Marans Thread - breed discussion & pictures are welcome!

[laughingclown]

So I went out this morning to check on my chicks and open the slider. I just finished this coops run and used the standard poultry wire. Its all I had money for right now. I wanted the stronger stuff. So I sit down next to the coop and out walks a little pullet to sat hi

right through the wire. I didnt even see the hole. So I put another layer of wire up and fixed the hole. Time to start killing me some coons. I love the nature but I live in a suburban area the critters are getting to bad. Be hell and high water Im going to lose my birds!

 

[Debbi]

So I went out this morning to check on my chicks and open the slider. I just finished this coops run and used the standard poultry wire. Its all I had money for right now. I wanted the stronger stuff. So I sit down next to the coop and out walks a little pullet to sat hi

right through the wire. I didnt even see the hole. So I put another layer of wire up and fixed the hole. Time to start killing me some coons. I love the nature but I live in a suburban area the critters are getting to bad. Be hell and high water Im going to lose my birds!

I know how it goes with money being tight, but it pays to do it right the first time and dig up the extra loot for 1/2" x 1/2" squares hardware cloth! I bought a 100' roll of 4 foot tall hardware cloth for, I think, $120.00. After going the 4' high with that, I used 4' welded wire that overlapped, and also used it to cover the top of the run. It wasn't cheap, but I'm not losing any chickens or eggs. Chicken wire is for chickens, and racoons laugh at it! In the mean time, set a trap, or sit up with the gun, Mr. Racoon will be back!

 

[Blarneyeggs]

Okay, back with the one sick chick from the school. Teacher was not over reacting, this chick is very bad. She was dried to the bottom of the bator, looks like she didn't absorb her yolk sac, the 3 chicks that hatched successfully were pecking her. She chirped loud and strong on the way home, school is 1/2 hr away. I dipped her in some warm water to soak off the egg that had cemented itself to her eye and back, got some PolyViFlor infant vitamins down her throat, slapped some antibiotic ointment on her butt and back, put her in a tea cup (I'm not really sure why, just panicked) and put her in the bator that's running here. She's stopped chirping and seems to be bleeding, it's pooling at the bottom of the tea cup. She is still breathing and has tucked herself all up. CRUD! I'm hearbroken.

She was still attached to her Marans shell and is indeed a yellow chick. I guess my neighbor gave me a cross?

 

[Cadeau]

Sooo - I have a very confused Blue Copper Marans hen....


She has a rooish comb, tried to grab a girl by the neck to breed her today, and started to CROW today!!


BUT

She has hen feathers (no saddle, etc.) and WAS laying an egg...

What's wrong with her- ?? -

She was a keeper (though we need to work on that comb!)

Is it just crazy teenage hormones?? Is she now a cull??


What to

 

[Debbi]

Okay, back with the one sick chick from the school. Teacher was not over reacting, this chick is very bad. She was dried to the bottom of the bator, looks like she didn't absorb her yolk sac, the 3 chicks that hatched successfully were pecking her. She chirped loud and strong on the way home, school is 1/2 hr away. I dipped her in some warm water to soak off the egg that had cemented itself to her eye and back, got some PolyViFlor infant vitamins down her throat, slapped some antibiotic ointment on her butt and back, put her in a tea cup (I'm not really sure why, just panicked) and put her in the bator that's running here. She's stopped chirping and seems to be bleeding, it's pooling at the bottom of the tea cup. She is still breathing and has tucked herself all up. CRUD! I'm hearbroken.

She was still attached to her Marans shell and is indeed a yellow chick. I guess my neighbor gave me a cross?

Sorry to hear that, it does happen. Sounds like you did right by it, it may just be the umbilical cord bleeding a bit. I had one Silkie chick do that the other day. The bleeding stopped in a bit, and it is fine now. As for the yellow color, do the neighbors have Wheaten Marans by any chance, or Whites?? Do you Poly vitamins have iron in them? I'm not familiar with the name PolyViFlor ?

 

[Cadeau]

So sorry, Martha.

Is she bleeding from her "belly button" - can you put some cornstarch or sugar on it?
That will cake on there and stop the bleeding.

But....the ones that bleed usually don't do well


A teacup in the 'bator is perfect!

If she didn't get her yolk, she'll need lots of water, the poly-vi-sol, and chick feed right away!!

 

[Debbi]

Sooo - I have a very confused Blue Copper Marans hen....


She has a rooish comb, tried to grab a girl by the neck to breed her today, and started to CROW today!!


BUT

She has hen feathers (no saddle, etc.) and WAS laying an egg...

What's wrong with her- ?? -

She was a keeper (though we need to work on that comb!)

Is it just crazy teenage hormones?? Is she now a cull??


What to

hermaphrodite???

 

[gilavina]

hermaphrodite???

haha...I don't know if its that or not, but do know that every so often I've heard stories of people having a hen that will occasionally crow.

 

[gilavina]

So...gonna see what I can do for building, although I'm looking at a 70% chance of rain. We'll see how it ends up going.

 

[chicknfun]

Hello Marans thread-
I have one BCM roo that is just starting to crow. He is becoming very beautiful, with his hackles starting to develop, etc.
I have a few questions, as I have only had chickens for about the 4 months that he is old ( he was my second chicken purchase).
First, are Marans supposed to have feathered legs? also, what is their temperament generally like? I have him in a large pen with 17 other chickens.
Most of them are EE hens, but I do have a silkie roo, 2 polish, and 3 tiny bantams in there as well. they pretty much have been together since babies.
His name is Emilio. Can I leave them all together, or what? He is definitely at the top of the pecking order, and by far the largest chicken in there.
The silkie roo is about the same age, but much smaller. They hang out together all the time. Will they continue to be buddies, or will I need to separate them later?
Thanks in advance-