Marans Thread - breed discussion & pictures are welcome!

[kinsey228]

Here's my BCM. She doesn't lay dark eggs at all, they're tan. Why would they be so light ? She is about 6 months old. Sorry the pic isn't that good, she RARELY stands still.

 

[gilavina]

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I just use the metal mesh lid that comes with the hatching tray.. I just make the dividers tall enough to reach the lid and they don't move, it works well for me.

Mine didn't come with a lid for the hatching tray as I purchased it used and I haven't got around to making one for it, I did fabricate a makeshift fence out of some hardware cloth that goes all the way in the back because the little buggers like to go over the back of the tray and my arms just aren't long enough to reach all the way back there, which made for getting them out fun.

haha too funny! I think I would probably have a hard time getting them out as well if they hopped in the back. My main issue with hatching before I came up with these is how I would keep the chicks separate as i hatch to keep my records straight. I've tried tons of things, but this has been easy for me.

 

[Debbi]

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Hi Kinsey

Is she from a hatchery?? She appears to have yellow legs, which would indicate she is a mix, and not a pure Marans.

 

[kinsey228]

I bought her from a fellow BYC'er, who supposedly bought her from a breeder. Her legs are pretty dark, but I do suspect that she is a cross. She has a lot of copper on her front.

 

[pinkchick]

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Interesting! I myself, find it detracts from the overall picture and the symetry of the bird. If I were a judge,

, I would take points off for it, but that's just me. I think where the real problem might lie, is if the fluff was of the wrong color. Like white fluff on a blue or black bird?? The more I look at other breeds of chickens, it seems to be quite a common sight.

I find it a bit unattractive on them as well Debbi, but just wondering if it really is a huge deal overall. I completely understand if it is the wrong color on some breeds....but on breeds like Welsummers, which are red on the surface color and slate undercolor, that would make it hard to deduct points for that on that particular bird and others like it.
I too am seeing quite a bit of it and was seeing it in quite a few birds that folks have been kind enough to post photos of here after they have gone to the big shows, so it must not get tons of attention from the judges.

With all the comb problems I am having.......I am thinking that fluff at the tail break is going to move down a few notches on my priority cull list if it is not considered that huge of a thing. I can see more prominent issues that need waaaay more work than the tail fluff with these birds right now. I'm not saying I am going to disregard it completely, just thinking of lessening my attentions on it right now and work on the bigger things.

 

[math ace]

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Nifty idea! I can't use something like that in my bator, not enough room. Need to get a Sportsman or make one of my own. Do you put a lid on them, or are they high enough that the chicks don't jump over them??

That's just too cool. You could probably do all the sides with small zipties as well (yay my favorite thing zipties lol). I have a bunch of those cross stitch thingys but they are colored, I got them years ago for use in scrapbooking project that I ended up not doing but saved them anyways lol.

OMG, flagarden girl.... you are so much a girl after my own heart! LOVE THEM ZIP TIES.... I wonder if they were created by a woman

 

[gilavina]

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Interesting! I myself, find it detracts from the overall picture and the symetry of the bird. If I were a judge,

, I would take points off for it, but that's just me. I think where the real problem might lie, is if the fluff was of the wrong color. Like white fluff on a blue or black bird?? The more I look at other breeds of chickens, it seems to be quite a common sight.

I find it a bit unattractive on them as well Debbi, but just wondering if it really is a huge deal overall. I completely understand if it is the wrong color on some breeds....but on breeds like Welsummers, which are red on the surface color and slate undercolor, that would make it hard to deduct points for that on that particular bird and others like it.
I too am seeing quite a bit of it and was seeing it in quite a few birds that folks have been kind enough to post photos of here after they have gone to the big shows, so it must not get tons of attention from the judges.

With all the comb problems I am having.......I am thinking that fluff at the tail break is going to move down a few notches on my priority cull list if it is not considered that huge of a thing. I can see more prominent issues that need waaaay more work than the tail fluff with these birds right now. I'm not saying I am going to disregard it completely, just thinking of lessening my attentions on it right now and work on the bigger things.

thats how i approach it...i feel like i've got way more things to worry about first....and as those get handled, then moving onto what i feel are a bit smaller fish to fry helps me keep my sanity

 

[Debbi]

Yes, sad to say, but any more the combs are the first thing I look at! If the fluff is the color it should be, and is on an otherwise very nice bird, I may let it slide until I can get better. It would be nice to be able to cull for all faults in all birds, but with the small flock here, I don't have that luxuary...I wouldn't have anything! Pick and choose my battles, and get rid of what irks me the most.

 

[gilavina]

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i think its safe to say a huge percentage of birds would need to go across the board if every bird was culled for every fault, DQ and even in some cases, preferences. Combs are the first thing I look at...that is non negotiable. I don't really care how wonderful a bird is, if the comb doesn't pass...then the birds don't get used. I have a GORGEOUS columbian wyandotte large fowl pullet that is going to a friends layer pen because of a comb issue. It breaks my heart, but I do it for the betterment of my birds and even in my own little way...for the breed itself.

 

[Debbi]

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Some BCM hens do display too much copper in places it shouldn't be. Usually, the ones with too much red lay the darkest eggs. I don't have enough copper in my girls, so I've not had the problem. Another reason she may have sold her in the first place was her poor egg color. If the color isn't at least a 4 on the Marans egg color chart, they can't really be called a Marans.