Marans Thread - breed discussion & pictures are welcome!

[flgardengirl]

Quote:
x2! It is much easier to pay upfront for quality stock from someone reputable than to buy inferior stock and then you have to figure in the wait and the cost of feed and housing all the generations etc. to get something you can really show or work with.
Enjoyable as it is to create something, it does end up taking a lot of space, feed, time, culling/heartache, and organization etc. as some of us are finding out with the birchens and other color creations etc lol. Of course, you have to work with what you can get your hands on and sometimes its hard to find what you want/need lol.

 

[gilavina]

Quote:
x2! It is much easier to pay upfront for quality stock from someone reputable than to buy inferior stock and then you have to figure in the wait and the cost of feed and housing all the generations etc. to get something you can really show or work with.
Enjoyable as it is to create something, it does end up taking a lot of space, feed, time, culling/heartache, and organization etc. as some of us are finding out with the birchens and other color creations etc lol. Of course, you have to work with what you can get your hands on and sometimes its hard to find what you want/need lol.

I wholeheartedly agree!

 

[Ivywoods]

Heather-Shipping chicks in is not all bad. I've bought some of my best chicks this way from breeders. It costs as much to feed a mixed chick that will never produce what you want as it does to feed the best.

 

[Sandara]

Thanks flgardengirl. I didn't think they were wheatens. I have already sent him a message to find out more but who knows if I will get the truth. I already decided there will be no more ebay in my future!
@ Lotsapaints, didn't know there was such a thing! Thanks so much, I will get right on that. It would be nice to see where they come from and speak with the breeder.

 

[they'reHISchickens]

Our Broody hatchery RIR just finished her hatch of FBCM eggs. We have had 30-50% marans hatches all spring/summer so when she went broody i figured why not?

I haven't thoroughly checked everyone out but I think she went 8 for 8! Four are pure marans: black or blue copper with blue copper roo, the other 4 are black marans crossed with either splash orpington or aurcauna. We are hoping we can tell the difference eventually.

 

[suburbanchickymama]

Hi folks! Wanted to share a sweet pic of this girl that I'm having a love affair with this week. She is 23 weeks and is suddenly the sweetest thing ever! And she is just so pretty!!! I also wanted to ask - both of my Marans are just getting the copper coming in (gosh - can't even see it at all in this pic!) - when does it come in fully? Or are my girls just not going to have much copper ever? I've noticed a few chick pics on here with much more copper than my girls have currently! I feel like it's coming in more day by day at this point. ??? Thanks!

Here she is - Miss Lorena!

 

[flgardengirl]

thereHischickens: What a cute pic! How cool of your hatchery RIR to go broody. None of mine will but I do have a hatchery white leghorn that went broody last year.
Your marans x orps will probably be good layers. I have some blk marans x lavender orps that are really good layers and good mamas too.

suburban: Pretty girl! Is she pure blue marans or blue copper marans? Sometimes with the coppers the copper takes some time to come into the females but I would think some would be present by that age. Also, if you breed to a male with good coppering, your second generation blue copper females should get better coppering in their hackles. She is a beauty regardless

 

[MaryL]

Since I finally figured out how to post photos, I wanted to share my mixed flock with you but particularly with the Maran folks. The three pullets were sent to me by a good friend, who got the eggs from a breeder in CA. He sent nine chicks in all, but had to part with the six who turned out to be roosters as I live in the city and roos are not allowed. My BCM pullets are all different even though they all came from the same batch of eggs. Have one with leg feathers, two with copper markings and one solid black. One has a large comb, one with medium size comb and one with very small comb. Great variation but from all I have read on this forum, this is par for the course. Would appreciate comments on the Marans. Am considering adding two black Ameracuna pullets as I am fascinated with their blue eggs. The Light Brahmas and the partridge Cochin are gentle ladies. The Marans and the Cochin will be 6 months old on Oct 1st and the LB's are going on 7 months. None of the pullets are laying yet. Lots easier to care for than long coated show dogs LOL!

 

[Goose and Fig]

I've got another "so much copper its bordering on blue tailed buff" growing out. I think I'm going to keep him

And if you can see the one in front of him here- I always get a few blues that are sooo dark they almost look black. I like to keep them - seems to give the splash offspring good contrast.

Great pics everybody!

MaryL- its nice to see girls that don't have a roo around- such nice feathers on their backs. I tried to give mine a break, but the timing with a moult didn't really work out.

 

[flgardengirl]

Wow, it does look blue tailed buffish. I haven't seen any blue tailed buffs before so I am looking forward to seeing what he turns out like. Very cool.
I have a male black tailed buff that came from bayhorsebonnie's BCM line but no females. I was thinking of breeding him to a bl copper hen to see what would happen. I would breed him to a blue wheaten hen but I don't have any blue wheatens yet lol.