Marans Thread - breed discussion & pictures are welcome!

[Debbi]

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Hey Jennifer!! Congrats on your new chicks! It's always hard to tell others what to do about saving chicks. Some feel it's not right, but I always cave. The thing is if you wait too long, they can be born deformed, usually with a wry neck (ask me how I know!) If the one has dried out in the shell, you may have to help it. Look at the membrane around the edges of the zip. Is it white or yellow? Yellow means dry! Also, I'd put the six you have in the brooder, they should be dry by now, and ready to start eating and drinking. Leave the other eggs in the bator for 3 more days, unless they start to stink. I'm on day 24 here, and just had a new one start peeping in the shell!

Forgot to add: I will start the "help" process if they are not out after 16 hours. In my cases where they were born deformed, I hadn't helped till about 18-20 hours, so time is important! JMHO, not a pro for sure!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[gilavina]

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haha blame little ol' me?

If I could control the weather....dang...i sure would. It has turned out to be a beautiful day tho

Debbi!!!! I love your new chickers...they are adorable. Good job Kim! And more babies on the way you say?!!!

I've had a busy morning with it being decent out. I cleared one of the old pens behind the barn that isn't being used at the moment. I think I will use it for a bachelor pad. I also found some wonderful materials behind there that will assist me in building some small buildings in the runs for my birds, and some materials to make an awesome little shed for my pygmies in the small pasture I have. Its making me really excited to get moving on outdoor projects. This year instead of just clearing out old trees and brush and tearing out old fencing and etc, I will be doing mostly building and 'beautifying'...doing some painting and etc...more of the fun stuff.

My seeds are coming up like gang busters and I got my first set of chicks moved outside today....they are so funny...and so very spoiled...they kept coming up to the door of the little pen I put them in...its raised up off the ground, so they kept trying to run back into my arms...silly chicks. They are enjoying the sun a lot today tho.
Overall its been pretty productive so far today...and this is all before I have to go work my short shift at my regular job. I wonder what tomorrow will bring? I have the day off...and if the rain holds off...I'm gonna get cracking on some of those projects i've got dancing around in my mind. Been thinking I should get my BYC page started so I can put up some pics and etc of my stuff in progress....perhaps

Its a good day!

 

[Debbi]

Wow, you have sun today?? Poor Susie and me got the raw end of that deal!

IT IS THE BILL X SPLASH EGGIE!!! Peeping and now rocking up a storm!!! Day 24

 

[jlgoinggreen]

Quote:


Hey Jennifer!! Congrats on your new chicks! It's always hard to tell others what to do about saving chicks. Some feel it's not right, but I always cave. The thing is if you wait too long, they can be born deformed, usually with a wry neck (ask me how I know!) If the one has dried out in the shell, you may have to help it. Look at the membrane around the edges of the zip. Is it white or yellow? Yellow means dry! Also, I'd put the six you have in the brooder, they should be dry by now, and ready to start eating and drinking. Leave the other eggs in the bator for 3 more days, unless they start to stink. I'm on day 24 here, and just had a new one start peeping in the shell!

Forgot to add: I will start the "help" process if they are not out after 16 hours. In my cases where they were born deformed, I hadn't helped till about 18-20 hours, so time is important! JMHO, not a pro for sure!!!!!!!!!!!!

OK.... I'm in trouble then. I looked back at my notes and realized this poor little egg has been pipped since Saturday night about 11:30pm. So I guess most likely deformed by now, but how do I not help and just leave it. It's moving in there so I know it's alive. What is a wry neck anyways? Will it die soon after it's out from a wry neck?

 

[jlgoinggreen]

Quote:


Hey Jennifer!! Congrats on your new chicks! It's always hard to tell others what to do about saving chicks. Some feel it's not right, but I always cave. The thing is if you wait too long, they can be born deformed, usually with a wry neck (ask me how I know!) If the one has dried out in the shell, you may have to help it. Look at the membrane around the edges of the zip. Is it white or yellow? Yellow means dry! Also, I'd put the six you have in the brooder, they should be dry by now, and ready to start eating and drinking. Leave the other eggs in the bator for 3 more days, unless they start to stink. I'm on day 24 here, and just had a new one start peeping in the shell!

