Marans Thread - breed discussion & pictures are welcome!

[flgardengirl]

I am all over this one!
I didn't hatch any last winter because we were so unseasonably cold the winter before. OUCH.... I was kicking myself all last winter because it was unseasonably warm....
So... I flipped the coin 3 weeks ago and hatching this winter won! I've got eggs in the incubator now that are on day 18. I've got eggs in the other incubator that are on day 8 and I am collecting eggs for the third incubator. My marans are just NOW, this week, starting to lay again. I am going to be setting up the breeding pens for them this weekend.

Look out BYC - math ace is going to have chicks on the ground this winter!

If my luck holds up, I will have a ton of cockerels running around soon and almost no Pullets !

Good grief, we had the most miserable summer eh? Humid & rain practically every day... I lost soooo many chicks!! I decided I am hatching in fall from now on. I hope this winter is as nice as last winter too! Last winter I only heated my greenhouse maybe 5 nights total. I am thinking about brooding chicks in there since it stays so toasty.
I am going to be hatching as well.

 

[math ace]

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....

Be careful what you wish for. In another month or so, these guys will be reaching what I lovingly call the "Jerk" age!

I did only ONE hatch for myself this past Spring. I swore that I was not going to have all different age chicks running on the property this year.
Now look at me with staggered hatches in the incubators for the winter....

Dang, sometimes I wonder WTH I am thinking!

 

[Wynette]

Yep, true that, Math! Winter is normally my favorite time of year to hatch, but I hatched so darn many this past spring & summer, I'm just sick of it. Never thought I'd hear myself say that!

 

[Debbi]

I wonder if melanizers cover up the white? Not saying they have any, it just occurred to me when I read the underlined part of your post.
To be honest, I really focused mostly on the males. I have not seen any females in person that had the white underfluff (and I have seen, in person, at least 12 breeders' birds), however, I have seen a white TIP on a wing feather on a female. My very best female (type wise) has a white tip on the end of one of her wing primaries. She'll be 6 next spring. Don was at the show also - Don, did you notice any females with the white feathers?

The melanizers may cover it up in the hens, but why not the males? If mahogany is a sign of melanization, well I've got it. But both the boys also have white feathers in their wings. Now their wing feathers grow in black, but the turn white in the middle of the feather, like the color just drained out of them. I have watched Clyde's under hackle coloring, and I will say it changes color! One month it will be white coming out of the skin, yet if I check again a few weeks later, it is gray! Could this whole white issue be a male hormone thing??

 

[BarnGoddess01]

I'm collecting eggs. Silkies will be out of the incubators this weekend. Marans and Ameraucanas have started to lay again. I'm going for it!!!!

Cooking up my own special Christmas present ....

 

[BarnGoddess01]

Quote:
Sex hormones get my vote. The females are likely carrying it but it is being hidden. Just like their copper.

 

[math ace]

Thanks gilavia and barngoddess! Very helpful. I had not seen side sprigs before and none of mine have any yet. Is there an age when they develop? Mine are about 5 months, so if they were going to get some, would they have them already?

This is another thread that has pictures of all the faults, including the side sprigs...

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/385769/marans-proposed-standards-for-reference-purposes

 

[math ace]

Thanks gilavia and barngoddess! Very helpful. I had not seen side sprigs before and none of mine have any yet. Is there an age when they develop? Mine are about 5 months, so if they were going to get some, would they have them already?

Side sprigs can be large and clearly visible. Some are small and can hide at the base of the comb.... There should be evidence of it by 5 months of age, but don't assume they will be a large in your face defect.

 

[desertmarcy]

The males that I saw with the white tail feathers were all mature - as in, over a year.  Cock birds.

I my own personal experience, they (males) can look fabulous in every way and then hit the first adult molt, and some moths after, that is when I would notice a feather turning white.  AFTER molt, but not until then.

ETA - they don't seem to GROW IN white, they begin TURNING white at the base and slowly turn white all the way up.

Wynette, this is exactly what I am seeing with my German New Hampshires. White at the base of the tail and getting more so. Out of 8 cockerels I raised, only 2 so far have no white. They are 8 months old. Some have just one feather that has a bit of white at the base, you don't even see it unless you go digging around in the tail feathers. I had a big discussion with the breeder about this problem last night. I hope we get it sorted out. And I am really hoping that my best one does NOT develop white I have 2 Black Copper Marans cockerels left after culling all the rest and am also watching them like a hawk.

 

[desertmarcy]

Yep, true that, Math!  Winter is normally my favorite time of year to hatch, but I hatched so darn many this past spring & summer, I'm just sick of it.  Never thought I'd hear myself say that!

Ha, ha! I'm glad I'm not the only one! I seem to keep finding more reasons to delay pairing up birds.