Marans Thread - breed discussion & pictures are welcome!

[ChicksterJo]

My small dog's been digging up some holes and disturbing the mice, so they run out and where do they head? Into the chickens' run. I could hear them squeeeeak as they get snatched up, especially the babies.

I think that's enough protein for them. I do feed some meat leftovers and give oats. Not much cracked or whole corn though. I gave them some cooked quinoa which they eventually ate.

 

[Bravo]

Protein was a big issue for my Marans flock. The 16% layer pellets didn't cut it and I couldn't find fish meal anywhere.

I ended up putting them on 20% protein gamebird pellets, 1# of BOSS daily per 10 birds, calf manna (which they only eat when they are starving), soaked cat food a few times a week and lots of fruits and veggies and that has helped tremendously.

Also, for the past year I've used ACV (at 1tbs per gallon) and this has really helped feather quality.

 

[AyeUpChuck]

I'm actually starting a 10 gallon fish tank of guppies specifically for the chickens. Someone recommended one guppy per bird per day. If it stayed warm in the winter I'd just stock our pond but I doubt they'd survive the freezes.

 

[flgardengirl]

Quote:
My birds get real light hackles during the summer running around out in the sun. I've heard from the orps people that corn can also contribute to the lighter hackles/feather coloring. Blue will get a brownish tint and lavender will get a goldish brownish cast to it from the sun. Hopefully he will return to his original feather coloring when he molts. I know my blues and lavenders get horrid looking from the sun. My blue hens especially look muddy colored and washed out. Alot of them are starting to molt now and growing in beautiful blue feathers again.

It really looks like sun damage to me, similar to what some of my birds get in the summer.

 

[Illia]

Well, whatever the issue, if it is anything relative to diet - It's gonna change this fall.

I've got loads of food for them growing in the greenhouse, but nothing ready just yet.

Sun does sound like it could be the contributing factor, but it never was an issue before. Last summer, now of course they were younger too, but they never had this issue.

 

[flgardengirl]

My younger blue girls don't have it either that were born this spring. The older hens and blue copper roos that are over a year old look real bad so if he is older that's probably it. On my older blue ones you can definitely see where the new feathers are coming in and look really nice compared to the old ones since they are molting right now. Diet could have contributed as well but I bet the sun did most of it. My birds were getting more protein and tend to eat more in general in the winter than summer here. Its too hot and wicked humid too eat as much now. I haven't noticed my black copper molting yet. I know some of the older BCM roos and especially the Wheaten roos are really lighter in the hackles in the summer.

 

[AmiableHen]

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Does this mean you feed them (ideally), the various greens in the summer and the Quinoa and Amaranth seeds/grains in the winter? Thanks.

 

[kowgurl62]

Attention all Marans fans.....Egg Announcement
First marans egg laid day before yesterday by not quite 5 month old black copper marans hen. Fairly dark egg, third egg laid today, very dark egg. Mother hen here jumping up and down for joy! Ran around the yard yelling to my husband...Look! THIS is a Marans egg! I LOVE Marans!!!!

 

[Illia]

Quote:
I feed them Quinoa when I have it, I feed them greens when I have some. I try and grow all year round, but some summers are a little lacking. We've had a pretty dry early summer this year.


Kowgurl - Congrats!!

 

[ChicksterJo]

Quote:
Wow that sounds early. But congrats!!