Marans Thread - breed discussion & pictures are welcome!

[Ivywoods]

Oh, my! This thread has gone so far since I was on it.

Math-I'm with you. I love the BC's. Mine need more coppering in the hens, so I'm working on that. I'm getting some BEAUTIFUL dark eggs right now.

EVERYBODY- The dog discussion a few pages back... you guys have some great dogs. Love the nufie cross and that mastiff is regal!

I guess you can tell from my avatar that I like big dogs, too. Mine are worth their weight in gold as livestock guardians.

Wynette- Good luck with your incubator. I swore off wiring and plumbing when I was born!

Bev-I'd be interested in seeing pics of your duckwing roosters. Looks like with that hen you've got the best incubator of all!

I got my marans separated into a breeder pen today. My rooster went to work right away, so I'm hoping to have fertile eggs to incubate soon.

I'm using my second choice rooster this go round. My first choice roo is heavily into his molt, and he looks kind of like a wet frizzle. He HAD more coppering than he should, and that is why I wanted to use him over the other. Now since he is molting most of that extra copper is gone, and I have no idea what he will look like when he feathers out again. I'll probably use him on the next round. Meanwhile, the roo that is in with the hen right now is really a pretty awesome rooster. He is HUGE. Wish I could weigh him. I've never been good at naming my chickens, but I think I will call him, "Goliath."

The one in molt.... well.... Maybe I could call him, "Frizzy." Someone a long ways back had a copper roo that looked just like him (before his frizzy phase) and that rooster was named, "Agent Orange." That's what I always thought of when I looked at him, but not any more!

MOUNTAIN MEL- You did jinx me! I think my rooster has turned into a frizzle!

 

[sewandgrow]

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I have only had them for 3 generations but find mine pretty docile. BigBoy my main rooster is curious & follows me around but has never offered to be aggressive towards me in any way.........Other roosters??? that's a different case. He keeps them in line & does not allow intruders (other roosters). My girls just meander around digging dust holes, eating & laying their pretty eggs for me.......LOL

 

[seabreeze]

Hey Ivy, thanks! Yes, I see that beautiful Avatar you have!! Maremma or Pyr? I so agree, a good LGD for the birds that likes the birds, are worth their weight in gold!! One of my TM girls has taken out a young coyote and a fox (separate times). The male's pic I posted has run the foxes off the property despite so many great places for them to hide around here (blackberry jungles!!) The coons and skunk stay away too

Had me laffin' over your Frizzle BCM!!

I've not noticed mine moulting yet. I did see them moult last spring but that's about it. Is there an approximate time they do this and is it once a year? Thanks.

 

[Ivywoods]

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We have one pure GP, one 1/2GP-1/2 Anatolian (looks more GP) and one pup from those two. We raised one litter of pups then neutered both of them. We kept the runt of the bunch.

I've seen my GP's take on 5 coyotes. We watched them from about 300 yards away. Raccoons, possums, coyotes, bobcats. No problem. They even kept my neighbors cattle that got loose away from our hay bale they were eyeing. Didn't hurt them, just chased them away. Sophie, our female has rescued chickens from a chicken killing dog, and sat guarding it until we got there.

My sister's two GP's killed two rottweilers that got in her boer goat pen and were looking for lunch.

 

[seabreeze]

Ivy, WOWOWOW!! Your dogs are certainly doing their jobs and then some. Your daughter's dogs did what every good LGD knows how to do, take down the predator quickly. Though this is NOT something we tell the general public in case they are looking for *fighting dogs* to train their Pits on.

Unfortunately, several of my girls (I can't write the B word here but that is the common word I use when I write on the females) have high prey drive but its like anything, you have to find that individual dog's forte and whether its workable with your stock or not. Not all LGD can be LGD, some make better property guardians, some make great show dogs, some make great big pets that will protect the kids and family beyond extraordinary which makes it tough if your kids are running in and out of the house and yard, playing with stranger kids who are not family.

 

[Hens and Roos]

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I competely understand you on this one, our border collie X Aussie mix was very protective of our kids and yard and didn't do well with stranger people or dogs. We would have to crate him when people where over and outside of us there was only about 5 other people he was good with. Sadly we ended up have to put him down this past summer due to health problems. Not sure how he would have done with the chickens as he health was declining by the time we started with chickens. We also have an Irish Setter- and she will kill chickens if given the chance.

 

[math ace]

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BLACK is beautiful - - - I see no need to change the BLACK pot belly pig avaitar. . .

She could use a little more copper around the neck

 

[Ivywoods]

And maybe a pretty gold ear ring, pink hooves and a pretty red bow!

 

[jlgoinggreen]

I'm curious..... Can Black Copper Marans eggs have spots or are they supposed to be a smooth chocolate color?

 

[Ivywoods]

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From my marans I get very dark chocolate red, lighter spotted or specked ones and sometimes a rough surfaced terra cotta egg. Today I had a rough terra cotta egg that almost had a "purplish" cast to it. Sometimes the same hen will lay dark and then speckled the next time. Go figure. Spray jets must have needed a refill.