Marans Thread - breed discussion & pictures are welcome!

[DMRippy]

Looks like I have my last 4 pullets sold! That thinned a lot down! Now I can make some MAJOR pen changes and moves. I am going to use some breeding pens as grow outs for the chicklets. They need a bigger playground than they have now. I am kinda excited again. Going to make some changes, one is I am only going to have one Marans Olive Egger pen for a little while. I am going to just use the Light Blue boy I have from pinkchick as I think he is my best shot at getting pullets with copper hackles. I have seen a couple and I am sure they are coming from him. I am going to cage the other 2 boys for a few months. Then I will have some new purdy girls for them

 

[gilavina]

Hey lady, sounds like you got a good start! I was just looking at the leg frame I had started in the Silkie pen, and thinking it would be of more use to me in the Wheaten pen. The Ah-Hah moment if you will! I was on a feed run today, and got some straw for the runs and the garden. Did some hoeing, spread the straw, watered, and I'm pooped too.

indeed...Its good stress relief to work on something I enjoy. I'm making it up as I go, so it satisfies the creative part of my brain haha. Can't wait til both of these are done and I can move onto building other stuff!

 

[gilavina]

oh...and I'm planning on turning my childhood swing set into a goat shed on the bottom and the top will be a chicken coop where a few birds will get shut up at night and freerange during the day. Think it should work well since its one of those really heavy duty swing sets

 

[gilavina]

grr...silly double post. Sorry!

 

[Debbi]

oh...and I'm planning on turning my childhood swing set into a goat shed on the bottom and the top will be a chicken coop where a few birds will get shut up at night and freerange during the day. Think it should work well since its one of those really heavy duty swing sets

Are you sure we aren't lost sisters??

I had been at an auction not too long ago, and there was an old metal swing set there, and I thought it would make a great coop on the top, and a run on the bottom!! I had forgotten all about that until you brought this up, I may need to go to another auction....

 

[gilavina]

Are you sure we aren't lost sisters??

I had been at an auction not too long ago, and there was an old metal swing set there, and I thought it would make a great coop on the top, and a run on the bottom!! I had forgotten all about that until you brought this up, I may need to go to another auction....

haha...I think we must be. Currently I have two pens that are suspended from the top rail and use them for when I first move chicks out, but going the route of goat shed/coop would make a much better use of materials and space.

 

[Debbi]

haha...I think we must be. Currently I have two pens that are suspended from the top rail and use them for when I first move chicks out, but going the route of goat shed/coop would make a much better use of materials and space.

Yeh, and the heat from the goats can help to warm the chickens in the winter! Night all, I'm bushed and outta here!

 

[BarnGoddess01]

Debbi--

Thanks for your support. It's ben another tough day. Talked to an avian vet and ordered meds and forgot my sons speech appt.

At 5:30 my son reminds me, in near tears because he missed going to one of the best bakeries.

Poor guy, I promised to go later in the week.

THe vet suspected mereks but the age is a little young. 5 days old. So I'm treating for the worst and hoping for the best. Coccidia can also mimic many of the symptoms of mereks. SO I'm sanitizing like Mereks and treating with anticoccidia like its', well coccidia. We talked about culling but if I take them to UConn, they need them live. So I segregated the 3 notable ones. ANd then they proceeded to get better thru the afternoon!

2 OE and 1 cuckoo; the 2 OE were sick first and are running circles around the CM.

I'm thinking its the feed. Bought my usual brand that always worked well. SO no extras today. WIll add the probiotics to off set the sulfa drug. I laid down a cloth to provide some cushion now that all the shavings are removed and DH is burning. Oh, and vaccinate! Vet suggested this to protect anyone that hasn't been exposed. THat was a long conversation.

Found 3 things it could be: Mereks, coccidia, and riboflavin deficiency. Long weekend! Thanks again Debbi.

I am VERY curious to hear how this turns out. I had the EXACT same situation with one Marans chick last year. Symptoms appeared between 5 and 8 days. I ended up culling her at 5 weeks.

 

[Arielle]

Quote: I believe the SOP says the middle toe feathering is a fault, not a DQ. Legs without feathers is a DQ. I looked into this because most of my first breeding roosters were feathered on the middle toes. I now have others which are not but are very lighty feathered on the legs. Generally, moderate leg feathering is preferred over the light feathering. Christie Rhae has the book. Perhaps she can quote it for us.

Quote: I love building things. Though I often get in over my head and need to ask DH for help. He helped build a house for his mother and each of his brothers. I do all the designing. A challenge when using pallets and leftover lumber of various sizes. It's a puzzle for the brain.

Quote: Update--as of this morning, still no losses. two are recovering well. CM is now sternal but needs help to reach food and drink. I'm leaning toward a riboflavin def perhaps brought on by unpalatable feed. As I mentioned, I bought new chick feed, and they are digging in to that. Instead of laying around, I see chicks at the feeders all the time. And I also noticed that the SS still at the Feed store are almost twice as big as my SS from that same hatch. Hmmm. Another kind of puzzle for the brain!

Barn Goddess, why did you cull thechick? Did it not recover and thrive?

 

[Blarneyeggs]

Arielle, sorry you're going through this, but I'm glad you're sharing so I can learn.

Katelyn woo hoo! On the Filly! and hole breeder? Do tell. Did you pick it up yet? Pics please.

No chickies at home yet. One of the Marans eggs pipped yesterday at my son's school. He had strict instructions to go straight to his science class this morning and update me.... Including pictures. Haven't heard a peep from him yet. How obnoxious would it be if I drove down there?

I need to scramble an egg for my broody. The kids had cold cereal this morning. Where are my priorities?.COLOR]