Marans Thread - breed discussion & pictures are welcome!

[pinkchick]

Ditto here!

I would love to do a fall hatch with you ladies...but ain't gettin' no eggs. My pens have been looking like a pillow fight for well into a month or longer now. Add the stuff that the geese contribute and it looks like the feather pillow factory blew up out there.

 

[pinkchick]

OH PINK, OOOOOOHHHHHH PINK???????????

Guess who I found in the nest box today????  Laying her first EGG??????????  

Your pretty laced girl laid an egg for me today!  I will get you a picture.  I do think it is her first, but it was not small really.  It was lighter in color than my hens, but for a first egg it was a GOOD color. I don't think I have gotten an egg that light before now so that is why I think it is her first egg.  I think I am going to try to hatch it.... she is with your Darker Blue Roo right now.  I might get a splash ..... hehehe... never had pens set up for splash babies. 

YaY!!!!!! Congrats!

This means that my 2 Splash girls should be right behind her.

 

[pinkchick]

  Good Evening Marans Folks!

 

[pinkchick]

Thank you Raven & Snowbird for your kind words (and thank you pink for a handsome little thing lol). For a young bird (who happens to be penned next to larger full grown birds) he really seems to have lots of presence. His body seems to be very balanced and he just has a stance about him that is impressive. Very grown up for such a little thing- even crows all day long and has started chasing the pullets!  I wish he was friendlier towards people- but I am working on that. I hand feed my young birds and bribe most all with treats daily, but he barely comes over to me. He just stands there all puffed up (on the neck) and on alert.  I have yet to have an aggressive bird in my flock and hope that his testosterone doesn't get too out of control 

He is lovely! Can't to see more of him!

I have only had 2 male birds be testy....1 was from outside sources, and a splash copper male from my flocks. Neither ever got the chance to try any breeding. I won't breed aggressive males or males that show any tendencies of being off color in the temperment department.

 

[pinkchick]

Speaking of Splash.....I got some updated photos of my 2 young pullets that should be laying anytime. Will get them loaded to share. They are turning into chunky monkeys.

 

[heath_elisha]

He is lovely! Can't to see more of him!
I have only had 2 male birds be testy....1 was from outside sources, and a splash copper male from my flocks. Neither ever got the chance to try any breeding. I won't breed aggressive males or males that show any tendencies of being off color in the temperment department.

Good to know! We have the kids around the birds all the time and aggression is just not something allowed here- nor have we ever had a problem with it. I would like to keep it that way

 

[pinkchick]

Good to know! We have the kids around the birds all the time and aggression is just not something allowed here- nor have we ever had a problem with it. I would like to keep it that way 

I have great success when I handle them extensively. I am sure to handle the males that I intend to keep until they are well past maturity. In my mind ( a very scary place to be. LOL!) handling them ALOT through out the first year is very important, especially the first 6 juvenile months.
My mature males will stand in one place when I come in....I like to keep them guessing...."Is she going to pick me up or not?" I refuse to chase them.

I should have been more diligent with the Birchens as they are a little skiddish, but they were also raised by a broody so that explains most of it. I am happy to report that they are becoming much less wary of me now that they are cooped and no longer with their Mamma.

 

[Keara]

I would love to do a fall hatch with you ladies...but ain't gettin' no eggs. My pens have been looking like a pillow fight for well into a month or longer now. Add the stuff that the geese contribute and it looks like the feather pillow factory blew up out there.

No, that was ditto to the "I want to do a fall hatch but have a pillow factory in my coop".... no eggs here....

.except from my trusty 4yr old silver hamburg hen.

 

[Henny Lane]

Can you folks take a look at one of my hens? I just picked her up last night from a woman who had 3 of these. She says they are BCM. I have 2 BCM pullets at home but they look quite a bit different from her. I am mostly wondering about the copper lacing on her chest and the SUPER feathery feet. I tracked down where she came from this morning and talked to the woman on the phone for a bit. She says she ordered BCM hatching eggs from someone in Virginia and then crossed those birds with a BCM roo she bought up in Boise. I'm just wondering as far as breed standard goes, does this girl fit the criteria? She almost looks like a Black Sex Link hen, but those don't have feathered feet. Opinions anyone?

 

[pinkchick]

Bad Betty and Roberta.

Roberta is the Splash pullet that Don liked better out of the 2 I have saved and grown out this year.

Oxanna

Also got this great shot of Darryl running away from me (as usual) showing her nice wide open inverted "V" shaped tail. I thought it would be a good photo for illustration purposes describing what we are referring to when talking about tails for folks who don't know. Photo can be clicked on to enlarge.....I don't know how to change it.