Marans Thread - breed discussion & pictures are welcome!

[Debbi]

Good morning all,

I'm keeping my fingers crossed for all of you in the path of hurricane Irene!

Hope it's not a real ugly storm!


I went up to my private road yesterday evening to plan my attack on the hornet's nest. First lesson I learned about hornets, don't play music near them, especially if it has any bass in it! I pulled my truck within 20 feet of the nest on the side where the entry hole is, and those little buggers attacked my truck!!!

Luckily, I'm smart enough to have closed all vents in the truck and had all windows closed, they were very angry! They were thumping off my windshield and windows. I decided this was probably not a project I wanted to handle by myself, the thought of dying via hornet stings for some reason does not sound appealing to me! So I drove down the hill to the house, which is about 75 feet or more. Those little buggers followed me! I had to sit in my truck for about 20 minutes until they went back up the hill to their nest. Ok, the war is on now! I guess I'll have to call someone in to remove it, and make sure I call UPS today to prevent the driver from hitting the nest with his truck coming down the road. That could prove to be a deadly experience for him, as they have no AC in their trucks, and drive with the windows and door open!

When I got back into the house, I googled info on them which made me more sure these guys are nothing to fool with. Very painful stings, and since I've never been stung by a hornet or wasp, I have no idea if I'm allergic or not, so....calling a local that does nest removal.

 

[Debbi]

Quote:
Sue,

Did those older boys go through the winter and have any freezing done to them? I have noticed too, that some of my older cockerels that had frozen spots on the tips of their combs, and one on the back of his blade do have a blue or black mark there during the day in this heat. Could it be a lack of circulation due to the point being frozen at one time?

 

[gilavina]

Quote:
marquisella, I have that on a couple of mine too this year. When it was really hot here is when I noticed it...we recently had a break in the weather for about a week or so and I noticed it going away. Well...its gotten warm again a couple of days ago and I notice one of my boys starting to get that tinge of color back in his comb again. I was always told by an older guy in the poultry club I grew up in that when comb changes color like that when it isn't related to the cold, that it has to do with the amount of oxygen they are getting. There is a disease he used as an example...I can't think of it now that will exhibit itself in the comb like that...I'm confident that's not the problem...
I'm not 100% sure of the accuracy of his info...or maybe of my memory cause its been a while....but I have been noticing it off and on too in this heat.
Maybe someone will be able to tell both of us for sure what's going on

 

[pinkchick]

Math Ace~

Just my opinion, but the lacing that Don is speaking of, is just the lighting of the photo...the second close up of her makes her look like a regular BCM.

I believe that she is the daughter of the first Blue Cpr hen photo'd.
BTW- She has wonderful copper.

And for the record....I still think that she is lovely.

 

[AspiringUrbaniteFarmer]

OMG- that rooster is SO COOL LOOKING with his GIANT COMB! WOW!

Disclaimer about the photo I posted of my girls ( a few back ) : I am NOT raising show chickens & I got them for a reasonable price on craigslist... as they're really the first chickens I've ever had, and I have no idea about "breed standards" or anything... I'm just aspiring here, aspiring to produce some local foods... and I don't like RULES!!!

& thanks for the good luck wishes with Irene. So far it's just a gorgeous, breezy day. After I'm done with my second cup of coffee & homemade banana crumb muffin, I'm going to put my tot in the stroller & enjoy the last of the "nice" weather. I'm sure the surfers are all headed to or at the beach. & if need be, the chickens will go into the concrete shed (very sturdy, original to the house structure.)

 

[gilavina]

Quote:
Wow Debbi...I'm really glad that you are ok. That sounds really scary and potentially lethal. It made my heart jump when I was reading that....NO putting yourself in danger lady. We all care about you!! I'm glad you are going to call someone in that will deal with it for you. They sound like they are downright vicious...

 

[jeremy]

What's wrong with the Black hen having "lacing"? She isn't really laced though, she just isn't a drab, dull Black. I much prefer the somewhat over-melanized lustrous Blacks to anything else.

I thought when this was apparent in Black birds it mean they'll produce nicely laced Blue offspring...

 

[Debbi]

WoofMeowCluck

I don't think he has too much red at all, lovely color! What I do see is the tip of the beak being that light color, and the white fluff at the base of the tail, indicates (to me anyway), that the potential for a Wheaten influence exists in him. He has a lot of maturing to do, and needs to fill out, but he is a pretty boy.

 

[gilavina]

Quote:
I'd have to agree with you about the lacing and photo play. I take photos quite often of my birds through the year..and it doesn't seem to matter when, I will get that on birds from time to time...whether they are black or blue....I even have trouble with this newer camera of it being sensitive enough to pic up the light on the feather shafting making them look white, when they are not at all. Light can do crazy things in photos.

 

[math ace]

Quote:
I've read that the bluish hue is hormone related....