a double yolker too, but when I cracked the first one open, it was just a huge yolk...so I tried incubating one, but it didn't work so I never tried again. Well, til now.

I checked it on day 14 and I've got myself a big old chick in there. So I'm pretty excited!

I have a few hens that will pop out one of these giant eggs and I still have to find a double yolker...its crazy

I had my JUMBO Wheaten Marans egg for breakfast yesterday & yes it was a double yolker.........LOL

 

[Mountain Mel]

Quote:
haha...the first time this hen layed one of these last year I thought it might be a double yolker too, but when I cracked the first one open, it was just a huge yolk...so I tried incubating one, but it didn't work so I never tried again. Well, til now.

I checked it on day 14 and I've got myself a big old chick in there. So I'm pretty excited!

I have a few hens that will pop out one of these giant eggs and I still have to find a double yolker...its crazy

I had my JUMBO Wheaten Marans egg for breakfast yesterday & yes it was a double yolker.........LOL



Somebody needs to hatch some of those double-yolkers...you might come up with a chicken that has 4 drumsticks....you would be a millionaire!

 

[sewandgrow]

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Pink,
I LOVE big...............When it is my turn on your egg list can I have some of those BIG babies please.........................???

 

[sewandgrow]

Quote:
I haven't done shipped eggs for a long time because I didn't have very good luck with them when I did. This sounds like good infomation. Mybe I'll give it a try...

Oh, my! If I get started with that where will it end? I would probably end up on the street corners trying to sell chicks!

That's about how I am feeling right now Susie.........LOL