Marans Thread - breed discussion & pictures are welcome!

[berkeleysprings]

yellow shanks

white on wings on wheaten marans

 

[SD_Paulo]

Quote:
ill second that on it being a good thing its not windy. That wind can just wipe ya out! I must admit I've been doing some window shopping on other people's BCM stock. It's been interesting... still hoping I can find someone with some good stock. I must admit tho...I am kind of likin some of the Wade birds I'm seein

Vicki-

Keep us posted on your findings. I am sure there are some nice birds out there if one really looks and asks the right questions. My understanding, and you guys on this thread could correct me if I am wrong, is the Wade birds tend to generally fit the FSOP better, except they tend to fall on the smaller side of the spectrum. This, based on some of the birds I have seen and people I have spoke to in my part of the country. Obviously, it could be different where you are.

The BCM's I have are a mix (of Bev and Wade lines) originally mostly Bev roos over Wade hens to have the lines complement each other. He had Bev pens, Wade pens and then the mixed pens. I chose the mix pen offspring because I felt they looked more in line with FSOP. But I am no exert and only time will tell how they turn out.

 

[Christie Rhae]

Quote:
Thank you! Yes that one looks like there is a lot more action going on.

 

[eggspresso]

Quote:
Debbi, I can SOOO identify with your story! I thought I was the only one in my family obsessed with birds and horses, then later I discovered it had just skipped a generation!

 

[math ace]

Quote:
WRONG thread! That one is mine.... It would of been a good place to of done this project because it is labeled for REFERENCE only - - no chit chat at all.
Just a place to go look at infor on marans.

You want the thread that Wynette created. Give me a minute and I will get you the link

Looks like Stoopid sent you to the right thread...

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?pid=6577909#p6577909

 

[gilavina]

Quote:
ill second that on it being a good thing its not windy. That wind can just wipe ya out! I must admit I've been doing some window shopping on other people's BCM stock. It's been interesting... still hoping I can find someone with some good stock. I must admit tho...I am kind of likin some of the Wade birds I'm seein

Vicki-

Keep us posted on your findings. I am sure there are some nice birds out there if one really looks and asks the right questions. My understanding, and you guys on this thread could correct me if I am wrong, is the Wade birds tend to generally fit the FSOP better, except they tend to fall on the smaller side of the spectrum. This, based on some of the birds I have seen and people I have spoke to in my part of the country. Obviously, it could be different where you are.

The BCM's I have are a mix (of Bev and Wade lines) originally mostly Bev roos over Wade hens to have the lines complement each other. He had Bev pens, Wade pens and then the mixed pens. I chose the mix pen offspring because I felt they looked more in line with FSOP. But I am no exert and only time will tell how they turn out.

I'm not sure about the Wade birds being smaller than Bev's or not or if it is dependent on what people have crossed into the lines etc. All the Wade birds I've seen are large...Gigantor, my main BCM boy is huge, as his name says. He came from Wade lines that a guy had been raising. Even Gigantor's pops was huge. Unfortunately he is one of the three birds I lost in the spring. Blech. I really hate losing animals for any reason.
I'm hoping that if I keep sorting through things, then I will eventually narrow down what I'm looking for. What I really need is some good quality BCM pullets. I only have a handful and am looking to cull down at least two of them....one doesn't stand quite as nice, nor does she have a tail set I like...and the other one, I just dont' know...I don't like how she looks...so, they'll get adopted into the layer pen.

 

[Christie Rhae]

Quote:
WRONG thread! That one is mine.... It would of been a good place to of done this project because it is labeled for REFERENCE only - - no chit chat at all.
Just a place to go look at infor on marans.

You want the thread that Wynette created. Give me a minute and I will get you the link

Looks like Stoopid sent you to the right thread...

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?pid=6577909#p6577909

Thank you! I am subscribing to both. I am really stoked to see this kind of informative thread. I am not able to see any birds in person just because of my location. I study pics but it is hard to see certain things when you are just starting without someone pointing them out.

I lost one of my favorite young ameraucana cockerels monday morning to dogs. This made me realize I really need more marans than the one cockerel and one pullet that I am growing out. My sole marans cockerel was in the same pen with the ameraucana that was killed. Thank god I have a couple more young ameraucana cockerels but only just the one marans. This was not by choice of course. I incubated lots of eggs last summer.

Well after losing a chicken and trying to absorb all this info about Marans I felt compelled to try and hatch more marans chicks. I ordered two dz eggs. Got the incubator warming up now.

