Marans Thread - breed discussion & pictures are welcome!

[pinkchick]

Morning Friends!

Gilavina~ I have Blue ENVY!!!!!!! They are adorable and what I wouldn't give to have that basket of blues in my brooder.

 

[Hens and Roos]

Quote:
Hey Pink

did you check out the BCM thread? I posted some pictures of the babies we hatched(from your eggs) page 232 #2319

Morning Cadeau how"s the studying going?

Off to get something done today- work wise that is!

 

[flgardengirl]

Quote:
Congrats on the great hatch- they look so cute!

OMG they are soo very cute! You sure got a mess of them. I am Lovin

the little lav silvers! Dang, you just had to go and post that! Now I really want some! I am having wicked thoughts about hatching out more when I said I wasn't gonna do any more until I get rid of some of the others. Darn broodies!
Its gonna be fun telling them all apart lol. Are you banding their legs or do you have them all in separate brooders?
Where did you get your BBS blue Marans?

 

[gilavina]

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Haha...too funny! I still keep going to check and make sure they are real haha. I've had quite a few hatches this year so far and nearly all the breeds are blues of some variety, but there is just something about this hatch I'm looooovin'

 

[gilavina]

Quote:
Congrats on the great hatch- they look so cute!

OMG they are soo very cute! You sure got a mess of them. I am Lovin

the little lav silvers! Dang, you just had to go and post that! Now I really want some! I am having wicked thoughts about hatching out more when I said I wasn't gonna do any more until I get rid of some of the others. Darn broodies!
Its gonna be fun telling them all apart lol. Are you banding their legs or do you have them all in separate brooders?
Where did you get your BBS blue Marans?

Hahah a mess of them is right Lenette!
I have to go back and count them for sure, but I think I'm sitting right at 51 or 52 chicks for this hatch. I do have chicks banded and run in the same brooder, so I can tell which is which, but some of them I'm familiar enough with the tendencies of the lines I've already got, that I can generally tell where they are from. I've even gotten to where I can tell which hen it is from on a few based on unique characteristics their chicks show. I guess its one bonus of growing up hatching, the noticing weird little things like that.

If I didn't already have the lavender silvers, after seeing them, I would want them too. They are very curious little ones and have huuuuuuge eyes. If you do end up wanting to order some of those eggs, you'll probably have to email. I noticed that farm updated their website and they don't list that color on their site at the moment.

I wish I could get more hens to go broody around here, but for now I have to rely on the incubator.

Oh...my blues came from a guy out of Tennesee and from Helen Byers in Texas. I recently found out that their flocks both originated from the same lady in Texas named Pat something. We'll see how it goes for improving my blues once some of the ones I hatched in Feb get a bit older and start laying. The biggest hurdle for me has been in improving overall size of the bird and egg color. My chicks have improved since last years hatching, so I'm happy to keep working with them.

I've still gotta get some pics of my older chicks to post. Its been so stinking windy here that all I see is a flurry of feathers blowing everywhere when i do take photos. yarg!

 

[gilavina]

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Haha....soooo true! The stink eyes are probably my fault...I woke them from a nap...never wake a sleeping baby....human or otherwise I guess. Doh!

How's the weather down there today? I'm seeing the winds are way less than yesterday...maybe I will get lots of gardening done, move some chicks around, and finally get some decent pics! I wish I were closer to you...I just was given about 3,000 sets of onions last night...I'd already planted a few bags I'd bought, but will be planting more, giving some away to friends for their gardens, but know I will still have quite a few left over...gonna have to find some more gardeners me thinks!

 

[Cadeau]

Anyone??

To those horse people out there:
You know how those studies have been done to find out when each bone completes growing in the equine skeleton?
How about the same idea in chickens??

Meaning:
Is a wide bird wide from the day they hatch?
Or
Do they gradually spread/widen as they grow - and, if so, when are they "done" or when can you tell they're def going to be wide through the shoulders/chest?

Same thing for backs:
Is a long backed bird born long backed?
Or
Do they gradually lengthen as they grow - and, if so, when are they "done" or when can you tell they're going to be long backed?

Thanks! (bear with me!)​

 

[flgardengirl]

I don't know the answer to that one. I hope snowbird or someone might know. I had one male that had a much shorter back when he was younger than he does now but it is still shorter than it shoud be lol.

Here's a few pic of my older blue birchen girl. Excuse my messy yard lol. I am still getting all my brugmansia plants/beds/seedlings organized for this year.

 

[poularde]

Isn't she lovely with the flowers... Gorgeous flowers.

 

[gilavina]

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I really like the shade of blue on her! Has she started coloring up with any birchen markings yet? Mine took quite a while last year. It feels like this year they are coloring up faster, but it might just be because I feel behind all the time this spring. Who knows? I think she's a cutie. How old is she?