Forgot to add: I will start the "help" process if they are not out after 16 hours. In my cases where they were born deformed, I hadn't helped till about 18-20 hours, so time is important! JMHO, not a pro for sure!!!!!!!!!!!!

OK.... I'm in trouble then. I looked back at my notes and realized this poor little egg has been pipped since Saturday night about 11:30pm. So I guess most likely deformed by now, but how do I not help and just leave it. It's moving in there so I know it's alive. What is a wry neck anyways? Will it die soon after it's out from a wry neck?

 

[gilavina]

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Yup....its nice and sunny now, this morning it was gray and overcast....but now its about 48. hopefully the weather will clear off for you guys too! I'll be heading down there a bit south of Kansas city early Saturday morning. Gonna pick up the cuckoo girls I've been waiting for and hang out for the HOAGBA sale. Hopefully the weather will cooperate.

I'm so happy you are getting more babies!

 

[Ivywoods]

That's my point, Debbi. The reason you don't have any snow is because it is all up here in Gilavina and my yards.

Gee... I can't believe how long some of those marans eggs take to hatch. It makes me wonder if I quit too early on my first batch. I've only hatched one batch of them before and got 3 chicks.

I am going to start saving fertile eggs tomorrow. I have a buyer for a couple dozen of them. I don't know what to charge. He is going to be driving quite a ways to pick them up, so I hate to charge him too much, yet I don't want to "give" them away, either. I potentially have some eggs from another breed that I am going to set first. I'm still waiting on the final word on that. After that I'm going to hatch some more marans. This time I'm going to leave them in there a full 27 days.

 

[Debbi]

Nope, it won't die from a wry (crooked neck) as long as it can eat and drink, I have THREE of them here!

Can't hurt to help it at this point, but if the membranes are dry, expect the worst. Take tiny pieces off at a time. If you see any blood, stop. Can you see the feathers? Are the feathers dry looking? In my experience, limited as it is, that usually means the egg sac was absorbed by now. I use a pair of blunt tipped tweezers to peel off the shell. Good luck, let us know how it turns out.

 

[jlgoinggreen]

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Totally understand. I know you're not

, but I'm an addict. After I'm done with this hatch, I have a batch 24 Ameraucana eggs that will hit day 18 on the 17th. I already can't wait.

Then I have more Ameraucana eggs coming next week with a few Marans that have found there way into the mix.

Hahaa...what? Me? an 'addict'?

I do love spring and all the babies! I also love seeing happy customers when they meet their younguns for the first time. I also really love the prospects of getting some quality birds grown out for my breeding programs and providing food for my family from the culls. I guess I love the whole process really. I love simplicity and finding joy in it.

OK.... I have a few minute to catch up, so starting where I left off. lol

Yep, I also love Spring and all the new babies. Have mixed emotions this Spring because I will miss my cows, goats, sheep, ducks, and turkeys now more than ever. Especially the sheep and goat babies. Those were always the most fun. I have to admit though..... these Marans chicks are just soooo cute!!! I heard DH this morning in front of the bator saying, "Hi my little babies. Daddy's here."

He thought I was sleeping and didn't hear.

 

[Ivywoods]

Quote:
Yup....its nice and sunny now, this morning it was gray and overcast....but now its about 48. hopefully the weather will clear off for you guys too! I'll be heading down there a bit south of Kansas city early Saturday morning. Gonna pick up the cuckoo girls I've been waiting for and hang out for the HOAGBA sale. Hopefully the weather will cooperate.

I'm so happy you are getting more babies!

OH, I am so envious. I want to got the HOAGBA sale SO MUCH! I have to work later that day, so I just can't make it. Drat.

Debbi-Go rockin' chickie, Go rockin' chickie!