Marans Thread - breed discussion & pictures are welcome!

[gilavina]

Maaaaaaaaaaarans.

haha you crack me up!

 

[pinkchick]

Stalk away Christie!!!

I love the Classroom @ the Coop....I'm just a baby there and taking tiny baby steps. I too thirst for knowledge. Imput, imput, imput!!!!!

 

[pinkchick]

LOL!I thought it funny Vicki, I couldn't resist.

 

[gilavina]

LOL!I thought it funny Vicki, I couldn't resist.

very good! I'm off to work, but can't wait to get home to play with baby everything....Marans, Goaties, Kitties....yay!!!
I go through withdrawl every time I leave them!

 

[desertmarcy]

split wing does not change, but you need to check to see if there is a follicle there.....if not there will never be a feather in that place. White earlobes seems to be a problem in this breed as well.

Walt

There are so many things to watch out for when growing up new birds, I think I need to make a checklist!

 

[desertmarcy]

ahhh...thats an interesting thought! I'll have to do some thinking on whether I could pull that off with the crazy winds we get here sometimes. If it would work, that sure would save me a whole heap of work and money!

It gets really windy where I am. I had the framing and roof of my chicken house built for me, then I did all the chain link fencing and wire work. My builder got some heavy flat metal discs--they are about 3" in diameter--and had a friend weld them to the tops of the metal stakes. Then he drilled holes through the 2X4 like Cheryl did and pounded them in to the ground. The disc then sits on top of the bottom 2x4 and nothing can pull up. This structure was put up last summer, so it's been a year and believe me, we've had some bad winds since and we also get those sudden gusts--the kind that break the tree limbs. The building has not moved.

 

[desertmarcy]

With some goats, smaller breeds the distance of the buck can be less, but when you get into full on dairy goats, keeping the bucks near the does will change the flavor of the milk. I was raised on goats milk and have had quite a few breeds over the years and even having garlic or onions drying on racks in the same barn can flavor the milk.

Well you have certainly had a lot more experience with them than I have. I wonder if more humid climates might make a difference in that, also. It is sooo dry here most of the time. I just love the raw goats milk and hate the government telling us it is illegal to sell it....it takes a search and talking with people to find someone who will sell it to you here, oops meant to say, they will "give" it to you and you can donate to their animal feed fund (wink, wink). But when I was visiting my brother in SE PA, Lancaster County---Amish farmer 2 miles up the road had a sign out on the road "goat milk for sale". It was only $5/gallon, of course I brought my own container for them and I think I converted my sister-in-law to raw goats milk

We always had plenty of extra to give to the chickens and they just loved it. Miss the milk, but don't miss all the extra work involved with caring for the goats and milking. Makes taking a trip out of town so much harder, so we sold them....but then I turned around and got more birds, so now I STILL can't go anywhere

 

[PaintedCavalry]

I have a question.

I purchased 2 BCM pullets about a month ago from an APA approved breeder. He said around 7 weeks, but one looks much further along in age. He was in a bit of a hurry when I went to pick my chickens up and me being a new owner didn't really question it.

So this is Priscilla.

About how old do you think she is?

 

[Christie Rhae]

I get LOADS of useful stuff from the Marans group, folks that are actually getting out and exhibiting their birds .... FABULOUS conversations about complex genetics and breeding strategies. MUCH to think about.

I think the breeder clubs are important even if for no other reason than they are the ones who get the varieties accepted into the APA. Especially newer breeds like marans and ameraucanas.

The great info is a bonus!

 

[fowlman01]

Yes I saw you post there awhile back...even saw you on Classrom at the Coop. I am your own personal stalker! Lol.. Not really.

I have a thirst for knowledge...I will get it anywhere I can.
But I don't believe everything I read ...see signature..
It has to make sense to me.

Very good idea since 95% of what is posted about poultry online is incorrect...even if it says "Educator" under their name. This is not directed at anyone in particular....just saying use common sense and see if 20 or so other people that you highly respect think the same thing. And just because it is written in a book does not make it accurate either......particularly the genetic stuff. Two things to keep in mind: Geneticists don't agree on everything and until you can have a DNA test done cheaply, you will never know what is really in your flock in terms of genetic makeup, so the "rules" are out the window. This will be my one annoying post for the day.

Walt