Marans Thread - breed discussion & pictures are welcome!

[Hens and Roos]

Just thought I'd post a pic of the first eggies I got this morning! I love the roundness and the color isn't doing too bad considering the Marans egg is from a birchen!

Nice color!

 

[aceschix]

Just thought I'd post a pic of the first eggies I got this morning! I love the roundness and the color isn't doing too bad considering the Marans egg is from a birchen!

Nice Birchen egg color.

Mine are just about to that color in the regular laying cycle now.

 

[pinkchick]

Hi Everyone! Thanks for the congrats on the egg show win, I'm totally stoked about that. Have some of those eggs in the 'bator cookin away right now.

Hey Don good to see around these parts! Hope you are doing great!
Nice EGGIE Vicki! I can't wait for my Birchens to start laying. Not long now.


Got a quick photo of that young black copper male I am growning out. Copper is starting to come in now on the hackle and the saddle. Haven't seen any color in the wing bow yet. I have him in with Darryl, my splash copper gal that laid those eggs for the egg show. In a couple more weeks it will be time to pop some of the eggs from these two in the 'bator for some testing.
Please excuse the very dark photo of this guy....it has been so gloomy and gray here lately there is no good time during the day to take photos with out having to use the flash. He doesn't have any white on him it is glare from the flash, which also makes his copper color look very dark when indeed it is actually a good copper color IMO.

I am in love with his eye color!

 

[gilavina]

Thanks everyone! I can't wait to see what else I get for first eggs over the next few weeks. Particularly the silvers. They are just beautiful, and I've culled down to the top 5 I'll keep. The three pullets I got and the two best cockerels.

 

[gilavina]

Oh, I'll have to get a pic if a huuuuge egg I got the other day, it weighs 3 1/4 ounces!

 

[gilavina]

ok, I've gotta ask, who all is done with culling and sorting out breeding pens for winter heading into breeding season?

I'm not, but am working on it as much as possible while I'm working on winterizing the rest of the coops and the barn. I'm feeling a bit nervous , but just keep plugging away. I'm also going to candle those eggs I was given to try and hatch from the show next tuesday or wednesday and hope to see lots of them developing!

 

[chickenbelle]

Beautiful marans here! I recently acquired two BCM chicks that are now almost 8 weeks. Besides combs, what should I be looking for in sexing these two? there is only a slight difference in combs, but their coloring is completely different. One has the copper flecks all over and the other only has a few small copper flecks in the neck. Do I have a pair based on the coloring?

 

[gilavina]

Beautiful marans here! I recently acquired two BCM chicks that are now almost 8 weeks. Besides combs, what should I be looking for in sexing these two? there is only a slight difference in combs, but their coloring is completely different. One has the copper flecks all over and the other only has a few small copper flecks in the neck. Do I have a pair based on the coloring?

If you could get a couple of photos and post them here, that would help. From what it sounds like you are possibly describing is mossiness which is an undesirable trait, but photos would definitely help to get you some feedback.

 

[Hens and Roos]

ok, I've gotta ask, who all is done with culling and sorting out breeding pens for winter heading into breeding season?

I'm not, but am working on it as much as possible while I'm working on winterizing the rest of the coops and the barn. I'm feeling a bit nervous , but just keep plugging away. I'm also going to candle those eggs I was given to try and hatch from the show next tuesday or wednesday and hope to see lots of them developing!

We are pretty much down to the birds that we will be using as breeding stock for this up coming hatch- we haven't changed the pens over to breeding pens yet-maybe this weekend- kids fall sports are done so that will free up our weekends now. We need to clean the coop out as well so this is probably a good time.

Good Luck on getting yours figured out!

 

[Wynette]

I've got some young ones growing out - I think they're 8-9 weeks, so I can't even begin to think about culling them for at least another month. I'm highly annoyed by that. I did a TON of hatching this year and frankly, I'm sick of it! I just want my growout pens back. I don't have enough electric in my barn to run heated waterers for all the growout pens, so I've been knocking out ice twice daily & refilling waterers. GRRRrrr....