Marans Thread - breed discussion & pictures are welcome!

[laughingclown]

Marcy, see how the base of the feathers, where they attach to the shanks, is red/inflammed? That is the issue. I started a thread on them a couple years ago. There have been several folks who have seen this in their stock, all are male. There is apparently no treatment or cure. It does not seem to bother them, and I believe this to be fairly common.

The white in the feathers will grow out - it's only seen at the base now because they are young. It will get worse, more than likely. Sorry!

ETA: Here's the thread I started several years ago, along with pics: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/244582/feather-legged-roo-with-inflamed-feather-shafts

You know what? I was down stairs spending some time with my new birdies. I was watching a chick picking the heck out of some feathers coming out of he/shes outer toes. It bothered it so bad it falling over because it was pulling so hard. I actually made itself bleed. Havent seen a chick do that before. I hope none of mine get that. One more thing I have to worry about.

 

[snowbird]

You know what? I was down stairs spending some time with my new birdies. I was watching a chick picking the heck out of some feathers coming out of he/shes outer toes. It bothered it so bad it falling over because it was pulling so hard. I actually made itself bleed. Havent seen a chick do that before. I hope none of mine get that. One more thing I have to worry about.

Use a red or Blue light and the blood will not be so bright in the toe. Never use a clear bulb.

 

[laughingclown]

I am using a red bulb. Im just saying the chick was pulling at his own toe feathers. I think they were really bothering him.

 

[Wynette]

Just a small addition to the leg problem Post. Feather leg breeds are the only fowl I have seen this problem on the shanks and toes. Also notice that there will be a ridge where the feathers come out of the shank. Sometimes this ridge will have raised scales looking like leg mites. I have seen the red infected look show up at about the time the male is mature, on the Marans and also seen it disapear over night. I have no idea of the cause only that it only shows up on the males and only feather leg.

Don, this is exactly the issue I have had a few times. I even moved the birds from that pen, thinking maybe it was a fungal issue in the dirt or something....rototilled the heck out of the soil, sprayed all with Oxine, let it rest a week & sprayed heavily again..left the birds out for 3 full months. It did not help. It's frustrating to see a really nice example of a male that could potentially be shown with good results, but with the leg feather issue, obviously cannot be shown.

 

[Wynette]

I am using a red bulb. Im just saying the chick was pulling at his own toe feathers. I think they were really bothering him.

They do tend to "play" with their shank feathers for a few days, then realize they're really not at all interesting. They should soon stop.

 

[ChickChickChicky]

desertmarcy, there's NO way I'm qualified to judge those birds, but if you look at picture #3, look at the light-colored bird in the background... it looks like it's almost totally devoid of feathers, just pitiful. Then when I look at the pictures of that one boy's red, inflamed legs, personally they couldn't GIVE me a bird of any kind out of that flock, just looks like there's some health issues going on there.

 

[allmychickens]

the hen could just be molting?

 

[desertmarcy]

desertmarcy, there's NO way I'm qualified to judge those birds, but if you look at picture #3, look at the light-colored bird in the background... it looks like it's almost totally devoid of feathers, just pitiful. Then when I look at the pictures of that one boy's red, inflamed legs, personally they couldn't GIVE me a bird of any kind out of that flock, just looks like there's some health issues going on there.

The lady said her two black copper Marans cockerels were too hard on all her hens--not just her black copper pullets--which is why she wanted them gone. I took her word for it that the cockerels were beating up the other birds, but I sure get your point that maybe there is something else going on in that flock. Glad I wore different shoes than I wear in my own pens, washed hands, changed clothes when I got home

 

[ChickenExtreme]

Look at their spurs, just barely coming in.

I should have payed more attention, duh, lol

 

[Arielle]

Quote: THe majority of my hens have good feathering, there are a few that are very bare. Because they are favorites or they are hussies. I like to use little saddles, which they seem to remove too easily.