Marans Thread - breed discussion & pictures are welcome!

[gilavina]

Quote:
ya for hatching eggs coming! hope they do really well for you! It'll be interesting to see how many I'll pare down to for the winter. Right now I'm still way higher than I'd like to be with my numbers...but I'm working on that still. I'm gonna have to work doubly hard in case I do end up getting some birds from that guy in MO....there won't be a ton of them, but enough to affect who stays and who goes.

 

[Debbi]

Yes, the paring here continues too. No one is buying anything around here that needs to be fed for the winter.

Time to sharpen the axe and get out the chopping block I guess?? At least the weather has cooled off, so if I do decide to pluck instead of skin, it won't be too bad. Never did make it to the Amish community, but will before I take on the deed myself. They are so busy this time of year, I can't imagine they will have time for my birds, but we'll see...

 

[stoopid]

I posted this on BCM thread, and I know it's only a fair, but I'm so excited!

Best in show!!
He crowed all weekend. In the car there. All the way home. In the dark coop whan we got home.
All the vendors told me how much he crowed. Day and night. I hope he does as well at a REAL show!!
He wouldn't sit still for a good picture. Too busy. You guessed it, crowing!

 

[Debbi]

Hey, CONGRATS!!!

Is that Clyde??

 

[gilavina]

Quote:
i'd love to live close to an amish community.... hopefully they will be able to help you out despite how busy they are. i have an order for some of my cull pullets yet to go to iowa...but otherwise unless I sell a few at the poultry show in Nov here or at the exotic sale the week after that...all will make their way to the freezer for sure.

I'm thinking I will have a really good start for next year's hatching season for sure.

 

[gilavina]

Quote:
way to go!

 

[Debbi]

Going to pen up some of the boys, and pour on the feed!! They all dropped weight this summer with the heat, but are starting to put it back on. Blue Butt is really starting to look like Thanksgiving to me!

 

[gilavina]

Quote:
haha you are too funny. But the marans are big enough they do dress out nicely indeed. Last christmas we had everyone on my dad's side over for dinner and etc. We roasted two sussex with veggies and etc....they made a beautiful dinner. I do love chicken, good thing since I'm gonna have a freezer filled after I get all my culling done for the season

 

[stoopid]

Yes, the crower. Clyde.

 

[pinkchick]

Morning!

Debbi~ Glad you didn't float away! It was so wet here yesterday that a leak presented itself in my kitchen skylight.....I was not too pleased when I was sitting comfortably next to my DH on the sofa, happily crocheting some dishcloths and I hear the DRIP, DRIP, DRIP.

Looks like DH and I will be spending on of our days off this week up on the roof. Crossing my fingers that the rain stays away for a few more days.....metal roofs in the rain are not fun.

Good luck with your eggies and pics of them is a must when they arrive you know.

Cadeau~ I like #2 and #3 even thought #3 doesn't have his tail in right now....but is the 3rd roo clean legged or possibly just lightly feather shanked? Sorry really can't tell in the photos. I like #3's copper colors best. Oh and I vote that your gal is a splash....and would like to see the other gals as well to compare.

LynninOK~

Marans will/should have a nice strip of vermillion colored reticulate scales that goes down the outside of the shank down to the toe and some of the red will be on the toe. I too look at my boys from time to time and think they have hurt themselves and then I take a closer look and it is the reticulate scales that are very red. They even get very red inbetween the toes as well and all the while nothing is wrong with them......it is said that this vermillion red is a sign of a bird that carries a dark egg gene.

Having said that I agree with Flgardengirl and everything she advised.......I have seen this area get pretty irratated when they are growing in new feathers on the shanks, but it has never produced any issues and it all works out. Just watch him closely as Flgarden suggested, but chances are he is fine. BTW: Thanks for such great photos of his feet so we could see what you were describing. Often it is pretty hard to get nice close ups like that.