Marans Thread - breed discussion & pictures are welcome!

[geebs]

Koolduck If I were guessing and I am I would say the type looks to be more the Davis line than the Wade.. I am not familiar with either Cottage or any of the other lines but they seem to be the most likely.. I would say also that the Roo looks young though he has a well developed comb he lacks "substance" If this is the case I would give him more time to grow... I see he apparently blinked for the photo. I can assume by the color balance of the bird that most likely the eye color is correct or close. I like number one over number two for several reasons. One being the overall shape of the bird and the apparent decent color balance. I like the leg color and the tail better on the number one bird. I would call the number one bird a very close rendition to a Copper marans as he bears very little variation in the red/mahogany balance and his black balance is good. I would find as close to correct female and use him. I would not hesitate to use him on the same line stock if he fills out well. As for wheaton you only have one example so if that is what you have to work with that is what there is. I don't raise wheaton so I can hardly comment on color.

Pink: I am still thinking and rereading... It takes me a while

Nice Cuckoo females. How is the egg color Lotsapaints?

 

[Lotsapaints]

Who knows what egg color they will lay......they better be darker than my hatchery girls that's all I got to say! Some came out of nice dark eggs and others are from lighter ones this spring I should be posting egg pictures and either celebrating or crying. Until I've been breeding them for a few years like the rest of you I'll be in the dark because you never know if the breeder you got them from is truthful or not. They are growing out like quality birds and I have barely enough of each line to keep them separate so far for that I'm happy just going to single mate and keep records and keeping my eye out for any other quality birds until I'm happy with what I'm working with.

 

[Koolduck]

Thanks for the replies so far....encouraging! The # 1 roo is 21 wks old with an orangey yellow eye. His problem is that some Hatch mate pecked his wattle and it is stunted and rose like in apperance. He has good white legs with feathering but his tail isn't held as high as Roo #2 who is 2wks younger. Is that a problem. How much will be knocked off for the waddle? I like #1, he has a good attitude! #2 is a flake! The wheaton is a sweety....I got excited about the cinnamon triangle after reading about it on one of these Maran/dark egg threads.
Here is a close up of eye/waddle #1

and here he is standing up(after hitting the chow bucket!)

And so I learn...why dont you like #2(Bad pic into sun...need better camera for this)

 

[Organics North]

Quote:
My birds had some white feathers when younger. Now at 15 weeks and 19 weeks they are all gone from the Blue Marans and the BB Ameraucana.
ON

 

[Koolduck]

This is one of only 2 BC females I have. The other one is all black and is in that 21 week age bracket so she looks filled out more(no pic of all black )

And... I will die if you tell me that this cuckoo is the best thing I got 'cause he is such a PITA! Anyone interested? I'd rather deal him to someone who can use him, than eat him!

 

[geebs]

Koolduck The hen in the picture looks decent enough for crossing on the roo... I personally do not like the long neck and gangly look of your correct rooster, but I have learned to wait and that they will fill in and will be more attractive as he is a two year old. The pair should make a sufficient cross for good offspring... For the female that is "all black" you will use an overcolored male with that one for more correct offspring. I would strive to find more females that have a good copper balance. The cuckoo IDK...not my department.

 

[math ace]

Quote:
I hope I am diagnosising the problem with #2 - - -his hackles are leaning towards the "straw" coloring which is a BIG "no no".

Would the messed up wattle be a Dq ? ? ? I don't know, BUT it would not stop you from breeding him and making some nice babies !

QUESTION - - - On Bird # 1, is the hackle color suppose to come all the way around the neck ? ? How low is it allowed to come down and still be ok? I know is there is a lot of copper / orange in the chest it is a "no no" too.

KOOLDUCK - - -I am not "picking" on your roos, PLEASE, do not let me offend you. I, too, am trying to learn how to judge / evaluate the breed. So, I am just clarifing previous comments using your roos as examples. PLEASE, PLEASE, don't be offended by me. Thanks.

 

[geebs]

mathAce.. flames (a little bit is allowed and actually useful in the chest.) It is EXTREMELY difficult or impossible to have the necessary color balance w/o it... so it there is a little.. no biggy... Let's see it.. got pix?

 

[math ace]

Quote:
I was referring to koolducks # 1 roo - - let me see if I can copy and paste it here. . .

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/37023_dscn4362.jpg

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/37023_dscn4368.jpg

OK - - GEEBS - - - Now look ,

How low is the coloring allowed to go. Is it suppose to have like a triangle on the chest. Does the triangle develope later or does it really matter ? ? ? ?

 

[onthespot]

Koolduck, if you were closer I'd snatch that cuckoo roo up in a split second to beef up my barred olive eggers! How much does he weigh?