Marans Thread - breed discussion & pictures are welcome!

[geebs]

Snowbird

Are you BC's a cross of the two lines? or are they two separate pens.. Are they from Donna???

I really like the ones I got from her.. They are a crossed line... I have a token pen of colored ones for custom hatches for ppl who want somethng specific.... (just for layers)... I live close to Portland so I can provide chickens to the city folks (hens with no roosters)... City ordinance.. So it is fun little pen (cuckoo from Gherke, Blue copper, black, and splash). I keep no wheaton but wish you lived closer. I have a really nice wheaton cockerel from the Wade jean line (hatched someone else's egg)... I won't be using him.. He is sweet though.

How is the egg color on the white? A gal down the way from me offered me hatching eggs from the white ones but I declined... For me it is too easy to get a full plate.

You will be at the Columbus show already showing what???

 

[Soaring Chicks]

Quote:
Hmmm Indeed!

Any one out there working on blues? I have 13 blues from byc's bishopchickens... We have or fav cockerel roo who crowed and had red wattles and comb at 6 or 7 weeks. Only one feather of red/gold leaking on the neck, too many points on the comb , to big of feathers on the feet.) BUT otherwise looks good with good personality! I will post pics. Out of the 13 I have two pullets that to my new to the breed eyes think look true to blue, and not bad at all to the Marans standard.

So... Anyone want to post their "pride and joy" blues?

Me... Egg color will be my #1 in my breeding program, with productivity being second, and personality third, and the standard 4th....

-----
Just for chit chat... I thought I would share the Blue Ameraucana cockerels that I put into the Marans cockerel pen "put down" the Marans right quick. However the Marans and Ameraucana cockerels out on free range work as a "team".

Interesting breed indeed. I am enjoying them so far!
ON

this is my fav blue hen

and next is this little pullet she is a lighter blue

this is not the best pic but she is a 6 wk pullet that is getting darker now

I do have one blue copper marans I hope is a pullet the comb is just a tad bigger then the blue 6 wk old this one is a wk or so older.

I am glad this thread is open again as there is a lot to learn from everyone. I'm very glad Ms Davis is now on this site. I'm sure she can help us all work toward what ever our goal is with this wonderful breed. I'm new to this breed to I am tring to get a flock together to work on. I now have BBS,silver cuckoo,wheaton,1 blue copper and 1 black copper roo. I hope to get the info i have tried to seek before with this new thread. any insight to what needs to be fixed or what to work for would be great. I have to many pics to post here but should you like to see my marans please feel free to check my byc page and give me feed back.
Ms. Davis I have cuckoos 1 gen. and have a ? for you. One hen lays around a 3 and her sister layed her first egg and it was like a wyandotte- barred rock color. what should I do? wait to see if it gets darker or sell her? How can I get them to lay darker eggs? I am looking for good eggs and nice temperment, and work for standard. I know it will take time. I just want to get my feet on the ground and work my way up to the top. starting small and going from there. So I need info on the best way to go about things. Thank you for the work you have done /and doing with this breed.

Here is my one bc roo (needs some girlfriends) what do ya'll think? not sure on age but can find out.

is he a keeper? he is a sweet guy .

 

[BevDavis]

Quote:
Hmmm Indeed!

Any one out there working on blues? I have 13 blues from byc's bishopchickens... We have or fav cockerel roo who crowed and had red wattles and comb at 6 or 7 weeks. Only one feather of red/gold leaking on the neck, too many points on the comb , to big of feathers on the feet.) BUT otherwise looks good with good personality! I will post pics. Out of the 13 I have two pullets that to my new to the breed eyes think look true to blue, and not bad at all to the Marans standard.

So... Anyone want to post their "pride and joy" blues?

Me... Egg color will be my #1 in my breeding program, with productivity being second, and personality third, and the standard 4th....

-----
Just for chit chat... I thought I would share the Blue Ameraucana cockerels that I put into the Marans cockerel pen "put down" the Marans right quick. However the Marans and Ameraucana cockerels out on free range work as a "team".

