Marans Thread - breed discussion & pictures are welcome!

[DMRippy]

Quote:
I think it is what is called INCOMPLETE Dominate. The barring will show but not as well if it does not have the other part. I would think it would still show in the adults. Make me think she has the autosomal barring I am seeing in my roos. BTW the barring is changing in them... hard to find barring now, not obvious like it was. They have to go though so I will not see how they grow up, maybe he will send me pictures if they survive the wilds of free ranging in TN.

Pictures would help.

 

[DMRippy]

Quote:
Toe feathering is not a DQ it is a requirement on the outer toe. A bird without the outer toe feathered will be DQ'd. It is a Fault on the Middle toe.... I think that is right.

 

[jmanderson777]

I just noticed an issue with one of my maran chicks. Its about 4-5weeks old and has what I would think is webbed feet. What should I do for it? It can't spread its toe out and seems to have some issues walking. I though it had something stuck on its foot the way it was acting.

 

[Debbi]

Well guys, I'm back for now, I really need a distraction from my life! What better way than to talk chickens??


Donna ~ I may be way wrong here, but I believe the middle toe feathering is a DQ. The SOP calls for outer toe feathering only, so anything else would be incorrect. All you lucky folks with the SOP books, chime in here!!

Marcy~ This breed is not something you are going to fix overnight; and I don't care if you hatch 500 chicks at a whack! You will have to learn to pick and choose your battles here, ie, what bugs you the most outside of being a DQ. Funky combs, cull them! Clean shanks, cull them! Mossy like the ones you show probably won't get any better, cull them to the laying flock as they will probably lay the darkest eggs! Yellow legs past 4 weeks, cull. Anything not looking like it will be of good size and type, cull. If I were you, I would not worry much about the white feathers you are seeing at that age! White feathers can be defeated in a few generations too, if you are dealing with otherwise nice birds! White feathers in some lines will come and go, according to molting. Black hens can be overcome by using a more "colorful" roo in the breeding. You know, the ones with the slight copper on the breast area, and rich copper color in the hackles/saddles. Please! Watch the combs very carefully for sprigs and carnations!!!! If you get into this problem, you will have a real hassle on your hands, and should cull ALL with the problems! Looking at your pics, I like the bunch you have shown with the white feathering the most! I have yet to have a mossy problem here, everything here is over melanized. Some of the mossy girls also look to have "Crow heads" which is not desireable. If you hatched 100 chicks, you should cull hard and consider yourself lucky to get 10 - 20 good ones to keep and experiment with. You can't clean it all up in a year or so, it's just not going to happen. Stay with the line/lines you have, don't introduce more stuff in there that may have other problems, and keep trying. I've not seen anyone yet that has had total success with this breed, it's all still a crap shoot! Good luck, and just try to remember to ENJOY your chickens!!!!

 

[DMRippy]

Well guys, I'm back for now, I really need a distraction from my life! What better way than to talk chickens??


Donna ~ I may be way wrong here, but I believe the middle toe feathering is a DQ. The SOP calls for outer toe feathering only, so anything else would be incorrect. All you lucky folks with the SOP books, chime in here!!

Marcy~ This breed is not something you are going to fix overnight; and I don't care if you hatch 500 chicks at a whack! You will have to learn to pick and choose your battles here, ie, what bugs you the most outside of being a DQ. Funky combs, cull them! Clean shanks, cull them! Mossy like the ones you show probably won't get any better, cull them to the laying flock as they will probably lay the darkest eggs! Yellow legs past 4 weeks, cull. Anything not looking like it will be of good size and type, cull. If I were you, I would not worry much about the white feathers you are seeing at that age! White feathers can be defeated in a few generations too, if you are dealing with otherwise nice birds! White feathers in some lines will come and go, according to molting. Black hens can be overcome by using a more "colorful" roo in the breeding. You know, the ones with the slight copper on the breast area, and rich copper color in the hackles/saddles. Please! Watch the combs very carefully for sprigs and carnations!!!! If you get into this problem, you will have a real hassle on your hands, and should cull ALL with the problems! Looking at your pics, I like the bunch you have shown with the white feathering the most! I have yet to have a mossy problem here, everything here is over melanized. Some of the mossy girls also look to have "Crow heads" which is not desireable. If you hatched 100 chicks, you should cull hard and consider yourself lucky to get 10 - 20 good ones to keep and experiment with. You can't clean it all up in a year or so, it's just not going to happen. Stay with the line/lines you have, don't introduce more stuff in there that may have other problems, and keep trying. I've not seen anyone yet that has had total success with this breed, it's all still a crap shoot! Good luck, and just try to remember to ENJOY your chickens!!!!

