Marans Thread - breed discussion & pictures are welcome!

[Debbi]

haha...one would think I would get into lots of trouble, but I'm on a mission. Now that I really am establishing some good prospects in my different varieties of Marans, I will be keeping them trimmed into nice small tight flocks. I have a list in my head of what I'm looking for from my grow out pens and have banded some of my breeding stock that are on the slate to possibly be replaced if better ones come along from my chicks. So far on the top priority of my list is to get a nice black and blue birchen cockerel and a blue copper boy. Of course, going for nice feathering on the legs is a high priority as well, esp in the birchens since they were almost all clean legged even a year ago. I will say, in my birchen breeding pen out of about 13 girls, only 4 are making the cut to stay. The offspring this year are showing so much more progress that I can't even really compare what I have in the grow out pens to the parent stock, in the hens anyways. Its a very good feeling.

I'm also contemplating giving up my cuckoos. I find I just don't enjoy them as much as my birchens and coppers. Plus if I get a good enough start with the Silver Marans coming soon, I will be definitely working more on those than the cuckoos. That's for sure.

Keep doing what you are doing gal, it sure looks to be working!!

 

[gilavina]

thanks lady! I'm just so happy to finally have something to work with after the rough start I had even getting stock (even as mediocre as they were) and then losing the best ones to predators in the first year. I'm hoping from here on out, I will just keep making steps forward, even if they are small ones!

 

[Debbi]

I finally got a pic, albeit another crappy one, of my Wynette babies. They will be 10 weeks on Monday. They were scared when I was out there with the camera, and I couldn't figure out why, they are usually all over me. Right after I took this pic, I saw why. That viper hen was standing right behind me, she is such a bully! Any way, I do have two pullets, one roo. The roo has 3 sprigs so will have to go. Too bad too, he is starting to look good. The pullet in the back has some nice dark copper coming into her hackles, but she has clean shanks, except for a little patch mid shank. That's ok, Clyde will put hair on her babies' legs! The pullet in front has decent shank/toe feathering, and she is just now starting to get some glints of copper in her hackles. She's a keeper.

 

[gilavina]

I finally got a pic, albeit another crappy one, of my Wynette babies. They will be 10 weeks on Monday. They were scared when I was out there with the camera, and I couldn't figure out why, they are usually all over me. Right after I took this pic, I saw why. That viper hen was standing right behind me, she is such a bully! Any way, I do have two pullets, one roo. The roo has 3 sprigs so will have to go. Too bad too, he is starting to look good. The pullet in the back has some nice dark copper coming into her hackles, but she has clean shanks, except for a little patch mid shank. That's ok, Clyde will put hair on her babies' legs! The pullet in front has decent shank/toe feathering, and she is just now starting to get some glints of copper in her hackles. She's a keeper.

Too bad about that boy, but think you'll keep both the girls then?

 

[pinkchick]

double post sorry.

 

[pinkchick]

Quote: Glad she has a tail and hope she grows feathers back in soon. As for the splash she is a pretty little pullet but I am uncertain of the black feathers on her......is it black like it looks in the photo or is it very very dark blue? I've never seen this before.

 

[pinkchick]

Flgarden~

I'm very excited ............ one of our clients gave me a Yellow Brugmansia yesterday!!!!! I can't wait for it to bloom!!!!

She schooled me on how to care for it and what to do for it in our climate so that I can enjoy it next year. Looks like I will have to make space for yet one more plant in the house to over winter. I keep telling DH we should really put in a green house at one end of our home and it will be dual purpose as we can use it for passive solar heat too. He usually just gives me the rolling eye look.

Heck, I told him I bet I could make it more than dual purpose...in the winter I could probably brood some Marans chicks in there as well and move one of my brooders out of his shop and give him his space back...you know I still get the rolling eyes look.

 

[pinkchick]

Quote:
I LOVE HIM!!!!!!!!!!!!! Please continue to post photos of him as he matures.

 

[DMRippy]

Flgarden~

I'm very excited ............ one of our clients gave me a Yellow Brugsmania yesterday!!!!! I can't wait for it to bloom!!!!

She schooled me on how to care for it and what to do for it in our climate so that I can enjoy it next year. Looks like I will have to make space for yet one more plant in the house to over winter. I keep telling DH we should really put in a green house at one end of our home and it will be dual purpose as we can use it for passive solar heat too. He usually just gives me the rolling eye look.

Heck, I told him I bet I could make it more than dual purpose...in the winter I could probably brood some Marans chicks in there as well and move one of my brooders out of his shop and give him his space back...you know I still get the rolling eyes look.

Keep it up about his shop.... he may give in.... if looks longingly at a new tool and he does not have room.... just say "if I had a green house, you would have room in your shop......"

 

[pinkchick]

Too bad about that boy, but think you'll keep both the girls then?

Agreed, too bad about that comb on that boy, he does look like a very nice cockerel, sprigs aside. The girls are looking great too. I am very excited to see what they give you for eggs....can you make them grow up faster please????????