Marans Thread - breed discussion & pictures are welcome!

[gilavina]

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ABSOLUTELY!! I was standing by the run, just standing mind you, and I was drenched in sweat tonight. We had one nice rain and some clouds, but this heat and humidity won't quit!! I try to keep reminding myself that I asked for this when it was -10 for a week last winter!

We crab when it's cold, we crab when it's hot. We whine when it's dry and we whine when it's wet. And so we are, we humans...

hahah so very true! More than anything I worry about my animals...and probably fuss more than I need to....I know they are probably tougher than me when it comes to dealing with the heat.. haha

 

[BarnGoddess01]

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I know that feeling. No one here to rein me in either!! A muck, a muck I goooooooooooo!!

Yep, chickens rule my life too. In the house, all over the yard, every out-building - even the horse trailer has been converted ... I LOVE it.

 

[Debbi]

CHARLOTTE LAID HER FIRST EGGIE!!!! She'll be 17 weeks old on Saturday!!

Charlotte's is on the left. The other two are from my now official "hens", who have been laying since NOVEMBER 2010! They are also molting, and suffering in this heat. It's a wonder they are laying at all! The pic was taken in the end of day light outside. Pics show them a tad lighter, but they are close. Can't wait till her "ink jets" kick in more!

Did I mention, it's a long, big, honking egg too?

 

[BarnGoddess01]

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Congratulations!!!!!!!!!

 

[finsfan7920]

Hello

, new to chickens and I picked up a "Blue Maran" pullet for my new flock. I was wondering if anyone had any pics of a young blue maran hen and what they are supposed to look like. I have gotten mixed signals on the web. I have some pics of her, I think she is pretty none the less. I think she will be "Blue Bell" or "Blue Berry".

her side kick

 

[cpartist]

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That is a honkin' big beautiful egg...especially from a 17 week old....CONGRATS!!!

 

[brigitte_the_leghorn]

I am a new Maran mother. I absolutely love her so far! Advice and stories are welcome

 

[kathyinmo]

Miss Olive is my Olive Egger from Wynette's eggs. She is nearly 2 years old and has the cleanest feet in the flock. She takes a daily foot bath. Usually several times a time, actually. She is just a sweetheart, really. She continues to lay the darkest egg in my flock, and is one of my best layers. I wish I had a dozen more just like her. HOWEVER, these 2 BCMarars are just appalled that she dirties their drinking water.

I noticed some of my girls like hanging around the junk pile. When we had the furnace worked on the repairman was gonna haul off the old parts and I told him to leave them. I thought I might be able to make a nest out of this one part. Looks like the girls read my mind.

Today I heard the egg song, loud and clear, coming from the junk pile......

 

[Ivywoods]

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ABSOLUTELY!! I was standing by the run, just standing mind you, and I was drenched in sweat tonight. We had one nice rain and some clouds, but this heat and humidity won't quit!! I try to keep reminding myself that I asked for this when it was -10 for a week last winter!

We crab when it's cold, we crab when it's hot. We whine when it's dry and we whine when it's wet. And so we are, we humans...

hahah so very true! More than anything I worry about my animals...and probably fuss more than I need to....I know they are probably tougher than me when it comes to dealing with the heat.. haha

Yep. Heat indexes of 110-118. Wretched humidity. I wear a sweat band to keep the sweat from running into my eyes. It isn't long and the sweat band is soaked (along with my underwear, shirt, shorts, hair) and once again the sweat is running into my eyes, making it very difficult to see.

So far the chickens have been tolerating the heat better than me, I think. My juveniles are in a large outdoor pen with a shed. If you go in the pen during the day you won't see a single chicken. That's because they are all hiding in the weeds that I have let grow so they have their own little forrest to hide in. When I water I squirt some water on the weeds so there will be moist, cool dirt. They are more than happy to scratch around in the damp soil. Our barn stays somewhat cooler than outside, and we keep a fan running for circulation. In the shop where my youngest chicks are, I recently bought an old (but new to me) stacking brooder. There are 5 sections to it. It has much better air circulation than the old stock tanks that I was using. The feed and water stays cleaner, too. It is very much like the stacking brooders they sell chicks in at the feed stores, only this one is larger. I think I could keep bantams in it all the time. It would be too small for full grown large fowl. So far I love it.

 

[flowerchild59]

I recently acquired a pair of blue marans that are about 3 months old and I am astounded on the size of the feet on the roo. He reminds me of a gangly 13 year old teenage boy. I would say when that boy grows up he is gonna be one massive bird. And what a quiet, dignified air they have about them. I think I'm going to like them