 

[DMRippy]

on the marans sop it is listed as a fault

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/517113/marans-sop-discussion-thread

We just skimmed over it the other day as to whether or not to cull for in chicks since it is a fault and not a dq. I am culling for it. I think after a week or so they are losing it so I am sticking with my tags at hatch. Better safe than sorry.

 

[DMRippy]

I just noticed an issue with one of my maran chicks. Its about 4-5weeks old and has what I would think is webbed feet. What should I do for it? It can't spread its toe out and seems to have some issues walking. I though it had something stuck on its foot the way it was acting.

I think that is a rudimentary toe. Very common in feathered toes.

 

[Debbi]

All that said, my Wynette babies are now 6 weeks old! Gees, where does the time go?? The pullet is looking good, nice shank toe feathering, and she is very adept in giving me the stink eye on a regular basis! I know she won't have many problems consolidating with the flock! The first cockerel had clean shanks at hatch, and of course, was the better looking of the two roos. He has since grown some stubs on his shanks, so??? The other roo that hatched was the one I had to help out, and I am so glad I did!! Pretty boy, nice frame, a tad of color already coming in on the front of his neck (something I could use here with all my over melanized girls!) , nice comb, and almost street sweeper shanks/toes! And a very calm attitude to boot!!

He looks very promising at 6 weeks, hope he keeps going that way. I will try to get some pics of them soon. I sure hope the pullet isn't the broody type, if she is, I can see losing a finger or two to her! Oooo, you should SEE the looks I get from her at 6 weeks of age, and she gets right into my face!

She won't be the "favorite" of the roos, I can already tell, she will be kicking butt!

 

[DMRippy]

All that said, my Wynette babies are now 6 weeks old! Gees, where does the time go?? The pullet is looking good, nice shank toe feathering, and she is very adept in giving me the stink eye on a regular basis! I know she won't have many problems consolidating with the flock! The first cockerel had clean shanks at hatch, and of course, was the better looking of the two roos. He has since grown some stubs on his shanks, so??? The other roo that hatched was the one I had to help out, and I am so glad I did!! Pretty boy, nice frame, a tad of color already coming in on the front of his neck (something I could use here with all my over melanized girls!) , nice comb, and almost street sweeper shanks/toes! And a very calm attitude to boot!!

He looks very promising at 6 weeks, hope he keeps going that way. I will try to get some pics of them soon. I sure hope the pullet isn't the broody type, if she is, I can see losing a finger or two to her! Oooo, you should SEE the looks I get from her at 6 weeks of age, and she gets right into my face!

She won't be the "favorite" of the roos, I can already tell, she will be kicking butt!

My broodies never really did anything like attack. My marans she puffs up really big, but she is all talk and no action. She lost another chick, my fault sort of. There was a gap in between the wall and the box and the chick was stuck and died.

I have not really tried to play with the chicks. but they do see me often. I like to watch the mamas work. The rock is doing great! she pecked one on the head today when she called it to hide from me it didn't come quick enough.... too cute.

 

[DMRippy]

Quote:
Pictures are required on this thread.... when you get time.

Sold my D'Uccle flock, well tomorrow

and 11 chicks.... and 2 more coming this week to get some more chicks

Vacation is coming got to SELL THEM ASAP!