Marans Thread - breed discussion & pictures are welcome!

[Debbi]

berkeleysprings,

I agree! And, it's soooo quiet, I find myself checking to see if it's still running!

 

[criker99]

Yes but it was just 2 out of 15 and I figure I can tell the difference between them when they hatch. We are going to our state fair (in horses) so I have to ensure I set the incubator late enough that we will be back when they are hatching ... would hate to let my husband have all the fun!

 

[Knight Hawk Ranch]

Anyone with Black Copper eggs near Deland? I am going up that way to visit my SIL and nephews this weekend.
Looking to buys eggs if any available and on my way.
I will be leaving early in the morning and may not have net access so would need to make contact tonight. I know it is short notice but wasn't sure I was going.

 

[Soaring Chicks]

Berkeleysprings was worried I forgot about my marans.

So I'm dropping in here to say I should have a hatch on Labor day ~6 Olive Egg Layers,8 project blue wheaten & splash wheaten marans,along with 2 cuckoo marans. I have been reading the thread and I'm up todate on everything. (Told him I was hiding) I'm in the works of getting more of my other breeds, BLRW(Folys,pauls ,sterling lines) and soild blue wyandottes. also selling off other breeds to make room for the new. So its been rush rush everywhere. I 'll let everyone know how the hatch goes and post pics.
I can't wait too see what hatches. Well sorry to but in on everything,but since everyone was talking bators, I 'm getting a dickey 3 tray and hatcher this winter and was wondering if anyone here has one and how good it does with the marans.
Thanks for missing me berkeleysprings

getting late and can't spell tonight or double posting words.

 

[X2Farm]

Ok, Marans folks... help? Marans chick? Pullet? Blue Maran? Got her from a local breeder, she's approx 5wks old, big bodied, good temperment, very even coloring, though still fairly fluffy

 

[Soaring Chicks]

Quote:
just posted on the other thread. Is it possible that she is a mix? wyandotte/marans? the chick looks to have lacing in diff. color. That is why I ask. Could just be pic? very cute though.

 

[X2Farm]

Quote:
just posted on the other thread. Is it possible that she is a mix? wyandotte/marans? the chick looks to have lacing in diff. color. That is why I ask. Could just be pic? very cute though.

I saw ya did, thanks!!!

Those pics are about a week or so old. I will try and get some better ones for yall to see...

It IS possible, I guess. Though the breeder didn't mix his birds, they were all segregated by breed (he's got one outstanding setup!)

I'll try for some better lighting, and more angles tomorrow. Gotta charge the battery for the camera!

 

[Soaring Chicks]

well if he did not mix them I would lean toward you have a light blue with dark blue lacing or the other way around dark blue with light blue lacing. can't wait to see new pics that might help a lot.

 

[ruth]

Well no one can say I don't know how to have a fun time on a Friday night. Just came in from moving all of my birds around - even got DH to help me - and it's after 11 p.m.. Nothing like spending hours out in the dark with a flashlight moving birds that start flapping and squawking for their lives. But, I want to put the best of the best of my BCMs in one big pen, get the Olive Eggers into their own pen, and start a "project" pen of the rest of the BCMs. I put my (almost) best BCM roo, one of my original, that seems as near perfect as he can get in every respect except too red of a breast - in with the hens that don't have very much copper in the hackles because it's my understanding his too much color may even out their too little color in their offspring.

But, I have a question (or two) that I'm sure has been answered somewhere but I can't find it.

I have a Blue Copper Marans pair - roo/hen - from Whitmore Farm. If I put them in with Black Copper Marans - I think I read that they will breed true and I'll get a certain percentage of blue copper and a certain percentage of black copper - but what was the percentage and - will I get any splash? Where are the splash marans coming from that I'm reading about. I'm thinking of putting my Blue Copper pair in my "project" pen with the too red roo and the too black hens. Of course I won't put their offspring back into the pen because I don't want to mix my original Jeane lines - I will start a "new" line or offer them to sell to people who want blue/black (splash???)

Finally I have a roo that I think is a Wheaten and he may be the source of all the wheaten chicks in the Jeane line because he's one that came from Wade directly or indirectly depending on how the story is told. I've only been hatching about one wheaten chick out of every 60 or so eggs I hatch. I narrowed it down to which pen and finally which roo. If it's been discussed already, I missed the information about how to tell a Wheaten rooster. He has lighter copper hackles but has the cinnamon color wing triangle which I think I read is indicative of a Wheaten. If he's pure Wheaten wouldn't I have gottn more wheaten chicks out of him and, can he be used in any sort of breeding program combined with a BCM hen?

Thanks for all suggestions and help. Genetics have never been my forte but I'm learning so much and I am now trying to breed to "perfect" the breed using the great starter stock I began with.

 

[kathyinmo]

Ruth, It seems no one else is online right now, so I will try to answer your questions. I asked these same questions a while back, and I will try to recall what Ione said.

There are several varieties of Marans. There are Black Copper (Black Copper/Blue Copper/Splash Copper), Wheaten, Black (which is Blue/Black/Splash with NO copper), Birchen, White, Cuckoo,etc .... Each variety should be bred only within their own variety, (unless for some kind of a project).

So, yes, you can put the blue copper together with black copper (and with splash copper).

Breed wheaten only to wheaten. Breed Black (B/B/S) only to Black. Breed Cuckoo only to Cuckoo, etc.

A Wheaten Marans roo looks just like a Black Copper except for that wing triangle, I believe.

These are the different combinations when breeding Blue, Black, and Splash (BBS) birds:

Blue x Blue = 25% black, 50% blue, 25% splash
Blue x Black = 50% black, 50% blue
Blue x Splash = 50% blue, 50% splash
Splash x Black = 100% blue
Black x Black = 100% black
Splash x Splash = 100% splash

Hope this helps.