Interesting breed indeed. I am enjoying them so far!
ON

this is my fav blue hen https://www.backyardchickens.com/fo...feed_store_sale_7-10-10_chicks_update_004.jpg
and next is this little pullet she is a lighter blue https://www.backyardchickens.com/fo...feed_store_sale_7-10-10_chicks_update_056.jpg
this is not the best pic but she is a 6 wk pullet that is getting darker now https://www.backyardchickens.com/fo...feed_store_sale_7-10-10_chicks_update_028.jpg
I do have one blue copper marans I hope is a pullet the comb is just a tad bigger then the blue 6 wk old this one is a wk or so older. https://www.backyardchickens.com/fo...feed_store_sale_7-10-10_chicks_update_022.jpg

I am glad this thread is open again as there is a lot to learn from everyone. I'm very glad Ms Davis is now on this site. I'm sure she can help us all work toward what ever our goal is with this wonderful breed. I'm new to this breed to I am tring to get a flock together to work on. I now have BBS,silver cuckoo,wheaton,1 blue copper and 1 black copper roo. I hope to get the info i have tried to seek before with this new thread. any insight to what needs to be fixed or what to work for would be great. I have to many pics to post here but should you like to see my marans please feel free to check my byc page and give me feed back.
Ms. Davis I have cuckoos 1 gen. and have a ? for you. One hen lays around a 3 and her sister layed her first egg and it was like a wyandotte- barred rock color. what should I do? wait to see if it gets darker or sell her? How can I get them to lay darker eggs? I am looking for good eggs and nice temperment, and work for standard. I know it will take time. I just want to get my feet on the ground and work my way up to the top. starting small and going from there. So I need info on the best way to go about things. Thank you for the work you have done /and doing with this breed.

Here is my one bc roo (needs some girlfriends) what do ya'll think? not sure on age but can find out.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/fo...feed_store_sale_7-10-10_chicks_update_044.jpg is he a keeper? he is a sweet guy .

Hi

Some birds start laying dark egg right away and sometimes it takes a few eggs before they get into the rhythm. Sometimes there is a calcium deposit on the first eggs as well but that usually stops after an egg or two. If the hens are not stressed and the weather not too hot the hens should lay dark eggs for a good long time. I haven't found that different food alters the color of the eggs but do know the egg color comes from both parents and not just the male as some people have claimed in the past.

Bev

 

[Wynette]

Ruth, that last roo pic appears to be a different roo to me - THAT roo has 5 points. I think the first pics had one to many, but I have to go back & look. Yes, what you are seeing is squirrel tail (when it sticks straight up). I think, for the most part, that's been addressed by most, but you still do see it every now & then - since you said this guy's a few years old, it doesn't suprise me, because a few years ago there were lots more roos with that kind of tail. But, this boy's tail is definitely longer & full! The shank feathering still appears to be a bit light to me - it should go down the outside toe. I'm not trying to pick on him at all - I actually have the same issue with one of my roosters. It's frustrating as heck! I've got one boy who to me appears to be very nice in every way, but his shank feathering is lacking. THen, the one I have that has gorgeous shank feathering going all the way down the outside of the outer toe...well...he has too many points in his comb. Neither of these, IMO, is a huge deal.

Your boy isn't mahogany, though - that refers to the hackle coloring, not the saddle feathers. But he looks pretty nice overall, at least to me!

 

[snowbird]

Quote:
Geebs, I will be showing myBantams at Columbus, since it is the ABA National show.

I have mostly Jeane BC and a few Presley, must explain I am not a line preserver as such. I am breeding for certain things and it doesn't matter much what line they are if they are what I like. Will say this if you want to start showing and have any kind of success you must raise large numbers so you can pick and choose. The breeding part is something I would rather not get into today as I have a full day planned .

 

[Soaring Chicks]

thank you Ms. Davis for the info. on egg color. it has been in the low 90's to 100's here so that does not help. i'll keep her around and see how she does after a month or so. i think that would give her time to get on track with laying and hopefully color. i have talked to you before when we first got into chickens. i had wanted to get some splash marans along with a few others but you had sold out. you gave great info. then too. it was what keep me looking and finally getting marans. it was great finding someone that helped us first timers along and i did not know you where a big time breeder for them then. so Thank you again , Soaring Chicks

 

[geebs]

Well good luck on your show schedule.... When you have time I would be interested in your thoughts on the matter... Have a great day Snowbird What kind of bantams are you showing??? My daughter has some little feather footed ones.

