Marans Thread - breed discussion & pictures are welcome!

[heath_elisha]

How terrible Kim!!! You have had your fair share of predators and I sure hope you get what keeps coming back. You have had enough losses! We recently had a skunk trying to get into our chick coop (old shoulda been burned coop lol) and we caught it using a humane trap with cat food. So far I have seen no evidence of it or anything else coming by- but I know it could happen. I am always on the lookout! I constantly remind my husband that it does not hurt to be overly protective and build anything sturdy enough to keep all kinds of critters out. Just because it hasn't happened, doesn't mean it won't. And once they learn where to find food (or sometimes a place for just a killing spree.......) they keep coming back. I really do hope that you and your hubby get it all taken care of. It is worth all the extra work in protecting them.

 

[laughingclown]

Put my eggs in lockdown early yesterday morning. Woke up this morning to a pip! Hopefully I will have some little ones soon. I only have 14 possibles left and I hope the majority hatch. I also have the brooder raring to go. Got rid of my Blue Copper Rooster yesterday. My Son was sad to see him go. Im just concentrating on babies right now to cheer me up.

 

[Debbi]

Can anyone post pics of the three hackle colors? I'm making a big assumption here, that the hackle colors are more likely to be of the three choices while the back and wingbow(?) is mahogany ?

Particularly looking for mahogany. Perhaps post it on the BCM thread as that's the current discussion.

Thanks.

I posted some pics of mahogany on the Black Copper thread. The hackle and saddle feathers should be the same color, as in balanced all over, with a red wing bow.

 

[Debbi]

Kim,

So sorry to hear all of that! Lock & load lady, hope you get him/them.

 

[Debbi]

More storms coming in today! Hope we get the rain, sans the ugly stuff! I'll send some your way Vicki!

 

[gilavina]

More storms coming in today! Hope we get the rain, sans the ugly stuff! I'll send some your way Vicki!

Hope you get more good rain. There is a storm up here, but its going just to the south of us, so won't get anything I don't think

 

[Wynette]

Good morning, all!

Kim, I'm SO sorry about your losses! Holy cow, I didn't realize coons are big enough to take down a goose. Goodness! You're so right, though - they definitely mourn their flock mates. So sad. I hope you figure out what's happening to your stock!

Clown - WOW - AWESOME on your early pip - best of luck for a really good hatch!

 

[Wynette]

Well Mary got a big BCM girl yesterday to go with the two chicks she is "around 10 months to a year"
Introductions were interesting as we have a couple of mean hens that have been hindering the intergration of our mid sized Barred Rock and EE's.
Well the big girl was a sweet heart to the silkies and the younger birds but put the two big meanies in their place and appeared to take top hen spot.
We will see later today when we let them together again for more intergration how things go.
I have to intergrate the egg chickens so I can empty the pen for the Marans and the two little ones will eventualy be with the big girl "I hope I atleast got a pair out of the survivors!
She was laying but has stopped due to the heat we were told, so even if she is not worth breeding Mary has her dark eggs

any way here is the big girl.





Her comb is not the best but she has "I belive good leg feathering"
Not as nice as most i see here so should we leave her with the layers for the eggs or is she worth working with?
If she is worth working with what should we look for in a roo to attempt to correct her flaws?

Congrats on your new hen - I owuld definitely not use this female for breeding, as she is mossy. See those brown ticks of color on her sides? That is mossiness and it is to be avoided for breeding. She'll provide you with some lovely eggs, though, I'm sure!

 

[DeannaOR]

Hello, I was hoping someone could help me with a question about sexing chicks. I just hatched out 6 Olive Eggers. The cross was a Blue Cuckoo Marans roo over EE's. The lady I got the eggs from told me that she has been getting Blue cuckoo with feathered legs some beard and muffs. Is there a way for me to sex the chicks? Head spots, color? Does the EE in there throw that off? One of the chicks looks black with yellow, the others are varying shades of blue. One is clearly lighter blue with a mostly yellow head.

Edited to add some pictures.

 

[DMRippy]

Good morning, all!

Kim, I'm SO sorry about your losses! Holy cow, I didn't realize coons are big enough to take down a goose. Goodness! You're so right, though - they definitely mourn their flock mates. So sad. I hope you figure out what's happening to your stock!

Clown - WOW - AWESOME on your early pip - best of luck for a really good hatch!

A raccoon is strong enough to drown a grown man. Very strong and smart.