Marans Thread - breed discussion & pictures are welcome!

[15littlem]

This is not a Marans, she's a cull from my silver penciled rock flock, DUE TO HER CUSHION (they shouldn't have one). See that big concave area on top/toward the back? They can be worse, but this is a bad, bad trait on a Rock, and a good example of the cushion:

If it's not a genetic thing, I would think that would be great for breeding purposes... I don't know much about this, as I'm pretty young in this.

 

[BarnGoddess01]

Before I disposed of my Black copper Marans last summer. After five year of test matings and single matings I removed all the light shank male birds from the flock. If you breed the light leg males you will continue to get the white undercolor and the white feathers.

Barb , the last paragraph from the French site convenced me to go on with my testing and I am convenced they are right as I did a lot of matings using the Medium colored shank males.

I do need to learn more about this. Don, I'm really hoping we can find some folks at the Ohio shows willing to let you critique their birds for me. I'm going to start writing down my questions now. I would REALLY like to be able to see wings evaluated on live birds for example, judge shank colour, cushions, bum fluff, combs, eye colour, etc etc. So much of this applies to ALL poultry. Not just Marans.

 

[BarnGoddess01]

Quote:
Thanks for posting this picture, Wynette, and yours too, pink! Between the 2 of them (which I did have to study and compare for a moment), I had an out loud "aahhhhh" moment in response to Don's comment!

Isn't it fun when we can all play so well together!!!

(Those Silver Pencilled Rocks really ARE pretty birds, even with abundant cushions.)

 

[heath_elisha]

Thanks for posting this picture, Wynette, and yours too, pink! Between the 2 of them (which I did have to study and compare for a moment), I had an out loud "aahhhhh" moment in response to Don's comment!

Isn't it fun when we can all play so well together!!!

(Those Silver Pencilled Rocks really ARE pretty birds, even with abundant cushions.)

And the rest of us sit back and watch the discussion unfold lol. Great information for newbies.... I am a visual kind of person too- seeing is learning for me. Now if only I can get the husband to see what I see!

 

[snowbird]

Barb, couple of years ago I kept birds with faults and DQs to show visitors. In the sale pens in Ohio there will be plenty of birds with faults. Glad to help anytime.

 

[Cadeau]

Hi all

I've not been around much, but was looking at the fruits of my labor from this spring's hatching...
Couple questions:

I'm finding a tail that I might like at 4-6mths might not be the tail a roo has at 1yr.

• SO - how low of a tail set are you finding needs to be on a young roo, so that, as it raises up with age, it turns out in the 45 degree range - ?? -

If you had to choose between a thumb print and a twist, which is the lesser sin?
(have a huge chunky boy or his brother that I want to try)

 

[snowbird]

Hi all

I've not been around much, but was looking at the fruits of my labor from this spring's hatching...
Couple questions:

I'm finding a tail that I might like at 4-6mths might not be the tail a roo has at 1yr.

• SO - how low of a tail set are you finding needs to be on a young roo, so that, as it raises up with age, it turns out in the 45 degree range - ?? -

If you had to choose between a thumb print and a twist, which is the lesser sin?
(have a huge chunky boy or his brother that I want to try)

The tail angle is mostly genetic, breed a high pinched tail and look for more of the same.

The comb , both of these would be considered about the same. Breed the bad comb but just cull the young real close. Do not breed the male back to his daughters.

 

[BarnGoddess01]

Barb, couple of years ago I kept birds with faults and DQs to show visitors. In the sale pens in Ohio there will be plenty of birds with faults. Glad to help anytime.

As I so often go to these shows on my own, it's hard to know if even the winning birds are actually worthy. I look at them and see what I think are faults and wonder why the judge picked that particular bird because at the end of the day, no bird is perfect. I'm starting to ask the folks exhibiting the birds why they think they were placed as they were which is a lesson in and of itself. Plus, as a beginner, every show I go to, I learn to ask more questions and see the birds more completely. It is SO helpful to have someone I respect willing to point out faults AND the good stuff. But I have to be at a point where I'm able to take it in for it to be meaningful. I think I'm ready for a lot of what you may have to show me, Don!

 

[ChickenExtreme]

Sorry but I have a silly question? If I take a splash roo over a blue hen I get ?
And if I take a splash roo over a black copper hen I get?

 

[TinTennessee]

Ok I'm probably wrong, someone correct me if I am please. Splash x blue - 25% splash 25% blue 50% black ? Black x splash - blue 100% ? I'm new too but I think this is it.