Marans Thread - breed discussion & pictures are welcome!

[Cadeau]

Got a few shots of some of the birds while I was out watering. Its been really hot and humid today, so they're definitely showing it, but here they are. I believe they are just a couple days past the 5 month mark. Filling in nicely I think, minus the fact that they are starting to show signs of beginning to molt now.

Geronimo







Luella tryin to keep it cool with the ever popular wing raises







And one of the shy blue birchen girls. Caught her in mid run, but besides her darker eyes and more sparse leg feathering, I can definitely work with her after what I started with! Her wattles are extremely pale as I almost lost her last week with the extreme temps and so she's still working at coloring back up again. I'm just relieved the watering 6 times a day and adding ice kept them all alive on the extreme days

Beautiful!
Just love how chunky they are!

Luella is so feminine - is that the topline we're aiming for?
(is her new tail coming in or is this how we want the tail to blend into the body???)

as an aside - haha - I use the iron pig feeders, too!
Works really well b/c they can't get in and scratch everything all over b/c mine are V-shaped!

 

[Cadeau]

Woke up this morning and have 3 new additions. 2 Blues and 1 Black so far. I have about 5 others that are pipping. So happy right now!

Congrats!!

 

[gilavina]

Beautiful!
Just love how chunky they are!

Luella is so feminine - is that the topline we're aiming for?
(is her new tail coming in or is this how we want the tail to blend into the body???)

as an aside - haha - I use the iron pig feeders, too!
Works really well b/c they can't get in and scratch everything all over b/c mine are V-shaped!

The topline on Luella I wouldn't look at too closely in these shots mostly because she is not standing like she should cause of the heat and also I had her cornered against the fence and the feeder because she always hides behind other birds. To get pics I have to single her out. I'll see if I can get some more natural shots for you when its not quite so hot. She stands just like I want her to. I'm not sure what you mean by a new tail coming in? That's her tail. She's one of the only ones not starting to molt yet.

Yeah, those feeders work awesome for growing out chicks. You can feed lots at a time and even if they hop in the feeder and scratch, it stays in the feeder. I just cover it with a board if I know its going to rain and it stays dry.

 

[Cadeau]

Sorry - I meant the blue birchen girl!
(she's young, right?)

I wasn't sure if it was a new tail b/c some of mine shed out their tail all at once and then the new tail emerges bit by bit
or if that's what we're aiming for (in which case, I have some more work to do!)

My computer isn't showing the pics right and I have to click on them and look at them off the page so I don't get the comments and pics at the same time....

 

[gilavina]

Sorry - I meant the blue birchen girl!
(she's young, right?)

My computer isn't showing the pics right and I have to click on them and look at them off the page so I don't get the comments and pics at the same time....

ahhh I see what you mean, She has a wonderful top line, but is in mid run right there and so she's not holding it like she would if she were standing still. I'll post the outline shots again. I have them printed on heavier card stock and take them out with me often when I go to look at the progress on the young ones so I can see how they are developing.

oh, and yes, they are all just about 5 months old.

 

[aceschix]

These are great! Thank you!

 

[Cadeau]

Thanks for those!!

I lost my chicken info thread when my old laptop died at Christmas time....

I'll save again and USE them!! haha

 

[gilavina]

no problem. They will help a ton to hone your eye for selecting for body type. And before you know it you'll be able to look at your younger ones and be able to see which will have the best potential to give you this type. Its all part of developing your eye and what you always tease me about for having Katelyn.

 

[Debbi]

Thanks for posting all those pics Vicki. I remember now why I loved Gigantor so much, it was his coloring that covered his back, and is very red. He also has the chest spotting that I thought may help with all of my dark girls. They are both gorgeous boys!!

 

[gilavina]

Thanks for posting all those pics Vicki. I remember now why I loved Gigantor so much, it was his coloring that covered his back, and is very red. He also has the chest spotting that I thought may help with all of my dark girls. They are both gorgeous boys!!

no problem lady. I kind of figured that might be what you were remembering. He has the most color on his back and wings of any BCM I've seen so far. I won't be retiring him after this season, but will instead run him along side Geronimo in his own breeding pen with girls that are darker and have darker eyes. In particular I can't wait for this hen to be mated with Gigantor. She is a tank and a half.

the girl in the back



her from the back