Marans Thread - breed discussion & pictures are welcome!

[Wynette]

Quote:
Ditto!

 

[flgardengirl]

Sorry to hear of everyone's predator problems. I had to cover all my runs this spring because hawks would come perch on top of them and look for dinner. We also have bobcats here too.
I think that is what got one of my free ranging Easter Egger hens (one of my favorites of course) that got back into the wooded area behind our property last month. Dh found tracks in the mud that were from a bobcat and all I found were her feathers left. We have seen bobcats and foxes in the evenings. I know there are black bear but I haven't heard of anyone's chickens being attacked by them. They do go after people's wild bird feeders though.
I just have heavy shadecloth over the tops of my runs right now. I need to reinforce it with welded wire underneath too. There are so many things that like to eat chicken here in FL grrr.

 

[snowbird]

This is a good place to emphasize the main thing to work with on your Marans. Type first and everything else will fall into place. Too much is put into how many points are on the Comb at present. Lets work on the type and then some of the lesser problems will work theirselves out over time. Also look at the tail set on this rooster, really ideal.

 

[Germaine_11.20]

The "8 lbs" just never sunk in before for the SOP of Marans Roos. That is one big Roo! My Light Sussex are huge and only weigh in around 7.

 

[Wynette]

I think I'll weigh my boys tonight. They are both young, and both large...my young Jersey cockerel is 10.8 lbs., and that has me worried, because I feel like the Marans aren't that much smaller!

 

[snowbird]

Quote:
I have never seen a judge mark a large fowl down for being oversize, the trick is to put muscle on and not fat.

 

[halo]

Quote:
He is a beauty. What did you cross to get him?

 

[pinkchick]

Bev~ Thank you. I am sorry to hear of your predation issues, I feel your pain. Not but a very few short months ago my Welsummer coop was hit hard by a neighbors flock of pitbulls, left me with 1 roo, 1 hen. I'm thinkin' predators just somehow know which birds we're working on or they know our favorites and go straight to 'em. It would be much less heartbreaking and easier if they would only take the culls.

 

[Debbi]

Quote:
Looks like an adult and that would make them around one year. Looks from the picture like your male has the straw neck Hackle feathers.

I don't know about that. Looks like the pic might have been taken in the dark? Could be a streak of light from the flash or some outside light? Look at the color at the top and the ends, looks pretty copper to me. lnfcef81, can you take a better picture of him in natural daylight? I think he looks rather handsome myself!

 

[lnfcef81]

can you tell from my pictue if he is show quaility? The lady I got him from sais he was from wade jean line and game off her show birds.