All the eggs I used before were shipped in summer time. I am curious to see how eggs shipped in cooler weather do. I made sure to only order from southern states so hopefully the eggs won't freeze solid.

Listen to me try to make excuses and justify the need for more chickens. How did I do? I really need more right??! The eggs arrive today and I only just told my husband this morning. hee hee

 

[gilavina]

Quote:
WRONG thread! That one is mine.... It would of been a good place to of done this project because it is labeled for REFERENCE only - - no chit chat at all.
Just a place to go look at infor on marans.

You want the thread that Wynette created. Give me a minute and I will get you the link

Looks like Stoopid sent you to the right thread...

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?pid=6577909#p6577909

Thank you! I am subscribing to both. I am really stoked to see this kind of informative thread. I am not able to see any birds in person just because of my location. I study pics but it is hard to see certain things when you are just starting without someone pointing them out.

I lost one of my favorite young ameraucana cockerels monday morning to dogs. This made me realize I really need more marans than the one cockerel and one pullet that I am growing out. My sole marans cockerel was in the same pen with the ameraucana that was killed. Thank god I have a couple more young ameraucana cockerels but only just the one marans. This was not by choice of course. I incubated lots of eggs last summer.

Well after losing a chicken and trying to absorb all this info about Marans I felt compelled to try and hatch more marans chicks. I ordered two dz eggs. Got the incubator warming up now.

All the eggs I used before were shipped in summer time. I am curious to see how eggs shipped in cooler weather do. I made sure to only order from southern states so hopefully the eggs won't freeze solid.

Listen to me try to make excuses and justify the need for more chickens. How did I do? I really need more right??! The eggs arrive today and I only just told my husband this morning. hee hee

I really hope that you will be able to get some birdies to hatch! That's gotta be hard to find sources for stock where you are. How long does it usually take for hatching eggs to get to you? Do they have express shipping from the mainland to you for things like live chicks or? I'm just curious... I never thought about there not being a good source for Marans there.

 

[Christie Rhae]

Quote:
Thank you! I am subscribing to both. I am really stoked to see this kind of informative thread. I am not able to see any birds in person just because of my location. I study pics but it is hard to see certain things when you are just starting without someone pointing them out.

I lost one of my favorite young ameraucana cockerels monday morning to dogs. This made me realize I really need more marans than the one cockerel and one pullet that I am growing out. My sole marans cockerel was in the same pen with the ameraucana that was killed. Thank god I have a couple more young ameraucana cockerels but only just the one marans. This was not by choice of course. I incubated lots of eggs last summer.

Well after losing a chicken and trying to absorb all this info about Marans I felt compelled to try and hatch more marans chicks. I ordered two dz eggs. Got the incubator warming up now.

All the eggs I used before were shipped in summer time. I am curious to see how eggs shipped in cooler weather do. I made sure to only order from southern states so hopefully the eggs won't freeze solid.

Listen to me try to make excuses and justify the need for more chickens. How did I do? I really need more right??! The eggs arrive today and I only just told my husband this morning. hee hee

I really hope that you will be able to get some birdies to hatch! That's gotta be hard to find sources for stock where you are. How long does it usually take for hatching eggs to get to you? Do they have express shipping from the mainland to you for things like live chicks or? I'm just curious... I never thought about there not being a good source for Marans there.

It is actually pretty quick with express mail. I can get eggs in two days. Now what they go through before they get to me is another story. I just have to accept very low to zero hatch rates. I am happy to get one chick per dozen to hatch. I am bummed with a zero. If I could just get a couple more this year it would be awesome.

 

[BarnGoddess01]

Quote:
I really hope that you will be able to get some birdies to hatch! That's gotta be hard to find sources for stock where you are. How long does it usually take for hatching eggs to get to you? Do they have express shipping from the mainland to you for things like live chicks or? I'm just curious... I never thought about there not being a good source for Marans there.

It is actually pretty quick with express mail. I can get eggs in two days. Now what they go through before they get to me is another story. I just have to accept very low to zero hatch rates. I am happy to get one chick per dozen to hatch. I am bummed with a zero. If I could just get a couple more this year it would be awesome.

As I am learning, Marans are hard to hatch, period. So just hang in there. (I hatched 3 out of a dozen BCMs but 3 is better than zero or 1!!!) It's an addiction worse than cocaine, I'm thinking - but surely, not as unhealthy!!

And hopefully now, I've got a decent enough start from unrelated sources that will allow me to start hatching my own Black and Blue Coppers.