Marans Thread - breed discussion & pictures are welcome!

[fowlman01]

So, what your comittee is discussing Walt, if I am understanding, is whether or not we should be treating BLACK BASED (not just solid black) birds the same way we look at blacks, so far as the white goes - is this correct? I guess what I'm taking from this is that it's DEFINITELY not a DQ or a fault to NOT have it, whereas it MAY be a fault or DQ if a bird DOES have it. Thus...just breed to remove it.

ETA: I guess the word "just" is thrown in there pretty casually, but I think y'all know what I mean.

We have a ways to go with this issue as it has to be approved by the Board of Directors. My personal opinion is that I am undecided if it should be a DQ or not. I can say here that I think it is a huge fault IMO. You see white in other parti colored birds too. The other thing that plays into this is that some varieties....like black leghorns......seem to be impossible to breed with yellow legs and no white in the tail of the male. Our committee has to look at a lot more things than most people realize. As an example...is it genetically possible? (I am not talking Marans here). Our committee does not want to back breed clubs into a corner they can't get out of.....this is why you see certain DQ's and cuts specific to varieties or breeds and not found in the general cuts and DQ's.

if there is a change to the SOP, we have to look at every angle of that change...cuz we don't want to have to change it back to what it was. This is why we are doing this revision. This is the only time we can make significant changes without going through too many fiery hoops. They still have to be approved by the APA board. It should not be easy to change the SOP. If it was it wouldn't mean anything. I wish I could post some of the crazy things people want to change....most of it because that is the way their birds look.

Walt

 

[Debbi]

We have a ways to go with this issue as it has to be approved by the Board of Directors. My personal opinion is that I am undecided if it should be a DQ or not. I can say here that I think it is a huge fault IMO. You see white in other parti colored birds too. The other thing that plays into this is that some varieties....like black leghorns......seem to be impossible to breed with yellow legs and no white in the tail of the male. Our committee has to look at a lot more things than most people realize. As an example...is it genetically possible? (I am not talking Marans here). Our committee does not want to back breed clubs into a corner they can't get out of.....this is why you see certain DQ's and cuts specific to varieties or breeds and not found in the general cuts and DQ's.

if there is a change to the SOP, we have to look at every angle of that change...cuz we don't want to have to change it back to what it was. This is why we are doing this revision. This is the only time we can make significant changes without going through too many fiery hoops. They still have to be approved by the APA board. It should not be easy to change the SOP. If it was it wouldn't mean anything. I wish I could post some of the crazy things people want to change....most of it because that is the way their birds look.

Walt

Walt ~ Thanks for all you do for us! I still feel the timing was too premature to approve the BCMs into the APA, but I digress. Is there any way, due to all the other faults that show up other than the white feathers, that the APA could make the white a "serious fault" for the time being? I have seen otherwise very nice birds that have white feathers, and at this stage of the breed's growth and improvement, is it wise to throw these birds out because of some white feathering? Later on, when the breed gets more on it's feet and more consistently reproduces, the APA could make the white a DQ? I hope that was somewhat clear, if not, ask me to be more specific, and I will see if I can.

 

[math ace]

Lisa, Just remember I am about as Southern as anyone can get

Not in Michigan, you ain't!

That there is Yankee territory!

 

[math ace]

It got darker and the spots got a lot darker. It dried back to the original color. What does that mean?

Don't expect the eggs from this hen to get any darker, BUT.... if it got darker when it was wet and then dried back to the original color your hen could be laying eggs with a mineral deposit on them that causes a haze that makes the egg look lighter. I've had a hen do this and her offspring laid normal eggs.

 

[Debbi]

Not in Michigan, you ain't!

That there is Yankee territory!

Lisa ~ That may be where he is from now, but I bleive he was raised in Alabama?? Somewhere down south, so he is an ole suthern boy!

 

[DMRippy]

Quote:
Last time I was in Florida and really all the times...... it was FULL of Yankees.......

Florida just never crosses my mind as southern........

 

[Debbi]

Last time I was in Florida and really all the times...... it was FULL of Yankees.......

Florida just never crosses my mind as southern........

Me either! It may be southern most, but not suthen! And don't bash the Yankees, y'all, we are everywhere!

 

[gilavina]

Hopefully Don's working on a write up about his observations regarding white feathers in the Marans. I'm enjoying the last couple of days discussions.

 

[DMRippy]

Quote: I am not bashing yankees..... while doing my genealogy I found out that most of my family signed up with the NORTH during the "war between the state" they also deserted and ended up in jail... well some did. LOL

 

[Debbi]

Hopefully Don's working on a write up about his observations regarding white feathers in the Marans. I'm enjoying the last couple of days discussions.

Me too Vicki. I learn so much here, and appreciate the years of poultry knowledge that goes into these discussions! Sorry to say all I can offer up is what I see in my back yard. But I won't let you folks get me geared up this winter! No, no, no, NOOOO! No hatching until the end of winter for me!!!!!!!!!!