Marans Thread - breed discussion & pictures are welcome!

[Debbi]

Hi guys! I have solid blue marans no copper mixing in them! Their darkest egg is a. 5- 6 and lowest a 3 how do i improve them without using copper? Thanks

Chances are, what you have is a bird that does carry the copper gene, she is just not expressing (showing) it. I have two of them here, neither showing copper, but I know they have copper in their background. You will really have to hunt high and low to find solid Blacks or Blues. If they tell you they came out of a Blue Copper or a Black Copper several generations ago, they will still carry the copper gene!

 

[gilavina]

Vicki ~ I just put the chooks away...hmm, make that chook! It is sooooo quiet out here it is eery! Roy is back to strutting his stuff unemcumbered by a mess of culls roos in the way! The poor younger cockerel and his 2 sisters are sad and confused, having lost two of their siblings. They look absolutely lost, and are really sticking close together. The older girls are doing a happy dance, knowing they won't be constantly hunted down! As for me, my feed bill should drop in half, and I don't have to keep looking over my shoulder waiting to be flogged by Blue Butt!

haha, how is it that we always end up writing to each other at the same time? So funny! I can't wait to drop my feed bill some too when I sell off some of these extra girls and cull a few more roos from various breed and color varieties. Should really tighten up the pens and get me going where I need to go. No matter how frustrating the Marans can be to get just right, I love em and don't mind all the work I've got in front of me.

By the way...you would not believe how huge these chicks are....2 weeks as of yesterday and they look like they are 4 or 5 weeks old! I've already got combs on the boys I can see from 15 feet away!

 

[gilavina]

I have a question about the middle toe feathering. If they have one or two feathers showing when just hatched, will these disappear or will they grow more? Just wondering if those very few feathers on the chicks is a reason to cull them. My birds do have very nice feathering, so I'm wondering if that is why I am seeing this on the chicks--as you say, a fine line. Thanks for your input.

if you go back to the previous page and look for the post by BarnGoddess you will see an explantion she reposted from Village Chicken on that very thing. Very clearly and simply written. Hope it helps!

 

[BarnGoddess01]

THanks for the post Barn GOddess. I was asking about this over on the BCM thread.

I saw that, Arielle, but figured it didn't really require a double post and you would see the response on this thread.

 

[gilavina]

Hey Barb, Did you ever get those silkie hatching eggs you had tracked down? I might have missed it since somewhere farther back in the thread if you had...I missed a few days here and there with work.

 

[Debbi]

Yes, the non-productive piggies are gone!! The meanies are gone!! The hens starting laying again, 3 today!! I even went out and started clearing a spot of land on the east side of the main coop. Looks like I'll be able to get several good sized pens in there, and thus save my garden spot on the west side of the main coop! A good day all around!!

 

[gilavina]

Yes, the non-productive piggies are gone!! The meanies are gone!! The hens starting laying again, 3 today!! I even went out and started clearing a spot of land on the east side of the main coop. Looks like I'll be able to get several good sized pens in there, and thus save my garden spot on the west side of the main coop! A good day all around!!

awesome! So happy for you. I wonder if maybe that guy that is good at processing chickens that you met, might also be good at building? Never know eh?
I have to send you those seeds! The last three times I've been able to get to the P.O. they are already closed for the day. Can you believe they are open for an hour and a half on saturday? And they aren't always open the same hour and half period either...I don't get it, but I will get them to you!

 

[BarnGoddess01]

Hey Barb, Did you ever get those silkie hatching eggs you had tracked down? I might have missed it since somewhere farther back in the thread if you had...I missed a few days here and there with work.

Not so far.

Thought I had some lined up but then I questioned how she was producing splash birds and haven't heard from her since!!!!

 

[gilavina]

Not so far.

Thought I had some lined up but then I questioned how she was producing splash birds and haven't heard from her since!!!!

Doh! Don't ya hate that? Maybe this is just one of those things where you will find something better down the road. I know you've said that finding breeding stock/ eggs etc is a lot harder up your way, but how is it to ship eggs from one place in canada to another. Kinda similar to here?

 

[chickeneyfoot]

How can I improve them? Thanks!