Marans Thread - breed discussion & pictures are welcome!

[Hens and Roos]

Quote:


the only time we had a problem with brooder raised chicks was due to feed, after we changed where we were buying feed from we have been good. This is the way we raise ours and we have had good luck so far!

Here are 2 pictures showing our 2 different groups of Cuckoo Marans chicks

Older group of 4- we think that there are 2 boys and 2 girls- any guess/thoughts would be great as I have someone who wants a boy as soon as I know

https://www.backyardchickens.com/fo..._of_4_cuckoo_marans_chicks_9-16-2011-crop.jpg

Here is a picture of the 2 babies- one is blue and one is black

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/45425_baby_cuckoo_marans_chicks_9-16-2011-crop.jpg

ADORABLE!!!!!! Loves me that little blue one!

2 roos and 2 pullets in the first photo and I believe both are roos in the second photo.

So we were right on the 1st photo in our guessing- it hard to see in the photo but the 2 lighter ones combs seem to be pinking up and are larger.

I was wondering about the 2 babies and thinking that they were roos because of the way the feathers are coming in- it's okay they are part of my testing of the comb on my Blue Cuckoo roo!

 

[pinkchick]

Quote:
Ditto that!!! I had one little guy get his crop so full, I thought he was going to topple over!! Even though commercial food is available to my little guys, those little broody raised babies must learn to make the most of what they find when they find it and FILL up when opportunity presents!

Agreed! Even though the broody raised chicks have 24/7 access to crumble...I have noticed that they will only eat so much of it and much prefer bugs and grass with the momma. Now the brooder raised chicks will gorge on the crumble....for this reason they do not have free access to feed 24 hours a day. I let them feed all day, but remove the feeder at night. I return the feeder 24/7 when they are off the lights and outside on a more permanent basis. Once they are out to free range on a more perm. basis, they eat a ton less feed.

I saw one of my brooder chicks crop so full one time that I thought he was going to explode, I almost felt bad for him. Looked silly as all get out with this huge lump sticking out of his chest. What a goober!

 

[pinkchick]

Quote:
ADORABLE!!!!!! Loves me that little blue one!

2 roos and 2 pullets in the first photo and I believe both are roos in the second photo.

So we were right on the 1st photo in our guessing- it hard to see in the photo but the 2 lighter ones combs seem to be pinking up and are larger.

I was wondering about the 2 babies and thinking that they were roos because of the way the feathers are coming in- it's okay they are part of my testing of the comb on my Blue Cuckoo roo!

Both of the roos in the 1st photo are lighter than the pullets......and they do have bigger combs.

The 2 younger ones scream roo at me...but I mostly passed judgement because of the huge white spots on the heads.

 

[Hens and Roos]

Quote:
So we were right on the 1st photo in our guessing- it hard to see in the photo but the 2 lighter ones combs seem to be pinking up and are larger.

I was wondering about the 2 babies and thinking that they were roos because of the way the feathers are coming in- it's okay they are part of my testing of the comb on my Blue Cuckoo roo!

Both of the roos in the 1st photo are lighter than the pullets......and they do have bigger combs.

The 2 younger ones scream roo at me...but I mostly passed judgement because of the huge white spots on the heads.

the white spots seemed large on all of them in both groups so I wasn't going off that so much, the small ones are just coming up on 3 weeks and the older group of 4 are coming up on 7 weeks! We are having fun watching them grow, off to clean pens, have a good one!

 

[BarnGoddess01]

Quote:
Ditto that!!! I had one little guy get his crop so full, I thought he was going to topple over!! Even though commercial food is available to my little guys, those little broody raised babies must learn to make the most of what they find when they find it and FILL up when opportunity presents!

Agreed! Even though the broody raised chicks have 24/7 access to crumble...I have noticed that they will only eat so much of it and much prefer bugs and grass with the momma. Now the brooder raised chicks will gorge on the crumble....for this reason they do not have free access to feed 24 hours a day. I let them feed all day, but remove the feeder at night. I return the feeder 24/7 when they are off the lights and outside on a more permanent basis. Once they are out to free range on a more perm. basis, they eat a ton less feed.

I saw one of my brooder chicks crop so full one time that I thought he was going to explode, I almost felt bad for him. Looked silly as all get out with this huge lump sticking out of his chest. What a goober!

I actually really appreciate hearing this. It never occured to me to remove the feeder at night.

I've had trouble with my BCMs over eating and lost a couple because of growth problems. Removing the feeder at night is EXACTLY what I'm going to do in the future. Thanks, pinkchick!!!!

 

[pinkchick]

Barn~
The only reason I remove it at night while they are on the light is because they can see it, so they will eat it until gone. I tried the red lamps and turning off the regular CFL bulb I had in there for light at night, but apparently even with the red light they saw it and would devour it.....so I started taking it out. My heat lights run 24/7 until they are fully feathered unless it is summer time and temps are warmer and once I can turn off the heat for good they can have it back 24/7, because they have been moved into a grow out coop that doesn't have lights (which is usually the case), or they go into a coop that is on a light timer and it goes off at night and in either case they can't see the feeder and be little piggies.

 

[BarnGoddess01]

Quote:
Yes, pink, I'm seeing the light ... I'm learning from you AND my broodies. I think I'm being just a little TOO attentive and literally killing them with kindness (and too much food.)

 

[Debbi]

Raining here today, been off the puter.

I've never had that problem with the Marans chicks gorgeing themselves. Feeders are left in the brooders at all times here. The feeders are filled in the morning, and usually late afternoon, and I check on them before I go to bed, around 10-11. Most of the time, I don't have to add or refill the feeder at night, there is always some left in it, enough to get through till the morning. Now the Silkies, a different story. If I let the feeders go empty, they will gorge themselves like starving dogs as soon as I put more feed in it! These guys didn't start doing this until they were outside though, but it is strange to see. Their feeders are never empty long enough where they should feel like they were looking for their last meal! They also have a very busy gopher that pops up in their run, and he has been doing some great excavating in there, stirring up all kinds of bugs and worms for them to feast on. I probably shouldn't have wasted the time typing this, as all of you that may have Silkies, surely know, these are something from another planet!

 

[flgardengirl]

Quote:
At one week of age, my broody hen was having the chicks jump up on the med says dog kennel that was serving as temp housing for them. I watched her hop up there and then call all her babies up there..... While the little ones inside the house were enjoying the glow of the heat lamp..... amazing the difference in activity level..... So, yes this main be the main reason they are growing at different rates.

Do they stay behind in size forever or do they catch up eventuallly ? ?

I agree with pinkchick. They defintely catch up in size. I have had several batches of chicks raised by the mommas now. The mama raised babies are always hardier, healthier, and never seem to catch cocci or get other problems that the brooder raised babies do.
Sometimes the mama raised babies are a little wilder and you will have to make a special effort to tame them down a little. I find this especially true of mykey west chicks but they usually tame right down once the mommas will let me hold the babies. The only time I take chicks to raise myself now is if they are getting picked on and the mom isn't protecting them enough. I got orps, silkies, and key west hens (the broodiest of them all) just so I will have enough broodies that I don't have to deal with raising chicks myself now lol.

The best thing about mama raised chicks is you don't have to mess with those darn heat lamps. The mommas keep them perfectly warm enough in the winter here.

 

[flgardengirl]

Quote:
Haha thats funny about the gopher helping the silkies out treatwise. My silkies are total little piggies too. When they were younger they seemed like they had a harder time finding food off the ground so I always put it in thier dishes. I think it was because thier crests were fuller than they are now. The roos pull out some of the hens crest now with the mating and all. Poor girls.