Marans Thread - breed discussion & pictures are welcome!

[Debbi]

Sorry, I should have been more clear..........I worry about the birds that do not lose the mossy, if it goes away when young I don't mind. I have not seen a problem using the birds that have mossy while young. I will not use a bird that shows mossy after first molt into adult plumage.

I knew what you meant. These two girls didn't even hold onto it for their juvie molt, it was gone that quickly. I've got one Olivia egg in the bator for lockdown tomorrow. Fridge egg, and yes, that's all your fault!

Figured I had to try it just once, I'd faint if it actually hatches!

 

[pinkchick]

Have someone standing by to catch you when it hatches, LOL.....and I am glad to be blamed for all refridgerator babies that come into this world. *Big smile*

 

[laughingclown]

Ok, I want your guys opinion on a 2 month old pullet. I have only been at this for a few months. She has a straw color hackles. And also is this yellow feet? She doesnt have any shank feathers. I say cull?

 

[gilavina]

Ok, I want your guys opinion on a 2 month old pullet. I have only been at this for a few months. She has a straw color hackles. And also is this yellow feet? She doesnt have any shank feathers. I say cull?

I say definitely cull. Yellow legs is hard to deal with where it is dominant. In the long run it will save you lots of time and money

 

[gilavina]

Ok..here are the only three birchens I've saved from my 2nd hatch of the year. Yes, three cockerels and so far and I couldn't be happier! They aren't great shots as I had them pretty worked up from all the running around while I was sorting, but just look at those feathered legs! Oh, and the yellow tinting from the mixed grains is finally starting to fade too after them not being on it for about 4 days since its warmed up.







my favorite boy so far....


look at his thick beefy legs with those street sweepers and NO middle toe feathering

love seein all the feathering in a birchen pen finally. Took me two generations, but I'm more consistently getting this than not these days. Only culled 3 clean legged birds from this batch. So, its definitely improving.

 

[chickmama1662]

I'm new to this, what color is birchen? Thanks.

 

[gilavina]

I'm new to this, what color is birchen? Thanks.

that's ok! I'll find ya a pic. They are exactly the same as a black or blue copper, only with silver instead of copper. Unfortunately, most birchens need massive amounts of work.

I should add that coppers and birchens are both birchen patterns, the difference in the color that they display. The pics I found were of black birchens, but they do come in blue as well.

here's the quickest pics I could find. Here's the patterning on the back of a cockerel



on a pullet

 

[desertmarcy]

I made the mistake of using a mossy bird once in my original flocks and paid for it. It passes on very easily and hard to get rid of. The only way I found to get it out of my birds is to cull every bird that shows it and not use for breeding.

I thought I was being smart and would increase egg color and used the original mossy bird because she had a very dark egg...it backfired on me.

I've ended up with a lot of mossy chicks from this year's hatching. This is my first go around with the black copper Marans, so I guess I should figure I have some work to do. Question, though. I have a couple of pullets that have nice black and nice copper hackles but if I search, I can find 1 or 2 mossy feathers. I was going to keep those--I am talking literally only a feather or two! I will watch them closely to see if it gets worse, but if I don't keep some with a few little faults like that, I won't have much to work with for my second go around. Agree?

 

[desertmarcy]

Sorry, I should have been more clear..........I worry about the birds that do not lose the mossy, if it goes away when young I don't mind. I have not seen a problem using the birds that have mossy while young. I will not use a bird that shows mossy after first molt into adult plumage.

Does/can it go away? Because I asked about that some time ago and people told me it just gets worse.

 

[CountryFriedChicken]

that's ok! I'll find ya a pic. They are exactly the same as a black or blue copper, only with silver instead of copper. Unfortunately, most birchens need massive amounts of work.

I should add that coppers and birchens are both birchen patterns, the difference in the color that they display. The pics I found were of black birchens, but they do come in blue as well.

here's the quickest pics I could find. Here's the patterning on the back of a cockerel



on a pullet

Those are gorgeous. I have been lusting for 100% wade jeane birchens. Good luck with your birds!