Marans Thread - breed discussion & pictures are welcome!

[Hens and Roos]

My recent hatchlings! Six BCM out of 11 shipped eggs with 9 going into lockdown! Cute lil buggers!

Cute babies!!

 

[Cadeau]

Very Cute!

Got all my pens moved around today - YEAH!!!

the only chickens who will be in the house tonight are the chicks that hatched last night!~

The guy who does our chickens is taking ALL my roos on Tuesday!!

 

[gilavina]

Very Cute!

Got all my pens moved around today - YEAH!!!

the only chickens who will be in the house tonight are the chicks that hatched last night!~

The guy who does our chickens is taking ALL my roos on Tuesday!!

That's fantastic news! Spent some time working on clearing pens to prep for the bobcat to come and level the ground....now getting ready to leave for work again in a few minutes. The hours have been a bit all over lately and I'm not gonna lie...I'm ready for a nap! haha

 

[Cadeau]

Anyone have a good plan/pics for a row house of coops with yards?? (must be for cold weather)



I'm hoping to do a row house (or double row), rather than have my "shanty town" of single coops and yards.


I think I know what I want but I need plans or pics to explain to SO...

 

[Cadeau]

Naps are good for the soul, Vicki!

I do Soooo much better, if I can grab 1/2hr to an hour in the afternoon between my "real job" and my farm job!!

 

[gilavina]

Naps are good for the soul, Vicki!

I do Soooo much better, if I can grab 1/2hr to an hour in the afternoon between my "real job" and my farm job!!

haha...I wish I had time for a nap...but not today....oh well..just hope work goes quickly!
I feel behind on everything the last couple of days....like my brain isn't keeping up with me very well haha

 

[ChickChickChicky]

Just have to share my joy.... my six little BCM's (5 hatched Feb 1st, one hatched Feb 14th) were absolutely w-i-l-d, I couldn't even LOOK at them without them acting like I was gonna try to chop their heads off. The screeching, flapping and running were getting me down, because I really thought they were going to stay that way. However, I noticed a couple of days ago that there wasn't a mad screaming run to the other side of the coop when I approached, but they still weren't letting me get anywhere near them. FINALLY, today, I went in the coop and sat down on the floor with them and caught one after the other, and when I'd catch one I'd hold it and pet it and talk gently to it. After about 20 minutes of doing this, I was AMAZED to discover that the chicks were actually coming right up to me... they pecked at my pants (fascinated by them for some reason), hopped on my lap, and even let me PET them. Thank you Lord, they're not crazy any more!

 

[hipeatall]

My FBCM's are some of my sweetest birds. They were not especially sweet as chicks... but these little darlings are smart and have figured it all out. They know who feeds them and they come running to greet me at the gate... they even stand at my feet and let me pick them up. So lucky to have beautiful birds, that lay amazing eggs and have such adorable temperaments!

Just have to share my joy.... my six little BCM's (5 hatched Feb 1st, one hatched Feb 14th) were absolutely w-i-l-d, I couldn't even LOOK at them without them acting like I was gonna try to chop their heads off. The screeching, flapping and running were getting me down, because I really thought they were going to stay that way. However, I noticed a couple of days ago that there wasn't a mad screaming run to the other side of the coop when I approached, but they still weren't letting me get anywhere near them. FINALLY, today, I went in the coop and sat down on the floor with them and caught one after the other, and when I'd catch one I'd hold it and pet it and talk gently to it. After about 20 minutes of doing this, I was AMAZED to discover that the chicks were actually coming right up to me... they pecked at my pants (fascinated by them for some reason), hopped on my lap, and even let me PET them. Thank you Lord, they're not crazy any more!

 

[Christie Rhae]

I did it.



We did all 3 cockerels. Even the younger splash one. My hands were shaking. I was so nervous. I had everything all set up, 150degree pot of water, tub of cold water. I had 3 ropes hanging from the rafters. We have a covered outdoor area with a 2 compartment stainless steel sinks that my husband uses to clean fish. It worked out perfect. The rest of the chickens could not see. I could not watch when my husband made the kill cuts. It was so awful. I was close to tears. We had our teenager boys help with that part. My 3 year old daughter was pleading to not kill her favorite one. I had to make our 6 year old boy and 3 year old girl go in the house. I just didn't want them to see that yet.
But once that part was over...things went pretty smooth. I dunked them and plucked them. The first one that I eviscerated took me probably 40 minutes. Reaching up in there (even with gloves) and feeling all the organs was creepy at first. But by the third one I don't think it took me more than 10 minutes to process. That guy is in the crock pot right now cooking up to feed the dogs. We are going to eat one of the bigger guys for dinner tonight.

That was quite an experience. I have never even seen an animal killed before, not counting fish. I feel a sense of accomplishment. Now I know we can do it. So it is not so scary. And a little more quiet! lol. I only have 2 adult cockerels now. Of course I have at least 15 little marans cockerels growing up so it will get noisy again. lol


Edit: "quiet" not "quite"... those Q words are always tricky. lol

 

[BarnGoddess01]

I did it.



We did all 3 cockerels. Even the younger splash one. My hands were shaking. I was so nervous. I had everything all set up, 150degree pot of water, tub of cold water. I had 3 ropes hanging from the rafters. We have a covered outdoor area with a 2 compartment stainless steel sinks that my husband uses to clean fish. It worked out perfect. The rest of the chickens could not see. I could not watch when my husband made the kill cuts. It was so awful. I was close to tears. We had our teenager boys help with that part. My 3 year old daughter was pleading to not kill her favorite one. I had to make our 6 year old boy and 3 year old girl go in the house. I just didn't want them to see that yet.
But once that part was over...things went pretty smooth. I dunked them and plucked them. The first one that I eviscerated took me probably 40 minutes. Reaching up in there (even with gloves) and feeling all the organs was creepy at first. But by the third one I don't think it took me more than 10 minutes to process. That guy is in the crock pot right now cooking up to feed the dogs. We are going to eat one of the bigger guys for dinner tonight.

That was quite an experience. I have never even seen an animal killed before, not counting fish. I feel a sense of accomplishment. Now I know we can do it. So it is not so scary. And a little more quite! lol. I only have 2 adult cockerels now. Of course I have at least 15 little marans cockerels growing up so it will get noisy again. lol

Well done, Christie! I'm impressed.

(For the future, you might find the meat tastes better and is a little more tender if you let the birds "rest" and chill for 24 hours prior to cooking them.)