Marans Thread - breed discussion & pictures are welcome!

[Dixiedoodle]

How long to 'tame' my Black Copper Marans? These girls have been here three weeks and they get spooked about everything... If a song bird, bug flies by--they

go crazy, If I walk to close they go crazy--you get the idea... When I am in the coop/run I ALWAYS speak softly and move slowly...they are a tiny bit better BUT nowhere I want them to be!! Next week, I want to start free ranging them w/ my other girls and letting them get used to each other--I don't want to traumatize them any more than they are but they will be here over 33 days and I want to ease them into the flock.... There are two of them and I have 5 other brown egg layers.. Any suggestions??

 

[math ace]

I have never had a problem "taming" the marans. These crazy girls are way to curious to be "wild" or "flighty".
The way to the heart of my marans was right through their stomachs. Pieces of bread will get them coming up to you in a heartbeat.

I use to have to feed my girls separate from the other breeds because they weren't "Pushy". They wanted the treats and would come to get them, BUT if somebody else shoved infront of them - - - -well my laid back marans just let them go first.

You can easily win them over with some treats

Even my marans roo comes running with hope of a treat.

Good luck with yours . .. My wild breed is my leghorns ! ! !

 

[Lotsapaints]

Quote:
What are your goals? Better pictures would help too though I know how hard that is! Need to see the combs on all of them and the ones you like best are they supposed to be Golden Cuckoos?

 

[sequoiacyclist]

Time for photos!

Ok, I have a question from all of you wheaten marans experts. One of my wheaten pullets has feathered out to have a dark wash over her feathers and hackle. Is this a common variation? Perhaps BCM roots showing up? I would love to hear what you think.

And.....a few pictures of my two roos. They are so well mannered!

Chronos-5 Months

Doing what he does best.....a crow-off with the neighbors roos!

Titan-6 Months

 

[pinkchick]

Quote:
Just for you Pink - drool away at this "blue beauty":

http://i187.photobucket.com/albums/x204/chicklady/blueroo1.jpg

OooooooooHHHHHHHHHH Ruth!!!!! I don't know if I should laugh or if I should cry!

Good One! Thanks!

So what happened........is he a cross with a naked neck?

 

[TinyBirds]

Quote:
What are your goals? Better pictures would help too though I know how hard that is! Need to see the combs on all of them and the ones you like best are they supposed to be Golden Cuckoos?

Thanks for your response! Sorry I'm not even sure what my goals are. I change my mind a lot, and I guess am just looking for advice from more experienced people (like "what would you do with these birds if they were yours?" type of thing). Yesterday I was just thinking I should cross the males with my welsummers for fun, after I saw photos of welbars on the internet (though I know they wouldn't be welbars, which are made for egg production). I'd like to keep the dark egg color, yet have a very "pretty" bird similar to the golden cuckoos I see on other sites. The top 2 are supposed to be golden cuckoo (yes). But the golden part looks too light to me. I hatched them all and the eggs were nice and dark, and they are very big & healthy birds. What would you do with them? Thanks!
Jenny

 

[flgardengirl]

Quote:
Just for you Pink - drool away at this "blue beauty":

http://i187.photobucket.com/albums/x204/chicklady/blueroo1.jpg

OooooooooHHHHHHHHHH Ruth!!!!! I don't know if I should laugh or if I should cry!

Good One! Thanks!

So what happened........is he a cross with a naked neck?

He looks like a couple of my bad boy roosters after they've been fighting. They chase after each other and pull one another's back neck feathers out.

 

[chicken stalker]

still waiting for my 3 ladies to lay...they are 31 weeks old today

Combs are bright red, squatting and they have "bloomer" butts...just waiting until I least expect it...which will be never because I have been stalking them.

 

[Lotsapaints]

Tiny Birds your right on the first 2 they look like brassy cuckoos which isn't a good thing and the other ones look like golden cuckoos. I can't tell that much on their conformation and if they have any "faults". I raise mine for meat and eggs so I always choose the very best roo and eat the rest....and by the very best in my clean legged cuckoos meant the roo I liked-yes he has partial white tail feathers but his comb is good and his size is good and the best thing is how well he takes care of his hens and gets along with everybody people and chickens. Pierre isn't a show chicken and I don't know that I'll ever hatch out any of his kids he's a lovely guy who gets to live his life at my house because I like him. I have a bunch of French Silver Cuckoos and a few Golden Cuckoos those are for raising to the proposed standard to maybe try and show. I pick those on egg color and conformation cull hard on the faults and work towards perfection (that's a lifetime thing) for improving my flock. I hope this helps you a little seems like you're enjoying them let them finish growing out if you want dark eggs from your flock use the rooster from the darkest egg with the least amount of faults and work from there.

 

[Lotsapaints]

Quote:
I have one squatting too I hope she doesn't wait that long....I want that dark egg so bad but I don't see her going in the nest box yet she's 21 weeks I'm figuring on October