Marans Thread - breed discussion & pictures are welcome!

[Debbi]

I like to file them. To file spurs....I use a very coarse grit nail file like the ones that the nail technicians use to do acrylic nails. They are pretty cheap and be purchased at the beauty supply house, just make sure it is the very coarse ones. I hold the birds by their legs with one hand and lie them down on their tummies on a bench and file the spurs with the other hand. I just file the points down to a nice rounded shape. I don't clip them because I don't want them to bleed because the quick is not to far from the point of the spurs. The quick grows with it as you know. I have some photos of spurs on my boys. I will go through them in the morning with coffee. Late night for me tonight, but I did sell 4 of those new goslings.

Yes, that's the way it is with the Dremel, just quicker! With my arthritis, the less time I spend, the better. I can judge the quick on the black dog toenails, so the white roo spurs should be no problem! Whiz, zoom, thank you roo! Sheesh, that was bad...

Good on you for the gosling sales! How was that auction place??

 

[3riverschick]

Western poultry book
books.google.com
1912 - 212 pages - Free Google eBook
page 172:
To Remove Spurs — The English method of removing spurs: to successfully remove spurs from an old bird it is necessary to have a couple of baked potatoes fresh from the oven; first take a long strip of damp rag, wind this around the bird's shank, both under and above the spur, so that the potato will not burn the bird's leg. Next take one of the hot potatoes and place it upon the spur, driving the spur well home. Allow the hot potato to remain upon the spur for five or six minutes, then remove the potato and with a sharp pen knife nick around the base of the spur, then insert the point of the knife in the point of the spur and gently pull, when the whole of the outer shell will come away. The next thing to do is to shave off the point of the remaining spur and the bird will be much better and safer for breeding purposes.
This English plan does not appeal to me. but as it is a novelty I give it.
The Eastern way of removing spurs, or young calves' horns: Take vaseline and oil around the root of the spur, take a stick of caustic, m.oisten and rub the points thoroughly. This has to be done when the birds are young, say six months old. The calves' horns are re
moved in the same way by clipping the hair off and rubbing the small horns. This has to be done when the calf is only a few days old.
I have always removed the spurs by sawing them off and then filing down the rough edges.
====================================
ultry sanitation and disease control: the complete guide to ...
books.google.com
Benjamin Franklyn Kaupp, Raymond Cress Surface - 1950 - 493 pages - Snippet view
To remove the spurs from old cock birds; place a hot potato on the spur.
This will cause the spur cap to come off, destroying the inner spur sheath

 

[Lotsapaints]

The easiest way I've found to remove them is to get a pair of pliers and pinch them at the base then twist them right off takes just a second..when I tried to file them they just bled way before they were short enough to have it be worthwhile. I do it when I worm or dust them then I oil their shanks

 

[3riverschick]

Illustrated this time:
http://ohioline.osu.edu/vme-fact/0014.html
Ohio State University Fact Sheet
Veterinary Preventive Medicine
1900 Coffey Road, Columbus, OH 43210
Medical Management of the Rooster Spur
VME-014-02 (illustrated)
----------------------
http://www.poultrymatters.com/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=1088
Rooster's Spurs - Hot Potato Method (illustrated)
Moderators: Maree, Bill

 

[BarnGoddess01]

Quote:
Marans most definitely grow spurs. Every single one of my males has a decent set of them! On my garbage Marans and on the ones I have from top breeders. Very strange comment that Marans don't or rarely have spurs. I'm wondering who told you that. I've even got female Marans with spurs (which is rather more rare!!! )

 

[BarnGoddess01]

I agree I think she is a pullet and will add.......sometimes some males can end up colored like females and darker colored because they do not have 2 copies of the Barring gene.

Females get 1 copy of the barring/cuckoo gene which gives them the darker coloration. Males should get 2 copies of the barring/cuckoo gene which gives them the lighter coloration....when they don't get the second gene, they are hard to tell apart from the females until the are bit older in age and you see there comb and wattle development.

I had a male with a single copy. He was a dark boy but had a spectacular comb at a very young age so he revealed himself early even though he was dark.

 

[gilavina]

If marans are supposed to be sual purpose, why is the meat lacking? Bill excepted!

Marans don't lack for meat, I think a lot of the time it has more to do with the length of time developing. They aren't bred specifically for meat like a broiler, so it takes them longer to put on the heft and weight. I raise up the extra Marans boys (just a few from each hatch) alongside the ones I'm eyeing for future breeding stock and usually do pretty well to cull around 18 to 24 weeks. I just go by feel to see if they are filling out in the breast well enough.
Another factor I believe is that there are some poor quality marans out there that just don't have the type and heft they are supposed to, so don't really fill the role of being dual purpose.

With all that said, they are fantastic tasting. I also raise Sussex and Wyandottes and all are a dual purpose, but slower growing. Mostly its just a patience game.

 

[Arielle]

Quote: THis is what I was getting at.. Marans are SUPPOSED to be meaty ( not talking cornish X) but it doesn't mean they are any more. ANd THAT is what I was trying to ask about delicately. Is it more common now to have poorly developed meat? ANd does it need more work?

 

[gilavina]

THis is what I was getting at.. Marans are SUPPOSED to be meaty ( not talking cornish X) but it doesn't mean they are any more. ANd THAT is what I was trying to ask about delicately. Is it more common now to have poorly developed meat? ANd does it need more work?

haha....you can tell I haven't had my coffee yet.

I would guess that not a lot of people put a large amount of focus on developing the meat qualities on them. Here I do breed for heft and breast development (the BCM cockerel I showed the other day that's 14 weeks old is a good example), as part of how I feel the breed should look, and as a by product, the birds here usually do make nice processed birds as well. I don't think you will ever catch me saying that the Marans couldn't use some more work in meat development.

 

[Keara]

Though he is bigger I would not keep an agressive rooster. And if you are having a baby you need to beware an agressive rooster can hurt a child badly. Also if you are going to breed your chickens and hatch eggs..... soon you will have to figure out what to do with all the extra roosters you hatch. Better get GF used to the idea of rooster soup if you are planning to breed chickens.


Good luck!

Awww so sad, but Roo Soup sounds like the best deal for me. i have dumped over 300 into coop and huge run. if these roos cant get along then i think for the greater good the smallest of the two will get the short end of the rebar and a good stripping. not for sure ... of coarse i have to get the okay from Mommy hen (my GF) cause we all know if SHE ISN'T at peace that no roos (me or them) are safe.

and he (Rocky) is the most tame of them too. should i keep the bigger of the Roos. he is the more aggressive, but he drawfs the others. thinking he would be best for mating ?

o the drama of Battling Birds.
-cant we all just get along-