Marans Thread - breed discussion & pictures are welcome!

[Wynette]

Can I put my blue/black/splash marans girls with a black copper? He's currently in my OE pen.

Lark, what is your goal? If you're breeding to the standard, then no, you should not put that female in with this male. Also, if you're breeding to the standard, you have some issues with this male & you may want to reconsider using him. I'm not trying to be rude, just wondering what your goal is.

 

[Lark Rise]

No, you're not being rude.

I don't know much about marans really. I've just been thinking of different pens I might put together. I got these marans for chocolate-colored eggs, so I'm not breeding to standard.

I just wanted to make sure, I wasn't doing the big no-no of putting the wrong roo with the the BBS girls. And now for confession time......my real goal for these girls is to make OE. I'm usually thinking of OE. I'm just waiting for some BWA boys to mature.

I'm definitely feeling very foolish now.

 

[Wynette]

No, you're not being rude.

I don't know much about marans really. I've just been thinking of different pens I might put together. I got these marans for chocolate-colored eggs, so I'm not breeding to standard.

I just wanted to make sure, I wasn't doing the big no-no of putting the wrong roo with the the BBS girls. And now for confession time......my real goal for these girls is to make OE. I'm usually thinking of OE. I'm just waiting for some BWA boys to mature.

I'm definitely feeling very foolish now.

Goodness, don't feel foolish at all - I'm sorry that I made you feel that way!

If you're just wanting some gorgeous chocolate or olive eggers, then for sure, he'll do the trick for you, assuming he comes from dark egg lines. Even if he only comes from "mediocre" darkness lines, you'll still get lovely olive eggers from him when you breed him to green or blue eggers.

 

[snowbird]

WOW! I've NEVER heard this before! Interesting.

Wynette, Yes sometimes if we use too much humidity it will make the chicks looked puffed up and oversized and slow to walk.

 

[math ace]

No, you're not being rude.

I don't know much about marans really. I've just been thinking of different pens I might put together. I got these marans for chocolate-colored eggs, so I'm not breeding to standard.

I just wanted to make sure, I wasn't doing the big no-no of putting the wrong roo with the the BBS girls. And now for confession time......my real goal for these girls is to make OE. I'm usually thinking of OE. I'm just waiting for some BWA boys to mature.

I'm definitely feeling very foolish now.

NO NO don't feel that way.
Everyone has different goals and that is fine.
We tend not to offer honest critiques until we know the folks want them. Otherwise people get offended and think we are mean.

Let me help you out with what I see going on with your boy...

1st ... He is lacking color balance. The hackles, saddle and wing areas should all be the same copper. Your boy has three different shades of color.

2nd . . . Squirrel tail... That is a tail that has an angle higher than 90 degrees. The tail should be at 45
degrees

3rd . . leg feathering... This guy will need more leg feathering... He is suppose to have leg feathering all the way to the tip of the outer toe.

 

[Lark Rise]

I'm not offended, really.

Thanks, guys!

I'm just being silly today, and need to stop thinking out loud.

 

[Wynette]

I'm not offended, really.

Thanks, guys!

I'm just being silly today, and need to stop thinking out loud.

Glad to hear it! Math listed the same that I saw, but I wasn't sure that you wanted that sort of feedback - make sure & let us know if you have any questions about that stuff! I would ad to her #1 that you can see a sort of "halo" effect in this black copper male's hackles - this is a giveaway that you may have something in there that, although it's not present to the eye on him, future generations could have issues. Gosh, that sounded clear as mud - sorry!

If you WERE intending to use that male for breeding, I do see some good things in him. He "appears" to not have the white undercolor that we seem to be seeing so much of (part his hackles & look at the feathering underneath...do you see white? If so, that's a "no-no"). He also looks good & chunky, which we like...but that's difficult to see in a picture, truth be told. And, although he also has a pretty nice comb, from what I can see...and those of who are comb snobs appreciate that, although I never use extra or not enough points as a cull issue, personally. He also looks balanced front to back & top to bottom, like a nice "square" shape if you will.

But, for sure, the squirrel tail, lack of shank feathering, and hackle color would be enough reasons to not use him. Just my opinion! Again, though, none of that stuff detracts from his looks whatsoever - he's a handsome male!

 

[pinkchick]

Hi Everyone!
Hope you are all doing fabulous!

Guess what??????? One of my girls gave me an egg yesterday!!!!!! FINALLY! It took 'em long enough, geesh! This gal sure takes those pretty dark eggs for granted when she's not getting them. Now to figure out who started back up....me thinks it is either Darryl (her comb has flopped again) or it is Oxanna, one of my young splash pullets. If it is Oxanna then I am excited to what her final color is going to be as the egg I found yesterday was an impressive colored little egg.


Oh and Vicki? Did I tell you my young Black Copper male has 1 copper feather coming in in the hackle!!! WooHooooT!!! Hope it keeps coming.




DEBBI!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So nice to have you back!


Oh and I believe I saw Randy sneakin' around in here too..... Hi Randy!!!!


Math Ace~ I can feel your pain all the way over here my friend.......

 

[Wynette]

Good morning! CONGRATS, Pink! Woot! Hoping it's Oxanna for you!!

 

[desertmarcy]

Good Morning folks...

Anyone gearing up for some Fall hatching?

I am trying. Today I finally moved 5 of my blue copper Marans into individual pens so I can figure out whose laying which color. Of course, now that they are moved and all freaked out, they will probably stop laying

. I've been seeing some #4 eggs in the big pen where they all were, but some that weren't that dark. As soon as I figure out which ones are laying the darker eggs, then I'll pair them up. Then I've got to do the same thing with the black copper Marans, but not all of those are laying yet. And I've got one blue and one black that are already being broody! They haven't even been laying that long. I am one who does not like broody hens and I think I will work on breeding that out, if it is possible!