Marans Thread - breed discussion & pictures are welcome!

[gilavina]

I have no real interest here... but those are the same people that have a picture of a STRAIGHT comb BLRW in their ad.

yeah... maybe I'll get blasted for this...not sure. Whenever anything has the name hatchery on it, I take it that they are not going to be of the best quality with regard to birds being bred to any sort of standard. My only reason for taking a gamble on the silvers is because they are very hard to find and I have to give that lone boy I have a fighting chance of starting a breeding program.

 

[gilavina]

gilavina, I am envious of your obvious knowledge and experience. Any advice would be appreciated. Maybe I can post some pics at some point.

haha you must have been reading my mind, because I just posted that you should post photos! I have been in birds a long time, but don't know nearly as much as I'd like. The silvers are something I've been working to get my start in. There is a gentleman in England that is working to establish a standard with the club over there for the Silvers and has been sharing his knowledge with me. I've ordered some of the Silvers from Cedar Creek to go with a boy I had come from my cuckoos that appears to be a silver. I'm planning to cull heavily and do lots of test mating to hopefully establish a healthy flock that reflects the marans standard to the best of my ability. I should be getting the chicks in about a week to week and a half. I can't wait. I've been wanting some since before I even bought my first marans and had assumed there were none in the states, but tracked these down and will take what I can to get my start!

 

[ffamom3]

Do you still have them? I bet you would have a whole slew of people wanting to help ya out identifying them. Quite a few of us on here also raise other breeds, so never know what people might be able to tell ya

Yes,, I do. I will try to get some decent pics tomorrow and post.

 

[desertmarcy]

I just came back from entering my very first poultry show

Boy was that a lot of work washing all the birds, especially since it was around 100 degrees outside. At least they all dried fast! I washed 5 chickens and 2 turkeys, and only got a bath myself when washing the turkey hen--she is not at all tame. I entered my Black Copper Marans cock--he was the only Marans in the show, and I was glad there were no disqualifying faults.

I didn't think there were, but it is always nice to have a judge confirm. It was just a small local poultry club show, and it seemed like there were a lot of 'one representative' of a breed there. Hated to put him back in the dusty pen, he and the others being so nice and clean for once. I found it a delight to carry a chicken that is nice and clean instead of all covered with dust.

 

[gilavina]

I just came back from entering my very first poultry show

Boy was that a lot of work washing all the birds, especially since it was around 100 degrees outside. At least they all dried fast! I washed 5 chickens and 2 turkeys, and only got a bath myself when washing the turkey hen--she is not at all tame. I entered my Black Copper Marans cock--he was the only Marans in the show, and I was glad there were no disqualifying faults.

I didn't think there were, but it is always nice to have a judge confirm. It was just a small local poultry club show, and it seemed like there were a lot of 'one representative' of a breed there. Hated to put him back in the dusty pen, he and the others being so nice and clean for once. I found it a delight to carry a chicken that is nice and clean instead of all covered with dust.

awesome! Good job!

Now for the really important question.... did you come home with more birds than you went with? I think its a syndrome with going to shows. I do it all the time haha I've always said they should have a giant swap meet at the same time since that's what all of us seem to end up doing anyways.

 

[Hens and Roos]

Hey Hens....are your chickies still doing alright?

Well, I have only 3 babies left out of the 11 hatched the 3 seem to be doing better but it is taking them awhile to get feeling better and moving around like chicks normally do.

 

[Hens and Roos]

well I do have friends up in MN and WI

that is good to know

 

[SarniaTricia]

I got a question for you guys( I figured out that I can ask this since all of you get sidetracked anyway

) How many of you use your Marans and chickens as a stress relief? I mean they cause stress sometimes but for me its a different stressor. I used to have tons of hobbies. Fishing, hunting, art and music etc. Then all of a sudden I just lost interest in all of it. Wife told me I needed to find another hobby. Never grew up around chickens. I got some even though she wasnt keen on the idea. Love it! It relaxes me. Specialy now that Im bout above my head with my 15 yr old Son!

Chicken math is smacking me in the head as I want to smack him upside his head

Yes, Yes and Yes
14 year old boy in the house and know exactly how you feel.
work sucks more times than it is good

My chickens keep me sane...
get home, go out to the barn
Talk to the Roo - get all the expected answers.
Full fill his request for scratch for him and the girls - success!
Change the water, fill the feed, collect the eggs, check behind the barn for more if they are not all in the nest boxes.
Go into the teeny coop... get greeted by Sara, errr Simon I mean.... talk to the birds.... find out how their day is.
change the water, fill the feed...
Check the brooder, cuddle the babies, check the bums, change the water, fill the feeder.

by the time I get in the house, Life is good!
Work?, what work?, kids?, there are kids here?

 

[ChickChickChicky]

Whenever I get stressed I go out and pet or pick up a chicken (several of them beg to be petted and held). Whenever I get within 10 feet of the coop they all start talking to each other in a soft little trilling voice. Sometimes if I need a good laugh I'll take a big plate of treats out for them.... it is always hysterical to me to watch them run and practically step on and knock each other over to get whatever I've got; half-running, half flying, it's a race to see who gets there first. . When they get to me they'll all crane their little necks up to look at the dish.... as my husband always said, "I am easily entertained".

 

[desertmarcy]

awesome! Good job!

Now for the really important question.... did you come home with more birds than you went with? I think its a syndrome with going to shows. I do it all the time haha I've always said they should have a giant swap meet at the same time since that's what all of us seem to end up doing anyways.

No, I did not---I wasn't even tempted, the birds for sale were not breeds I am interested in, plus I have waaaay too many birds right now. I took a tub full of black and blue copper Marans, a trio of beautiful Orloffs, and another tub of 2 week old turkey poults. Not even a nibble on any of them! I don't think this show was advertised to the public--it was almost all just other members of the club. What a shame. My partner came by to check on me a few hours into the show, and I sent him home with the Marans and Orloffs since they were hot in that room and no one was buying.
2 less tubs I had to load up at 2:30 in the afternoon in the upper 90's.