Marans Thread - breed discussion & pictures are welcome!

[math ace]

Quote:
My experience with thumbprints has been when the play-doh is pressed in with the thumb print at the base / meat of the comb then the wave is formed at the top.
They have always occured together in my birds. . . sometimes the thumbprint will fill in and the wave will striaghten out in the process.

It is still a fault . . . .

 

[Cadeau]

Thanks for your patience, VillageChicken and MathAce!

Geebs - do you want the pic of my roo's comb as a thumbprint with No wave?

I also have a youngster with a wave, if you want that pic?
He also looks to be growing in straw hackles at the very bottom, so he would be 2 faults in one!


I'd LOVE to see a thread with all the faults, as well as a "How To" or "How to Fix!!"
I'm building one as I ask these questions, but there are soooo many more!!!

 

[Cadeau]

Here's a couple more questions!

To get a wider base and shoulder:

How easy/hard is this to fix?
1 generation? many generations?

What do I need to fix it? Hens with really big wide chests like Geebs' "low riders"?


To get a longer back:

How easy/hard is this to fix?
1 generation? many generations?

What do I need to fix it? Hens with backs on the long side? or hens with good length and gradually change over generations?

 

[math ace]

Quote:
To get a longer back, you need hens that are long backed. Some of the cockerels you hatch will still have short backs, but some will get mom's long back. I produced a REALLY long back roo in my last hatching, but the color was not as good as daddy roo's. So, would LOSE a positive trait if I use the long back cockerel from this hatching

My strategy. . . .better each generation and DON'T lose any of exisitng positive traits. I would think fixing narrow chests / shoulders would require a hen with a really wide chests / shoulder. Now that same hen may not be really long backed . . . .So, you might produce a better backed roo one generation with one hen . . . . then use the other hen to fix that roo's offsprings chest/ shoulder area. It is a slow process and PATIENCE will be required.

 

[pinkchick]

Morning Friends!

I am sooooo bad...............I have forgotten to say THANK YOU to you all for the BYC Educator recognition! How ROCKIN'!!!!!!! Thanks again! I know I always say this...but I'm going to say it again....THIS BYC PLACE AND BYC'ers ARE AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I love this place!

Hugs to you all!

 

[Cadeau]

This is going to be a process!!

Thanks Math Ace

I guess I just need to make a plan and work from there....pick the biggest "sin" and try to fix that first?

and/or be flexible, depending on what shows up each new generation...


Patience is def needed!! Especially since I only have two 3 month old pullets and a bunch of youngsters!

Doing my research while I wait!!

 

[Mountain Mel]

This past week I had a DNA test done on this one chick that I got from Pinkchick, the one that she calls "Bills Girl" and I have re-named "Dolly Parton" for obvious reasons!

Well, the results are back, (No, I am NOT the father!) and it seems that there are Emu genetics in these extra-large chickens that come from Bill.

What kinda' birds are you breedin' up there, Pinkchick?

And Congradulations on your award. It is very well deserved!

 

[snowbird]

Quote:
My experience with thumbprints has been when the play-doh is pressed in with the thumb print at the base / meat of the comb then the wave is formed at the top.
They have always occured together in my birds. . . sometimes the thumbprint will fill in and the wave will striaghten out in the process.

It is still a fault . . . .

Cadeau, The wave as you call it is really what is called a "twisted Comb" and has no correlation to the Thumbprint comb. I suggest you buy a APA SOP book if you are interested in getting all the faults and DQ's that are not in the Approved Standard for the Marans.

 

[pinkchick]

Quote:
My favorite saying that a great BYC'er friend once said to me in an email was......"Build the barn first and paint it later." This has just stuck in my mind and it is what I go by. The fun is working with what we have IMO and seeing what we can help create with a little picking and choosing of birds to breed together and letting chance take care of the rest. Remember to have fun with your birds....there is no race to the finish line, take your time with them and enjoy them. Oh and yes....patience is definately needed.

 

[snowbird]

Quote:
Will try and make this reply real short for you. What I did in my Black Copper was cull all female that were narrow back and chest and width between the legs, these are usually all linked together and the only way to eliminate it from your marans flock is do not breed these inferior marans to begin with. Much better to breed one pair of good Marans , than a pen full of marans with little or no type.