Marans Thread - breed discussion & pictures are welcome!

[heath_elisha]

I told my husband that the marans cockerels remind of the raptors from jarassic park movie lol they are just prehistoric looking, attack quickly and dart off..... maybe I have been spoiled with a kind, calm, gentle giant mutt rooster named Big Red- and his babies..........

 

[Debbi]

I think it all just depends on the birds, and maybe the line(s) they come from. My two big boys got into it with each other at 8 weeks of age. Not a typical chest bumping sparring match, I mean a blood drawing, tangled like velcro fight! Really?? 8 weeks?? I seperated them for a couple of weeks, then put them back together again, and they were fine. That is until a year or so ago. Now they will fight to the death if I let them, so again have to keep them seperate. Both of them get along fine with chicks, pullets, hens, and other roos; just not each other!

Both of these boys are very people friendly, and I can and do, pick them up anytime and anywhere. That said, I have one man fighter (another roo). He was a lone hatchling, and was the low man for 3/4 of his life. Everyone picked on him. He always came to me to protect him, and I did. While he has gotten better with me lately, I don't turn my back to him as he is sneaky. My dog now knows to run him off if the roo charges me. Why do I keep him?? He amuses me, and dispite his nasty moods, he can be quite peaceful and friendly, and usually sits with me when I sit on the deck in the evenings. If your roos turn into manfighters, and especially if you have children, I would rehome them or turn them into soup really quickly! These boys can get pretty big, mine are around 10 lbs. I suspect, and when they mean business, it ain't funny! If your boys are just sparring with each other, just watch them to make sure it doesn't get too serious. You may have to seperate them while you figure out who to keep, and who to toss. At one point I had 13 roos here, all running together except for the one. Seems here, it is mostly my hens that are the trouble makers, and will pick on younger and new birds, sometimes relentlessly. I have two right now that are like this, luckily for me, they are both about to be culled out of the flock for other reasons.

 

[Debbi]

I just sold two Silkie chicklets to a young boy and his Mom! The little guy was soooo excited, and hung on every word I told him. I warned his Mom of "Chicken Math", and guaranteed her she'd be back for more, and within a year or less, they'd have at least 10 birds! Right Barb???

 

[BarnGoddess01]

I just sold two Silkie chicklets to a young boy and his Mom! The little guy was soooo excited, and hung on every word I told him. I warned his Mom of "Chicken Math", and guaranteed her she'd be back for more, and within a year or less, they'd have at least 10 birds! Right Barb???

(17 in the 'bator due to go into lockdown on Wednesday ....

)

(Second new pen finished today. 2 pens to go .... I'm tired .... <sigh> But my birds are happy!)

 

[gilavina]

afternoon everyone.... another hot day...3rd day in a row over 90....

is it as toasty down your way Debbi?

 

[Debbi]

afternoon everyone.... another hot day...3rd day in a row over 90....

is it as toasty down your way Debbi?

Yes! Time is 5:14, and it's 92*! Chickens are already panting, hope this summer isn't quite as bad as last??

 

[Debbi]

(17 in the 'bator due to go into lockdown on Wednesday ....

)

(Second new pen finished today. 2 pens to go .... I'm tired .... <sigh> But my birds are happy!)

Hey, I've got 22 to be candled before lockdown on Wed.! Good luck!

 

[gilavina]

Yes! Time is 5:14, and it's 92*! Chickens are already panting, hope this summer isn't quite as bad as last??

yeah...I'm right there with you hoping this will settle down. My birds are doin the same and plants I planted over the last couple of days are lookin kinda wilty....and to think, I should be worrying about frost, not getting fried

 

[Debbi]

Yeh, but I'm waiting for that proverbial other shoe to drop! I can see a killing frost in the future, although they aren't predicting one. March is usually a really bad month for storms too, and it's been fairly quiet, except for a couple.

Sure do have a bumper crop of dandelions though!

 

[gilavina]

Yeh, but I'm waiting for that proverbial other shoe to drop! I can see a killing frost in the future, although they aren't predicting one. March is usually a really bad month for storms too, and it's been fairly quiet, except for a couple.

yeah...I'm not holding my breath for either at this point. I am just tryin to go with the swing of things and adapt. All I know is after the last three days of workin out in the garden and unloading trucks all day today at work....and I'm just pooped.