Marans Thread - breed discussion & pictures are welcome!

[DMRippy]

Quote: You can get eggs anytime! Just ask.... they are not laying great right now. If you will be patient and let my little pullets grow up I think I will see better color on the next generation. Some are about 3 months old.

See you should have just tossed those BLRW in the box and MADE me hatch them so you didn't have to worry about all those babies.

I am going to candle today... I have been so busy with the flowers for graves I have not had time to look up

Now I have to move everyone....

 

[pinkchick]

Congratulations Keara!!!!!!! Don't forget the photos when you have time!

 

[pinkchick]

I can be patient Donna....no worries. Would just love to have some blood from my lines that has been mixed with something else to experiment with and watch. I'm way past keeping them pure this line or that and I could use some fresh blood. Just let me know when they are ready and off we go. Oh and no kidding I should have sent those BLR's to you.....I was not expecting that they would really do anything after sitting on my dining room table for over a month. That's just crazy!

Crossing my fingers for good news from the candling.

 

[Arielle]

just got the call, the Cuckoo Marans eggs have both hatched and are yellow? Is this right? I would think they'd be dark. But more importantly, one is in distress, I need to go look at it, was going to bring chick saver and vitamins (no iron), any other ideas?

My hope is that this chick hasn't found it's legs yet as it is just hatched and the teacher is panicking.

Hope all is well and the teacher is over reacting to a new situation out of her control as she doesn't want to mess up your hatch. My cuckoos are black with white/cream bib, tummy and face markings. Do't think they can be anything else for chick color.

Have BCM eggs hathing.... no middle toe feathers so far!!!!!!

I see a new rooster in my flocks future.

-Keara

Hourrrrraaaaaaayy !!!!!!

 

[Arielle]

Arielle~

Sorry to read about what you are going through with your chicks.

Do you have or can you get ahold of some fresh cranberries? If you can, try giving them some mushed up cranberries. I boil my cranberries down and pulverize them in the blender and pour over some cooked steel cut groats and millet with cinnamon, try giving them a little of this gruel everyday, it can't hurt them. Cranberry is suppose to be very good for Mareks and the cinnamon is a natural antibacterial, so is pumpkin if you can get your hands on some dried pumpkin seeds and pulverize those too. Don't be afraid to use a good amount of both cranberry and cinnamon. I keep pulverized cranberries in the fridge ready to go for my chickens weekly gruel, it keeps for a long time if it is kept covered.
I've never dealt with Mareks, but have had a couple runs with Cocci and it was not fun. Poor little chickers felt soooo bad.....made me want to cry when I saw them ill like that. I hope they start feeling better soon.

THanks Pink! I keep a huge container of cinnamon, and an extra in storage. Mostly to feed to my kids!!! I never make them skimp on cinnamon in their oatmeal; Maple syrup, yes, need to conserve, no maple syrup this year. I usually have frozen cranberries in the freezer. As new Englander I used to pick them in the cranberry bogs with my mother. My dog would be off in the high rushes and all we could hear was POP, POP, POP . LOL

The chicks are turned up the volume on the noise, I think they must be doing better. Some sleeping and many at the feeders. I'm so hoping it was the feed.

I'm not convinced about the coccidia as I don't see how they got it. I gave them grit AFTER baking the gritty sand in the oven aor 30 min at 200 degrees. I did feed chipped grass though after providing the grit. Hmmm.

Cranberry - cinnamon mush coming up! Thanks Pink. I so don't want to loose these chicks. THey were shipped eggs and the hatch rate was amazing!!

 

[Debbi]

I can be patient Donna....no worries. Would just love to have some blood from my lines that has been mixed with something else to experiment with and watch. I'm way past keeping them pure this line or that and I could use some fresh blood. Just let me know when they are ready and off we go. Oh and no kidding I should have sent those BLR's to you.....I was not expecting that they would really do anything after sitting on my dining room table for over a month. That's just crazy!

Crossing my fingers for good news from the candling.

Some people just have that Midas touch. Geesh! I couldn't help myself when I set Randy's eggs, and I took one of Olivias dark beauties out of the fridge and threw it in there. I would just keel over if that thing hatches!

 

[Keara]

Congratulations Keara!!!!!!! Don't forget the photos when you have time!

Chick photo op. this weekend for sure. Gotta get some pictures of my most recent roo too. Love his color, and feet, but his back is a bit short.

Does anyone know a good way to see yellow feet at a day or two old? maybe one type of lighting is better than another? It seems to take 3-4 weeks for me to be sure, as some are less yellow than others. I hate waiting that long to cull, but will if that is what it takes to breed out the yellow feet!

 

[Arielle]

Quote: She certainly made an effort. The will to survive is amazing. Sorry she didn't recover fully. Many factors to consider as to the cause.

This is a reminder that there is variety in genetics, and some are more susceptable while others are stronger in a given set of circumstances. What is adequate for one is not for another. WHen is it genetics and when is it environment.

In England, it's my understanding that when a farm changes hands the sheep stay with the farm. THey know the terrain and have adapted to it over the many generations that the flock has lived there. Makes sense to me.

 

[Christie Rhae]

Hi all! Been so busy. My husband is a plumbing and solar contractor and we just got a very large contract to install over 40 solar hot water systems on low income family's' homes that is funded by a government grant. It is a very good thing.
Besides owning a salon myself, running our house with all these kids, the garden and of course CHICKENS I am also my husband's secretary. I am going to be crazy busy with all the paper work for this contract...being a government funded program means paperwork out the wazzooo. lol I am going to be spending a lot of time in our home office this summer. I see that I am already behind about 9 pages here.

Yesterday evening I moved all my pullets who are laying eggs into the pen with my laying hens. I have 3 really mean barred rocks that are 2 years old. I took them out of the pen for awhile just to give the pullets a chance. I think I will add the barred rocks back in one at a time.

Then I moved my 3 month old marans pullets out of the "chick pen" into the emptied pullet pen. And moved 7 olive egger babies out of brooder box into the chick pen. My brooder is sooo full. I have about 9 more olive egger chicks and 25 ameraucana chicks from John Blehm in there. Had to get the 3 weeks old out and into the outdoor pen. I have more eggs hatching on June 3rd and 30 blue andalusian eggs on their way to me.

Kids are out of school and chickens coming out of my ears. If you guys don't hear from me after awhile....send help.

 

[Peach2u]

Donna, your boy is doing great! We named him Nash and we named Terry's Knox. Both boys are getting along fine. We put them together yesterday. By tonight he will be out in the yard with the others. I got a broody again Buffy my BO. She was a great mom. I been collecting green eggs for her. We are moving her over to the hutch. Not sharing a nest box with the other girls makes life better for her. We are moving the 3-4 week old babies in the room next to her. The 10 x 20 pen will be the baby pen. I will not be feeding the hawk anymore of my babies. No one leaves that pen till they are 4 months old.
I'll post pictures after my Canon recharges once I find the charger.