Marans Thread - breed discussion & pictures are welcome!

[mstricer]

My Splash Boy get 1st and RV on the Boston Poultry Show on 11/04/12

 

[Wynette]

Just wanted to pop in and let everyone know that Kim won the Marans Egg Show here at the 128th Annual Nebraska State Poultry Show! I'll get your entry card and award to you asap! Yay!

CONGRATS! YIPPEE - one of "our own" BYC peeps!!! Great job!

 

[Wynette]

I'm always so surprised when I hear folks talk about how poor their Marans lay. Mine have always laid really well - they're the first to start laying in the spring (this year, they began laying at the end of January) and I still have a couple laying sporadically even now, and it's FREEZING out now (literally). I don't use lights on them, either.

Heck, I even have a 5 year old hen that laid me 2-3 eggs per week all year long - I think that's saying a LOT for an old gal! OH - that reminds me, I need to get a picture of her - she's almost done with her molt, and she's growing in BROWN primaries! ACK! I've never seen that before, and she's never molted like that before!

 

[DMRippy]

I'm always so surprised when I hear folks talk about how poor their Marans lay. Mine have always laid really well - they're the first to start laying in the spring (this year, they began laying at the end of January) and I still have a couple laying sporadically even now, and it's FREEZING out now (literally). I don't use lights on them, either.

Heck, I even have a 5 year old hen that laid me 2-3 eggs per week all year long - I think that's saying a LOT for an old gal! OH - that reminds me, I need to get a picture of her - she's almost done with her molt, and she's growing in BROWN primaries! ACK! I've never seen that before, and she's never molted like that before!

My only complaint about their laying is they seem to have a cycle. A fews one a few weeks off. But when they lay I get an egg a day from most of them. Good size eggs too. My cuckoo Marans lay the best. They don't seem to have the cycle thing. They lay a jumbo egg and when in full swing I get an egg a day from each one. Almost as good as my Leghons for the most part.

 

[Raven1]

Congrats Kim!! Congrats to all of you showing! I thought about sending eggs but didn't maybe next time.

 

[Raven1]

Donna How are your Cuckoos growing out? My Whites are outstanding! One is definitly a roo! The other 7 are not showing any roo signs but I will not get my hopes up.

 

[unkadan]

Anyone hear from Don?

I hope all is going well for him

 

[doubleatraining]

I'm a long time lurker on this thread and have dabbled into Marans occasionally but haven't had very much good luck. Right now I have a trio that I plan on adding to and will hopefully end up with some nice birds.

I know there is Blue and Black copper....is Splash copper an accepted color? I know Splash marans are few and far between(at least that I can find)

When it comes to showing the few shows I have seen have been FULL of sick birds. It almost seems like you would have to be willing to not come home with whatever you took to the show so you wouldn't bring it back home to your birds. How do those of you that show deal with this? If its a winning bird then you would want to breed it.....

 

[Wynette]

Don's got some things going on now in his personal life that he's tending to. I'm sure he'll be back on when he's in a better place.

I think, healthwise, though, that things are going well for him, at least from what he's mentioned. Of course, I personally with him the very best, and I know the rest of us do, as well! Don:

 

[Wynette]

When it comes to showing the few shows I have seen have been FULL of sick birds. It almost seems like you would have to be willing to not come home with whatever you took to the show so you wouldn't bring it back home to your birds. How do those of you that show deal with this? If its a winning bird then you would want to breed it.....

Were these APA shows? I know that the APA is super strict on this sort of thing, and it happens more at 4-H and state fair type shows. I've been to a good number of large APA shows, and have VERY seldom seen an ill bird (at least from outward appearance).

I do take Oxine solution with me, and spray the cage & shavings thoroughly before putting my bird in; I also spray the bird directly, as well as the cage, several times throughout the show. I have sometimes gotten odd looks from folks when I do this, but it's a precaution that is mandatory to me, so I just smile & go on with my work!