Marans Thread - breed discussion & pictures are welcome!

[gilavina]

Quote:
I'll be the first to admit that it can be hard to find truly quality blue birchens or even black birchens for that matter. I've heard there are elusive very dark egg laying blue birchens, but have yet to actually ever see any. So, I'm working on developing some. I have 4 lines running right now...two are from my own crossings and are producing wonderfully so far for F1 crosses. I will keep posting photos as mine progress. I waited until the last part of the hatching season so I could focus on them alone, so they are in that gangly teenagery stage at the moment.

Cool. Do you plan on selling eggs in the future?

I'm hoping so...timeline depends on how quickly I can get all the NPIP stuff sorted...and I have a certain standard I want to get them to before I offer any for sale. The first batch of blue birchens I got ended up being pretty terrible...so, I culled and started over again...I really don't want someone else to feel like that is their only solution if they buy stock from me, so I'm willing to do the work to improve the ones I own...regardless of how long it takes. I'm hoping running several breeding pens and test matings will allow me to really do focused breeding and eliminate a lot of wasted time.

 

[enggass]

Quote:
Cool. Do you plan on selling eggs in the future?

I'm hoping so...timeline depends on how quickly I can get all the NPIP stuff sorted...and I have a certain standard I want to get them to before I offer any for sale. The first batch of blue birchens I got ended up being pretty terrible...so, I culled and started over again...I really don't want someone else to feel like that is their only solution if they buy stock from me, so I'm willing to do the work to improve the ones I own...regardless of how long it takes. I'm hoping running several breeding pens and test matings will allow me to really do focused breeding and eliminate a lot of wasted time.

Very good. I understand your intent and appreciate your focus on quality. At this point all I know is that I would like some at some point - no rush here. Please let me know if and when you have some for sale...

 

[gilavina]

Quote:
I'm hoping so...timeline depends on how quickly I can get all the NPIP stuff sorted...and I have a certain standard I want to get them to before I offer any for sale. The first batch of blue birchens I got ended up being pretty terrible...so, I culled and started over again...I really don't want someone else to feel like that is their only solution if they buy stock from me, so I'm willing to do the work to improve the ones I own...regardless of how long it takes. I'm hoping running several breeding pens and test matings will allow me to really do focused breeding and eliminate a lot of wasted time.

Very good. I understand your intent and appreciate your focus on quality. At this point all I know is that I would like some at some point - no rush here. Please let me know if and when you have some for sale...

can do. I'm tracking my progress with photos and hope to share my project as they grow and develop periodically

 

[painterpeach]

whatcha think? got him for ten bucks! they said he was a maran. i think he is a handsome fellow no matter what!

 

[mommissan]

No denying those FBCM are handsome! Nice boy!

 

[painterpeach]

thanks! we are so proud!

 

[math ace]

Quote:
The kids and I think we could solve most of the world's problems with the use of ZIP TIES!
Lordy, I wonder what took me so long to discover them!
DH has a whole different view, but I think I am converting him ONE ZIP TIE AT A TIME!

FYI: tractor supply had a nice supply of them a few months back.... in nice primary colors ( red, blue, green, etc.)
AND DON'T EVER BUY THEM FROM THE DOLLAR STORE. Those don't hold up or zip nearly as well as the ones from Home Depot or Tractor Supply!

 

[sewandgrow]

Quote:
Gosh Susie,
You sound so like me. My new pens were prompted by my many years of hodge podging/anything goes kind of construction on my old pen area. It got so it was an embarassment to even me...........LOL. The new pen area is by no means a palace (& believe me I have seen chicken palaces) but it is so much neater & looks like it has a plan & purpose if you don't consider the pens already being added along the outside perimeters....LOL. I am trying to cut down, honestly.. I just got rid of 15 extras the other day at a great lose at the nearby auction. Those people didn't know what they were getting.......LOL. I have really slowed down my hatching too so I may eventually get a handle on this.

 

[Debbi]

Susie ~ Don't feel alone with the BOSS, I didn't know what it was for a long time either. I used to feed it all the time, but the price has gone through the roof!! First bag I bought, just this past winter was $15.00/50#. Went to get some a couple of weeks ago...ready for this?? $38.50 for the same 50# bag!!!

Are you kidding me??!! Is there a sunflower famine going on, or what?? Guess it's just like everything else food related these days. Gas/diesel prices being what they are is a major factor in harvesting. The production of that stupid ethanol they produce from corn has driven up the price of corn which has driven up the prices on all feeds. I still don't understand why they don't use switch grass, tree pulp waste, or those idiot GMO soybeans for the ethanol?? So, this year for extra protein, I will be raising my own mealworms! Better and higher protein content, and way more entertaining to watch them eat!

Rusty ~ I get those "bloomy" looking eggs every once in awhile. Feeding a calcium rich diet, such as a milk product, may indeed add to the shell color, I would surly think? Glad you said what Kefir was, that was one I hadn't figured out yet! Can't imagine I'd find anything like that out here, If I asked for it, they'd just look at me like I had three heads!

 

[gilavina]

Mornin' Debbi!

Still got nice weather over there again today? Its nice and coo herel, so I'm gonna be heading out for a bit to cull some more boys before I head to work for the day...I'm starting to feel better about winter coming now that I'm getting things thinned out. I wish I could just get it all done at once, but I'll take what I can get I guess. It makes for really long days with back pain.

I think I've decided I'm going to show this fall, its not til november, so I am just going to have to play it by ear and see if my birds stay in feather, but I'm looking forward to it! I'm also doing pretty well with thinning out some my extra girls as well...mostly they are sussex and wyandottes, but at this point...I just want to get to my final winter numbers asap!