Marans Thread - breed discussion & pictures are welcome!

[Hillary Morgan]

Ameraucana police, rearing their ugly head: Pet peeve of mine -- Ameraucanas don't have green legs - only slate/bluish or black. If they have green legs, they are Easter Eggers.

Easter Eggers can come in ALL colours. Easter Eggers are a grab bag for sure. With those muffs, I'm betting Easter Egger.

Most common Marans right now, guessing, Black Coppers which your chicks definitely aren't. There are also Blue Coppers, Splash Copper, Cuckoo, Birchen, Wheaten, White, Black .... your chicks are none of those either. Marans should also have feathered legs (don't always, but they should.) Since yours are "store-bought" birds they probably aren't any of the new funky designer colours some Marans folks are working on. I'm thinking somebody got the wrong chicks in the bin!

Oh ok, my mistake. I thought Ameraucanas could have green legs too, like the EE's. Lol, thanks for the info though I'll remember that.

Marans skin is white. The color of the legs tells me they are EE. They have all color legs as they are crosses. BCM are the most common Marans. They are not Black or blue copper marans or cuckoo or birchen, or Blue or Black..... I still feel like they are EE. I have EE with blue/White legs and that dark ugly green and yellow even. Since EE are mixes the legs will come in all colors and is no indicator of egg color. Sorry.

Is the skin of all Marans white? No matter what coloring the feathers are? Ya, I definitely don't have Marans if thats the case. I'm thinking they're EE too. Excuse another dumb question, but do all EE have the ear tufts? My little dark one doesnt seem to have them. I heard also that only the BCM will produce the dark chocolate eggs, and all the rest will produce regular brown. Is this true?

 

[Hillary Morgan]

Morgan-- I have all sorts of chickens and enjoy them all. THe EE are cherished for muffs and puffs. AND the egg colors. I have both AMericanas and EE. What ever you have, enjoy them, play with them, and give them treats to know you as a friend. THat's really why most of us chickens anyway.

Oh I know, theyre so fun arent they! I don't mind if they are EE, they are so adorable. I love the little muffs! Although I would still like to find some Marans. I have a Silkie, Cochin, and Frizzle so far, and just had to take my beautiful Polish back because he turned out to be a roo, and I cant have those where I live. So heartbroken, he was so sweet! Well, enjoy your EE and Ameraucanas and have a great day!

 

[CountryFriedChicken]

Very interesting about the Davis/Jeane birds - I have had the same problem. I am tempted to cull them all. and focus on the Jeane and Cottage Hill birds. Seperately of course.

Does anybody have any preference for bands? I am thinking of using different colors for W/J and C/H then have a system for different years and so on... boy I better get one of those spiral notebooks to keep up!

Also - does anybody know of any pure Wade jeane C1 breeders? I am looking for some of those to improve my Jeane birds.

Thanks

 

[snowbird]

Would a White Leghorn do? I believe she has some of those? Would the gold still show through if the bird were a dominant white?

Debbi, I agree with you only one way to find out , test mate.

 

[desertmarcy]

I've been using zip ties. I guess each method has ist upside and it down side. THere was an article I read , written by Matt John , if I remember on each of the methods. My marans rooster received forecent orange so I could see thru the heavy feathering. No bands left on any legs. Bad boys! LOL

I used zip ties this year for the first time. I find broken ones in the pens all the time. I don't know if it is because it is so hot and dry here, or the sun just makes them brittle, but they don't last for me.

 

[Arielle]

Very interesting about the Davis/Jeane birds - I have had the same problem. I am tempted to cull them all. and focus on the Jeane and Cottage Hill birds. Seperately of course.

Does anybody have any preference for bands? I am thinking of using different colors for W/J and C/H then have a system for different years and so on... boy I better get one of those spiral notebooks to keep up!

Also - does anybody know of any pure Wade jeane C1 breeders? I am looking for some of those to improve my Jeane birds.

Thanks

I know I'm distracted today--please repeat! What is very interesting about the Davis/ Jeanne birds?? My first line is davis/jeane and I have a hard time finding much to fault. SO what did I miss ??????

 

[Arielle]

Quote: Yup!! Starts as a chick. I find the bands in the brooders! Usually slipped off the very pliable feet of newborns though.

I need to learn how to place a permanent wing ring thing !

 

[CountryFriedChicken]

I know I'm distracted today--please repeat! What is very interesting about the Davis/ Jeanne birds?? My first line is davis/jeane and I have a hard time finding much to fault. SO what did I miss ??????

I got 18 chicks... 8 died, 10 are living.

1 pullet had webbed feet on one foot with oddly inward eyes with feathers on the middle toe - CULL
1 cockerel - too small - CULL
1 clean legged - DIED
several light feathered - CULL/DIED
1 crooked comb - CULL
They do not appear to be so vigor as the other chicks.

The blue pullet is supposed to be a copper, but so far no signs of copper. I am breeding her to her brother (also Blue Copper with same parents) and see what happens. But he is oddly quiet... with a cloudy eye so I am very skepitcal of breeding her to him, but I do not want to put in my other birds in with them. But other than that they appear to be ok but they cant compare to my other marans. One black copper pullet is fairly nice, a couple roos are fairly nice. I am going to keep them in the back and see how they progress... but they wont be my focus. It is pretty bad that I could cull at a young age. They also do not appear to be consistent in type.

 

[Arielle]

Sorry you received such poor specimens of the breed!

 

[Debbi]

I know I'm distracted today--please repeat! What is very interesting about the Davis/ Jeanne birds?? My first line is davis/jeane and I have a hard time finding much to fault. SO what did I miss ??????

Arielle, Go back a page or so where I responded to your post about the Davis/Jeane cross. I have had nothing but crap from this combo, and that's been 5 different hatches!

CountryFried ~ I agree! The best birds I have here are the Presley/Jeane birds! They have their faults, but I would not hesitate to bring in some pure CH birds, and keep a few of them pure to that line!!