Marans Thread - breed discussion & pictures are welcome!

[Hens and Roos]

Since I lost my roo I decided to find out WHO was laying what eggs. I have a nice black copper (solid BLACK) with nice EVERYTHING. NOTHING I would cull her for.... NOTHING.... BUT she lays a really light egg. It is nice SPHERICAL shaped egg just light, like a 4 maybe. She has a nice comb, nice light eyes, nice leg feathering, nice type too... Cull or keep? I am thinking her offspring will lay darker since the roo she will be mated with came from a darker egg. She may be the only one I have laying an unacceptable egg. BTW I am not really working on egg color.... it is, for the most part, just getting darker this generation.

What would you do?

Have you hatch out chicks from her eggs? Maybe if you are able to see what her offspring lay for egg color you could decide than.

 

[gilavina]

Vicki~ Thank you very much for your answer, I appreciate you more than you know girl! He is here strictly for sh$@'! and giggles, basically if something happens to any of the remaining females I have. As you know, he is a product of a couple of gen's ago backcross to the BCM, so your answer explains TONS! eta: I only keep him just in case.....as he is the sibling to the Birchen females I have, I won't breed him unless absolutely necessary. I'm on the lookout for another non- directly related male to kick off this Birchen project.

Honestly, that sounds like a good plan. I hope you are able to find a nice male without too much trouble. Rodney and I are still trying to work out when I'll be able to get some eggs. His birds are on strike at the moment as well, but that's not the worst thing as I have so much other stuff going on at the moment.
I think your pretty swell yourself lady!

 

[gilavina]

Since I lost my roo I decided to find out WHO was laying what eggs. I have a nice black copper (solid BLACK) with nice EVERYTHING. NOTHING I would cull her for.... NOTHING.... BUT she lays a really light egg. It is nice SPHERICAL shaped egg just light, like a 4 maybe. She has a nice comb, nice light eyes, nice leg feathering, nice type too... Cull or keep? I am thinking her offspring will lay darker since the roo she will be mated with came from a darker egg. She may be the only one I have laying an unacceptable egg. BTW I am not really working on egg color.... it is, for the most part, just getting darker this generation.

What would you do?

I would work on the egg color on her with strategic matings to males you know come from a darker egg. If you have a well built bird, definitely worth doing the work to improve the egg color in my opinion.

 

[snowbird]

Kim, That is great that the male is out of BluecopperS. That should be a great mating. Folks should look at the black on this male so they know what black should look like on a Black and Blue Copper. Did you get a chance to look at the male in post 41983.

 

[Debbi]

What is it with all these girls on strike?? Seems the 2 eggs I got the other day were more than likely both laid by Olivia, and she had hidden one. Today she laid another, but after her molt, they are not the nice round and ruby eggs that they were before. Does she have to build back up to that, or is she waning already?

 

[gilavina]

Don~ Yes, It is VERY possible since he comes from Bill lineage.
EDUCATE ME PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! *still searching for that post you mentioned*

The post Don mentioned I believe is the one from Sylverfox? I think that was the name anyways, of those young birds that you commented on liking. There was a photo with a blue copper male that has a nice color tone in blue.

 

[math ace]

I'm hoping you Marans fans will be able to explain an egg color question I have. The thing is...I want some Wheaten Marans, but my husband wants *dark* (8s and 9s only) eggs.

Through all my searches, I have found only 1 breeder of Wheaten Marans that are consistently laying 8s and 9s, and that is only due to a sport roo they were blessed enough to hatch out and placed into their breeding program. All the other Wheaten Marans I have seen, are laying 6s and once in a great while I've seen some 7s...but mostly 6.

Well Clucky, you will have to forgive us doubting Thomas. Many of us have been breeding Marans for several years. We have bought and tried stock from many different sources. In other words, we have been around the block a time or two. Odds are someone on this thread has already tried eggs from this breeder.

Keep in mind that many on this thread are looking for something MORE than just a dark egg. Most on this thread are looking for a bird that will meet the SOP too. We don't look at egg color in isolation. We look at egg color in combination with the bird's coloring and type. On this thread, We are looking for the WHOLE PACKAGE - egg color and bird type.

There is a thread that deals with DARK EGGs only. You might want to try them https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/383320/dark-egg-breeds-thread/1470. There is another thread for Wheatens. However, one of the main contributors to that thread has already replied to you on this thread

OBTW.... I would LOVE it if you returned and posted pictures of the birds you raise from these 8 or 9 eggs. Don't get mad at us doubting Thomas. Go out there and get those dark eggs. Hatch the eggs and then show us what you raise. Many of us have been regulars on this thread for years... We will still be here in 6 months and would LOVE an update.

 

[DMRippy]

Quote: Not Dark LOL I have some dark eyes here but not working on that much. I will eventually get better with the roos. But that will take awhile.

 

[math ace]

DON - I NEED THAT Egg Trap / Nest Trap thingee that you were talking about!

Dear Hubby starts a 3 day weekend tomorrow and I want to put him to work.
Times awasting.... Shake a leg bud and get me the details for the next honey do project.
The girls are laying and the incubators are plugged in

 

[Debbi]

Lisa!