Marans Thread - breed discussion & pictures are welcome!

[SarniaTricia]

I recently bought this hen, age 16-18 weeks i think. The seller was very vague and wasn't sure what it was, just called it a "cuckoo". when I said "Oh, cuckoo maran?" she just said "oh no no."
That was the end of the conversation.
I was thinking it may be a plymouth rock x australorp, because she had those breeds cruising around her property, but when I posted in the Plymouth Rock thread they seemed to think it was a cuckoo maran.
I'm not convinced. I don't think this lady was into her pure breds!

What do you think??

She sure if pretty... glad to know there are people out there that are honest still... she didn't steer you in the wrong direction.
Like Donna pointed out... you will know more when she starts laying!
Patricia

 

[DMRippy]

I have a question about breeding marans (or any other chocolate egger). I posted it in a separate thread, but, then I saw this thread and I thought, "Hmmmm....why not ask the experts?"

This may be a stupid question, but, I'm brand spanking new to breeding (Ok, I'm not purposely breeding chickens, I just happened to have some "cross dressers" in with the hens I got and decided to try having my own chicks.).

If I were to breed a marans (or any other chocolate egger) with a leghorn (or another high-production layer), what color eggs would their offspring lay? I know this may be silly, but, I'm genuinely curious.

Thanks for taking the time to indulge a newbie.

DON JUST SKIP THIS POST

I would think you would/could get either a Dark Egg Layer or a white egg layer. The darkness of the Marans egg might get diluted some. If you want to play with it for your own back yard, give it a go! I have crossed WL with Ams and it makes a Super Blue Egg Layer (higher production of eggs, bigger eggs,early layers and nice blue color too) I have a young WL in with my Olive Egger Roo, gonna see what I get.... maybe Super Olive Egg layers. I have thought about a Marans cross, but just don't have room to more TYPES of crosses. You will get 100% white chicks, WL are Dom White. There are a lot of genes involved in making eggs so it can be a crap shoot. I would like to know what you get, if you do the cross. Just so I will not be tempted to make the cross.

 

[Wynette]

Good morning, fellow Marans enthusiasts!

As some of you know, over on the Black Copper thread, we'd been discussing the possibility of videotaping a Marans judging demonstation at an upcoming show in California, and then posting it here on BYC; we've been given permission by Walt Leonard, APA judge and head of the standards committee to post the video, and I believe he will be the judge doing the demonstration. Pete Ovalle, member and district director of the Marans Chicken Club, will be doing the actual taping and providing us with the video for posting.

I'm super excited about this, and I think it will be a most helpful tool for us all! Details coming as arrangements are made!!

 

[Raven1]

Tell me how to count this comb and is it a problem.

Thanks

 

[Wynette]

Tell me how to count this comb and is it a problem.

Thanks

Six points, and if this is Marans, it would be a .5 point deduction for the extra point.

I would not use this as a determination for breeding as it carries such a low point value, and there are so many more important things to worry about at this stage in this breed.

It's nice & upright, I don't see any sprigs or waves, and I'd be it's aesthetically pleasing, so I sure wouldn't worry about it (my personal opinion).

 

[Raven1]

No he wont get culled by it, just wondered how to count it with the "double point look" to the one area. Yes he is a Marans. GCM
He does have another problem he has developed a white chalky look on his ear lobes it has come up sudden,and looks like you could wipe i off but of course I tryed and it wont. It is not what is called positive enamel white so I don't know what to think of it. He is my only GCM roo now and this so

 

[Hens and Roos]

speaking of combs. When you are picking out the hens, I know the combs can flop a bit to the side once they start laying but if they start developing waves or twists should they be removed from the breeding group?

 

[pinkchick]

Raven ~ I agree with Wynette about this guys comb as it looks pleasing. I personally would not hesitate using a bird with this comb at all. This comb is very similar to my Lil' Bill's comb with the extra serration on the second point from the front. It will breed foward to a few chicks every now and then, but I choose to work with this little serration over other comb problems. I think that because I do not have any hens with this extra little serraton and its only coming from LB helps decreases the number of chicks that I see with it, so that is a plus. I've seen some really nice combs flter through the unknown numbers of chicks and birds I have raised over the last year, so something is working.

I have said this over and overand will say it again, give me combs like this one any day..........just please don't give me back that stupid carnation comb.

 

[Wynette]

Most definitely, he should not have it - although I believe someone posted that a very light "smattering" of it would be penalized in the show pen, but not disqualify him.

The points are not perfectly formed, and with the "serrated" edge of the 2nd and 5th points, I'm not sure what that would carry, if anything, for a point deduction.

 

[Wynette]

Raven ~ I agree with Wynette about this guys comb as it looks pleasing. I personally would not hesitate using a bird with this comb at all. This comb is very similar to my Lil' Bill's comb with the extra serration on the second point from the front. It will breed foward to a few chicks every now and then, but I choose to work with this little serration over other comb problems. I think that because I do not have any hens with this extra little serraton and its only coming from LB helps decreases the number of chicks that I see with it, so that is a plus. I've seen some really nice combs flter through the unknown numbers of chicks and birds I have raised over the last year, so something is working.
I have said this over and overand will say it again, give me combs like this one any day..........just please don't give me back that stupid carnation comb.

Whoops - I was typing at the same time! DITTO your bolded part!