Marans Thread - breed discussion & pictures are welcome!

[Debbi]

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1440 eggs??? Gees, I can't even get help to remodel a shed, let alone build a turkey barn!

You could get in really big trouble in a hurry hatching that many, at least I would! Then again, you could cull like a gangsta!!

I'm much better now that the hornets are gone, and my el-cheapo coop arrived. This one is even more cheaply made than the last one, didn't think that was possible. Think I'll make a template of the pieces before I put it together, and make some out of real wood!

 

[fowlman01]

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the breeding of one extreme to another, will most of the time, get you deeper into a hole of non consistancy and poorer quality.. Look at it this way, you take a orange and breed it to an apple... you get something in the middle... But when you take those two offspring and breed them back togther-- you get apples, oranges, grapes, watermellon, and everything else in the basket...

You have to remember when making "peice" matings... with that good piece, also comes a terrible one ( and in almost every single case, that terrible peice will be far harder to breed out of them; than that good peice would be to get into them with another breeding stock selection.

What I'm saying is that you want to breed for the middle of the road, and not towards any extremes. the most complete to the most complete...

Makes sense in theory, but I've seen two great animals produce absolute crap; two mediocre animals produce nothing but jewels! Now granted, that was not with chickens, but when it comes right down to it, it's all a crapshoot with genetics. And with chickens, unless you have raised and bred many chicks for quite a few generations, who really knows what is behind what? All you can do is go by the visuals when starting, and brother, do I NEED a new pair of glasses!

I agree with you Debbi and the proof is in the breedings of the old time breeders who bred to extremes to correct problems all the time. I also have seen "prepotent" males that will turn out above average offspring regardless of what type the female is. Doesn't happen often, but I have had males like that. Two Best of Show birds mated together usually doesn't work out.

Walt

 

[DMRippy]

Quote:

1440 eggs??? Gees, I can't even get help to remodel a shed, let alone build a turkey barn!

You could get in really big trouble in a hurry hatching that many, at least I would! Then again, you could cull like a gangsta!!

I'm much better now that the hornets are gone, and my el-cheapo coop arrived. This one is even more cheaply made than the last one, didn't think that was possible. Think I'll make a template of the pieces before I put it together, and make some out of real wood!

x2 on the eggs

Good Idea on the coop!

 

[gilavina]

Quote:

1440 eggs??? Gees, I can't even get help to remodel a shed, let alone build a turkey barn!

You could get in really big trouble in a hurry hatching that many, at least I would! Then again, you could cull like a gangsta!!

I'm much better now that the hornets are gone, and my el-cheapo coop arrived. This one is even more cheaply made than the last one, didn't think that was possible. Think I'll make a template of the pieces before I put it together, and make some out of real wood!

haha..cull like a gansta....I'm pretty sure that there are some people I know that already think I do hahaha. I'm pretty picky and not that many end up making it through the gauntlet. Yeah...that's a ton of eggs. I couldn't possibly fill it all...what I'm intrigued by is how it is set up of the thermostat and fans, etc and the fact that it has an all glass front.

that's a great idea that to make a template of the pieces. That stinks the kit you got wasn't made better....that's always such a let down to get something not as good as expected.

 

[kyfarm]

we started with one pair fbcm last summer, hatched and sold some this summer. i like the breed and hope that i get a good number of girls out of my chicks that i am going to grow over the winter. they are soft and pretty.

 

[gilavina]

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Makes sense in theory, but I've seen two great animals produce absolute crap; two mediocre animals produce nothing but jewels! Now granted, that was not with chickens, but when it comes right down to it, it's all a crapshoot with genetics. And with chickens, unless you have raised and bred many chicks for quite a few generations, who really knows what is behind what? All you can do is go by the visuals when starting, and brother, do I NEED a new pair of glasses!

I agree with you Debbi and the proof is in the breedings of the old time breeders who bred to extremes to correct problems all the time. I also have seen "prepotent" males that will turn out above average offspring regardless of what type the female is. Doesn't happen often, but I have had males like that. Two Best of Show birds mated together usually doesn't work out.

Walt

Thanks for saying that...I was just talking about that very thing with a friend today. Growing up showing and around my dad who was an avid wyandotte breeder I've seen this happen

 

[Debbi]

Thanks Walt! I know I've learned something in the last 40 or so years!

Now to apply it to my birds...

Vicki, I expected a cheapo, but this thing isn't even stained with the misting of varnish the other one was. I didn't even take it out of the box yet, but looks like it will be missing the hardware too, just like the last one. These would be ok if you had them in a barn, and used for small birds, or breeding pairs maybe. If Clyde and 4 little pullets can sleep in one, well ok. Not to keep birds in in bad weather or extended periods of time though. I love how they tout it will house, "4-5 large chickens, or 8-10 bantams". Ahhh, NO! More like 2 large fowl, and 6 bantams...maybe. On the bright side, the auction ended at a strange time, so I got it for about 60 bucks cheaper than they have been going for.

 

[gilavina]

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well at least that's a good deal that you didn't spend more money...I need to get building myself on some stuff. I had a rough, rough week at work and am recovering from an incredibly sore lower back. I stiffen up after just a couple minutes sitting down....its getting better pretty steadily tho....so nursing it along til I'm all good again. I did manage to cull 4 more cockerels from my younger pen of birds growing out. I'm feeling better about what I've got growing out in there and should be able to cull some more over the weekend I believe.

Hopefully I'll be able to get some more pics taken at the same time as well...

I started working on getting a website up. I have quite a few friends asking me what I'm up to all the time...so I figure...kill two birds with one stone kind of thing. I'm gonna need some good photos for it!

 

[Debbi]

Good morning Marans folks!

Is everyone sleeping in this morning?? It's cricket quiet in here

Vicki ~ Can't wait to see your web site!

 

[gilavina]

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Mornin Debbi!
hee hee I know I slept in this morning a bit....long day yesterday, wait....long week and I still have another day of work today to go. I just sent ya a PM

thanks for thinkin positive about my website stuff...I can get overwhemed by working on it sometimes as I have a vision of what I want it to look like, but it is hard to get some of the programs to give me the flexibility I need to make it look like I see in my mind