Marans Thread - breed discussion & pictures are welcome!

[gilavina]

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Mostly I grew up around bantam Wyandottes and they are more likely to stop laying during the winter...I think because it takes them so much more effort to stay warm in the winter. The large fowl Silver Laced I have in my laying pen I got last spring. They started laying right at 4 1/2 months and only stopped when they moulted. That lasted about a month...then they started picking right back up even in some of the cold spells we had this winter.

Thanks. That's good to know. My Orpingtons seemed to lay year round. I don't think we ever went with out eggs. I read some where that the Wyandottes were also great layers. Maybe I'll just have to get some of each.

haha...spoken like a true addict....the solution always is...get some of each. I have that chicken math down pat. I am much better than when i was a kid...I had a random mess of birds. At least now I have focused breeding programs....its just a bonus they are such pretty colors

When are your eggs set to start hatching?

 

[gilavina]

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Hearing about all these hatches people have going with your eggies is making me eggcited!! Some day that will be me

How are your eggs coming along in your incubator?

 

[geebs]

okay post check here... Let's see if it register 3898 again!!!

 

[Caddy-Corner-Chick]

Hi, Tonight I purchased a couple chicks from a local woman who has Bev Davis lines and I wanted to share the pictures..

The only problem is I can't tell my Black Copper Marans from my Black Australops so their pictures will have to wait until they get their feathers in.

So here is one, I don't know what to call the color.. She said Blue Marans, but it looks even lighter than that. The other one she called a black copper marans...

I want to learn something from everyone here, and thought I could share the pictures, I tried to post it on the guess my breed but I am figuring there are not too many who are familiar with them, so praying I get some in site here.

 

[jlgoinggreen]

Quote:
Thanks. That's good to know. My Orpingtons seemed to lay year round. I don't think we ever went with out eggs. I read some where that the Wyandottes were also great layers. Maybe I'll just have to get some of each.

haha...spoken like a true addict....the solution always is...get some of each. I have that chicken math down pat. I am much better than when i was a kid...I had a random mess of birds. At least now I have focused breeding programs....its just a bonus they are such pretty colors

When are your eggs set to start hatching?

LOL. Living on BYC doesn't help either.

My FBCM are on day 19 (and I can't seem to tear myself from the bator). And my Ameraucanas are due to hatch on the 20th of this month. Then I have a new batch of Ameraucanas coming next week and the enabler....I mean friend who is sending them to me has added a few of her BCMs.

And poor DH doesn't know that I am now looking at light brown egg layers too.

Of course these will not be for breeding. Only to add variety to my egg basket. At least that's what I keep telling myself.

 

[jlgoinggreen]

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Oh wow.... What cuties!!!

 

[Caddy-Corner-Chick]

I figured out how to tell the difference from my black australop chicks and the marans is by the feet feathers

 

[gilavina]

Quote:
haha...spoken like a true addict....the solution always is...get some of each. I have that chicken math down pat. I am much better than when i was a kid...I had a random mess of birds. At least now I have focused breeding programs....its just a bonus they are such pretty colors

When are your eggs set to start hatching?

LOL. Living on BYC doesn't help either.

My FBCM are on day 19 (and I can't seem to tear myself from the bator). And my Ameraucanas are due to hatch on the 20th of this month. Then I have a new batch of Ameraucanas coming next week and the enabler....I mean friend who is sending them to me has added a few of her BCMs.

And poor DH doesn't know that I am now looking at light brown egg layers too.

Of course these will not be for breeding. Only to add variety to my egg basket. At least that's what I keep telling myself.

so, you don't have much more waiting at all for some chickers!
I have a couple of projects going for a varied egg basket myself...I like having my laying pen for the ones that don't fit a certain program, but that I'm attached to. That way I can enjoy them and I have tons of fun collecting eggs of all colors.
I need to stop looking at other breeds of chickens for a while. I've got enough to keep me busy, but it sure is tempting

 

[sewandgrow]

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Nice! Not long now til your next hatch

I like the Orpingtons too, but I've got a big ol' soft spot for the wyandottes...alot of my childhood was spent helping my dad cull and work on his breeding program. Just seems natural that I'd go back to them since working with them is like second nature to me. Between those and my Marans I'll have my hands full for a while

Although, I could be persuaded to expand if some Lavendar Orps just happened to show up one day

Ohhhhhhhhhhh, I love those childhood memories too. For me it was with my Vava (grandmother) she always had chickens. Nothing special, just feed store dual purpose, but oh the memories.

 

[gilavina]

Quote:
Nice! Not long now til your next hatch

I like the Orpingtons too, but I've got a big ol' soft spot for the wyandottes...alot of my childhood was spent helping my dad cull and work on his breeding program. Just seems natural that I'd go back to them since working with them is like second nature to me. Between those and my Marans I'll have my hands full for a while

Although, I could be persuaded to expand if some Lavendar Orps just happened to show up one day

Ohhhhhhhhhhh, I love those childhood memories too. For me it was with my Vava (grandmother) she always had chickens. Nothing special, just feed store dual purpose, but oh the memories.

Yeah...I never thought after college i'd be back into poultry again..but if I look back, it really was just a matter of time. I spent a long while in the city getting my degrees and traveling overseas a lot, but all the time I felt like being away from animals wasn't something I could do anymore. I just hit my limit I think and now here I am...and I'm pretty dang happy about it