Marans Thread - breed discussion & pictures are welcome!

[snowbird]

Wynette in the spring we will have a Seminar showing as many faults as I can locate until then. No specific breed will be used, just anything with a DQ or fault. will decide on a location later when we see how many are interested in coming. If anyone in the area has some Marans with DQ and faults we can use them also.

 

[picanins]

Would love feedback about the quality of this guy. He is 8 months old. Thanks!

Sorry about the lack of response over your request. I will comment but please take what I say with a complete pinch of salt coz I actually don't have any full-grown Marans, I'm learning as I go along (I'm strictly a 'reader of the Marans thread' at the moment, but hate to see your post go unanswered).

I would continue to re-post your question until someone with some knowledge responds. The only advice I can offer (which again, please understand, may be completely wrong advice) is :

Get a couple of different shots that clearly show :

1. the comb in a better light,
2. colour/amount of shank feathering,
3. breast (noting the broadness/any copper feather)
4. Eye colour

You may not be getting a response because the picture is not clear enough and the angle of the photo a little 'off'. Hope this helps not hinders

 

[Wynette]

Would love feedback about the quality of this guy. He is 8 months old. Thanks!

Hi - sorry, I was going to say my thought on this male, but I got sidetracked. Picanins is right - the angle of the picture is not the best for us to be able to give you good feedback on him. From what I can see, his color balance is very nice, and his tail angle looks to be perfect. Shank feathering may be a bit light, but it's tough to see in the picture. He has a nice, long back, which is a personal preference of mine. It "appears" as though his eyes may be a bit too light, but that's also a tough call with the angle. Please try to get a picture of him standing still, from down at his level, from the side. We'll be able to give more feedback this way. And, remember that there are only so many things we can comment on by way of a picture.

 

[Peach2u]

Okay, after a summer of culling and picking out what I think is the best of best traits I came up with this guy. This blue copper maran is 7 1/2 months. He has a little copper flecked on his breast but over all I think he is the best I can do this year. What do you think? It's okay to pick him apart. My feeling are not squishy LOL It was a little windy while taking the pix.
His tail is uniform no crazy feathers except in the wind. I didn't get a good close up of the feet. They are lightly feathered down to the 1 other toe.
He is shy so it is hard to get pix where he isn't a moving blur.

 

[elless]

Okay, after a summer of culling and picking out what I think is the best of best traits I came up with this guy. This blue copper maran is 7 1/2 months. He has a little copper flecked on his breast but over all I think he is the best I can do this year. What do you think? It's okay to pick him apart. My feeling are not squishy LOL It was a little windy while taking the pix.
His tail is uniform no crazy feathers except in the wind. I didn't get a good close up of the feet. They are lightly feathered down to the 1 other toe.
He is shy so it is hard to get pix where he isn't a moving blur.

Hi Peach
I'm not an expert by any means, I'm working on my own flock as well but here's my critique. His comb looks nice, good eye color and I like the lightness of his blue. He looks to be a bit short backed and U shaped

, I could be wrong, could be just the angle, I'd like to see a photo of him standing upright and not walking. Nice tail feathers, no squirrel tail here! I like his copper, is there much on his breast? I'd also like to see more feathering on his shanks but it's not too bad I think.
Thanks for sharing him!
Regards, Lisa

 

[Wynette]

Wynette in the spring we will have a Seminar showing as many faults as I can locate until then. No specific breed will be used, just anything with a DQ or fault. will decide on a location later when we see how many are interested in coming. If anyone in the area has some Marans with DQ and faults we can use them also.

Don, I just saw this post - do you mean, here in Michigan? That would be fantastic!! So much easier to see things on an actual, living bird. Let me know if I can be of any help in organizing or in any other way.

ETA - hey, Don - were you, by chance, at Fowl Fest in Birch Run? There was a very nice white Marans there...pullet I believe. I thought of you, as I THINK (?) I recall you mentioning once that you were interested in whites? I did make note of the breeder - if interested, shoot me a PM.

 

[Wynette]

Okay, after a summer of culling and picking out what I think is the best of best traits I came up with this guy. This blue copper maran is 7 1/2 months. He has a little copper flecked on his breast but over all I think he is the best I can do this year. What do you think? It's okay to pick him apart. My feeling are not squishy LOL It was a little windy while taking the pix.
His tail is uniform no crazy feathers except in the wind. I didn't get a good close up of the feet. They are lightly feathered down to the 1 other toe.
He is shy so it is hard to get pix where he isn't a moving blur.

Hey, Peach - we really need closer & more posed pictures. Look around on your farm to see what you might be able to use to corral this male - or if you have a wire dog crate, that would work as well. We need to see him directly from the side, in a "normal" stance (relaxed...which I know can be difficult, especially for the males).

 

[CountryFriedChicken]

OK a question from a learning scholar!

How can a rooster be overmelanized?

Thanks

 

[BarnGoddess01]

OK a question from a learning scholar!

How can a rooster be overmelanized?

Thanks

I have one .... <sigh>

(Copper shows in his hackle only and just a WEE tiny bit in his wings.) If only the over melanizing extended to the WHITE underfluff in his hackle. <sigh><sigh>.

 

[Wynette]

I have one .... <sigh>

(Copper shows in his hackle only and just a WEE tiny bit in his wings.) If only the over melanizing extended to the WHITE underfluff in his hackle. <sigh><sigh>.

It's when a bird is "too dark" - or, "not enough copper" in the black copper Marans. The melanin actually covers up the other colors - I think that's right, is that correct, Barb? It's not that a Black Copper cock bird doesn't HAVE the copper, it's that the copper is covered up by the black (melanin).