I like the legs on the Presley stock... I like them period. I don't have any but I know ppl who do...They are very handsome... I just have donna's birds with the Presley influence.

Which of your line give you the better egg shape and color?

Debbi... congrats on the rain.. We sure had our share here in the PNW...Till may You can keep it for a while!!!

I am so frustrated with the picture taking process.... I keep getting very nice dark eggs that are 8's and I try to photograph them and they done match the card because the light bounces off of them... Any ideas ppl??? I was going to post my lastest eggies but the flash keeps washing them out or then it look too dark and you can't see them...

 

[ruth]

Quote:
Thanks for the helpful comments Wynette. Now that I've posted a pic that you (and others) have commented on, I think it would be helpful to all if you would post a pic of your very best roo so that we can compare now that we know what's "wrong" with this roo: Hackles: Mahogany (not copper); Wattles (too long); Tail (Squirrel with white down at base); Shank (feathering too sparse); Size (too tall); Comb (too many points) - and other than he "looks large", you pointed out no other redeeming qualities. So, please post a picture that we can now compare. That's the whole purpose of this exercise - so that everyone can actually SEE what we are talking about. And please understand, I am not upset in any way, shape, or form. There's a reason I posted pics of this particular roo - mainly so that all could learn. For example: without actually seeing a picture, it's hard to tell what "copper, mahogany, dark red" looks like. And, what color copper are the French standards referring to? New shiny penny copper or old worn penny? We seem to all know that "straw" isn't acceptable but what looks to me like bright, shiny, copper or beautiful gold may look like "straw" to someone else. By the way, what is the new proposed hackle color? I know it was always "copper" for the French but I think I read it was "dark red" in the new proposed standards - but as was pointed out, it seems to keep changing depending on the source.

As a learning tool, it would be helpful if you (and others) would post more than one picture of the same roo, from different angles.

Thanks for helping us all learn.

p.s. Now that I've looked at my pics and my roos this morning, you are right - those in the second set of pics are a different roo. The first ones are all the same bird, taken yesterday but I pulled the other pics from some taken a year ago trying to find one where he still had his tail and his shank feathers which are not sparse normally and do go all the way down the outer toe. I'll pick another roo and post pics later so that we can continue to learn/spot the many variations in this wonderful breed.

 

[Wynette]

...you pointed out no other redeeming qualities.

Not true - I said I liked that he's large, and his hackles are beautiful, and that overall he looks to be a nice boy, and the things I mentioned, IMO, are minor. I think some of the older lines do have better size than the "younger" lines. Also, this is just one person's opinion, and I would never say "I'm right, you're wrong!" That's counter productive.

That said - Yup! Let's all post pics & see what we're working with. I'll get some good pics of my boys this weekend (I work full time, and have a farm with chores after work, so weekends are my best opportunity for picture taking). I sort of hate to throw my boys into the mix since they are juveniles, but I'll be happy to post pics next week!

And we all need to remember, too, that not everyone is looking for the same thing in their lines. I, for one, am striving for that mahogany hackle color - simply because I like it. If it ends up not being correct for SOP, then I'll make some changes in my breed pen. I also personally like a large bird (hence why I also breed Jersey Giants). Thus, my guys will likely be larger than the SOP recommends, but that's okay with me. Frankly, I'm breeding toward the SOP, but with an eye to these few things that I personally like. At the end of the day, I'm breeding Marans because I love them, NOT for showing, but my customers DO what exhibition quality, thus looking more to the standard, if all tha makes sense! I still need ONE more cup of coffee....

 

[Wynette]

Here's the most recent picture I have of my (Cottage Hill/Presley) cockerel. I have another that I like a bit better, but this is the guy I'm using now - he's 20 weeks in this pic. He needs heavier shank feathering, for one, and as mentioned, I wish his hackles were nice & dark mahogany - comb is great, chest solid black - not a hint of mossy in this guy. He definitely needs to fill out more, but he's very young...what else do we see? ALL feedback appreciated! I'll get more pics from different angles this weekend: