Marans Thread - breed discussion & pictures are welcome!

[snowbird]

Don, these are not Moderns we're talking about, though. Does that not make a difference? I would think it would, but I am not an expert.

Wynette, Like I always say they are all just chickens and not much difference in the way they are bred. The only thing different with the Marans there has been more crossing than with most show fowl. That is not really that bad as we breed a few we find out with the different lines what to try and what not to try.

The only thing I worry about is if the Standard is watered down too much and someone decides they can produce the Mulberry face.

In my mind the Standard should be something to breed for and very hard to accomplish. I had thought about Blue Copper and Birchen but most of them thought have gone down the drain. The problem with breeding to a Standard with a lot of flaws is most everyone except a very few will have problems with it in the future.

 

[Wynette]

Don, the standard was approved by the APA; you saying it has flaws is, well, essentially saying the APA made a mistake in approving it, in my humble opinion. I would be leery to make that statement, but that's just me.

I get what you're saying - I also have experience in showing other critters, and I do know that not everyone breeds for the exact same things. If someone chose to breed mulberry faces on Birchens, it looked beautiful, and caught on, then everyone would be breeding mulberry faces and just taking the point deduction. In my opinion, putting forth the standard and having it approved is a huge undertaking, and it may not be perfect, but it gives us something to work toward.

I don't think it's productive to keep on saying the currently approved ones for Marans are flawed. They are approved, let's move on.

 

[snowbird]

Don, the standard was approved by the APA; you saying it has flaws is, well, essentially saying the APA made a mistake in approving it, in my humble opinion. I would be leery to make that statement, but that's just me.

I get what you're saying - I also have experience in showing other critters, and I do know that not everyone breeds for the exact same things. If someone chose to breed mulberry faces on Birchens, it looked beautiful, and caught on, then everyone would be breeding mulberry faces and just taking the point deduction. In my opinion, putting forth the standard and having it approved is a huge undertaking, and it may not be perfect, but it gives us something to work toward.

I don't think it's productive to keep on saying the currently approved ones for Marans are flawed. They are approved, let's move on.

Wynette, I will always say what I think to be true and I am not in any click nor do I want to be. The APA should of never approved the Standard for Black Copper when they did as they were not ready.

 

[gilavina]

Ok, lets see if I can get photos to post. It doesn't always want to behave for me since the changed over the set up for loading them here.

First I'll show some red faced girls, of different ages. Most of these, particularly when breeding, are harder to get the color of the silver right and to have the full collar like they should.




Here's a red faced girl next to one of my blue birchen girls. A bit blurry, but still can see the face. These two are about a month or so apart in age in this shot. The blue being the older of the two.




Here's some of the darker faced girls. This one is on the lighter end of the mulberry for here, but if you notice, the color on the collar is nice. She was dust bathing so has some dirt and etc on her body, excuse her messiness.





Another girl with the fainter mulberry coloring, note the really nice silver collar




These are girls that have the most mulberry, these are different age birds, but all have nice silver collars as well and do get ones with the tiny bit of upper breast lacing. Hopefully these help a bit rather than confuse more.

 

[Wynette]

Wynette, I will always say what I think to be true and I am not in any click nor do I want to be. The APA should of never approved the Standard for Black Copper when they did as they were not ready.

I know you do, Don. And I appreciate you for that. But again...I think it's time to move on. You're going to drive yourself bonkers over this.

 

[Wynette]

Vicki, I can see it on the blue birchen, to be sure, and on the blue in the 2nd pic., but I just can't see it on the ohters, darnit. My eye is not as refined as yours.

 

[gilavina]

No worries, it also helps that I know their hatch mates and who comes out of who and what trends I see in the breedings here. For me it starts around the eyes and becomes more obvious to me as I watch other birds the same age redden up and these stay the paler color quite a bit longer and don't ever get the same shades of red in the face and usually have the darker markings around the lids of the eye at minimum.

 

[TheCosmos]

Can someone give me a list or reference of shows in the Southeast that I could take Marans to? I am a complete newbie when it comes to chickens. I have some Silkies and have people to go to for them, but I really want brown eggs... But I want to show Marans too. Anyone? I am located in East Alabama.

Thanks,
Tina

 

[snowbird]

Wynette, Look at a picture of the Sumatra and you will see dark Mulberry. Friend of mine is a Hall of Fame breeder of these.

 

[snowbird]

Ok, lets see if I can get photos to post. It doesn't always want to behave for me since the changed over the set up for loading them here.

First I'll show some red faced girls, of different ages. Most of these, particularly when breeding, are harder to get the color of the silver right and to have the full collar like they should.




Here's a red faced girl next to one of my blue birchen girls. A bit blurry, but still can see the face. These two are about a month or so apart in age in this shot. The blue being the older of the two.




Here's some of the darker faced girls. This one is on the lighter end of the mulberry for here, but if you notice, the color on the collar is nice. She was dust bathing so has some dirt and etc on her body, excuse her messiness.





Another girl with the fainter mulberry coloring, note the really nice silver collar




These are girls that have the most mulberry, these are different age birds, but all have nice silver collars as well and do get ones with the tiny bit of upper breast lacing. Hopefully these help a bit rather than confuse more.

Vicki, that silver Blue has the dark face, comb, wattles and ear lobe. If you do breed for this , this is what you will want.