Marans Thread - breed discussion & pictures are welcome!

[gilavina]

Be well Don! Hurry back!

x2!

 

[pinkchick]

Vicki, this is a better photo of the Birchen cockerels legs, I culled the other cockerel for a very discernible yellow under tone to his legs. The females have good leg color.

 

[gilavina]

Vicki, this is a better photo of the Birchen cockerels legs, I culled the other cockerel for a very discernibleyellow under tone to his legs. The females have good leg color.

hmmm...the leg color is a bit concerning....how are the females legs? If they are very dark to black, I think you can work with him, will just have to select very carefully from the offspring. I do think tho if you can find a male like you had mentioned, make sure he has darker legs and will help you out a ton.

 

[DMRippy]

Just a reminder to the new Marans folks. When working for size on the Marans do not use the little undersize Gamey females. If you want the big beefy females you must use the big beefy females, there is no other way to get the job done. It is very important to weigh the females and the males we are using. If you have some little under weight fowl now would be a good time to cull before hatching chicks again and wasting another year.

What few Marans I hatch this year will put photos in my album and will post egg picture and chick picture and pictures as we go forward. I have the ccales and light box ready, now I just need something good enough to put in the cages. Remember also that the males with the long sweeping tails are not what we want in the Marans as they are mixed with something else.

will not be here much for a few days .

OHHHHHH I JUST HAD A GREAT IDEA TO ADD BEEFY PULLETS TO MY MARANS

OH I AM EXCITED........ DON'T ask you will not like it but it will work! YEAH YEAH YEAH

Are you going to built that trap nest for Lisa????????????

 

[pinkchick]

Loving the answers....keep them coming!

Thank you all that have shared,for sharing! I think it is nice to read about what keeps us each dedicated to the Marans and what made us love the breed to begin with.

 

[gilavina]

I just was out doing chores and am very pleased. The pen I did get to start sorting yesterday, I finished up. I have held back 4 black, and one splash (birchen) female from there for now. The good news is the birds I separated yesterday contains all those that were laying the lighter egg color from that pen. I'll have to see what these other three I pulled from there lay. Once I see what is left 100% for egg color, I'll pull all the copper females on the list and have a show here at home. Its the good part of owning show coops.

 

[pinkchick]

hmmm...the leg color is a bit concerning....how are the females legs? If they are very dark to black, I think you can work with him, will just have to select very carefully from the offspring. I do think tho if you can find a male like you had mentioned, make sure he has darker legs and will help you out a ton.

*trudges out to double check the pullets*

 

[pinkchick]

I just was out doing chores and am very pleased. The pen I did get to start sorting yesterday, I finished up. I have held back 4 black, and one splash (birchen) female from there for now. The good news is the birds I separated yesterday contains all those that were laying the lighter egg color from that pen. I'll have to see what these other three I pulled from there lay. Once I see what is left 100% for egg color, I'll pull all the copper females on the list and have a show here at home. Its the good part of owning show coops. 

 

[DMRippy]

Thanks Donna! Do you mind going a bit deeper?
What exactly about the bird did you fall in love with? Personality, colors, the challange of the breed itself, etc. ?

I did get them for eggs. After I started reading about them I wanted to TRY to work with them. They are so pretty when they have the right colors and type. I read they are good meat birds and tasty but I have never eaten one and probably never will... I have a roo guy for that. Just too much trouble in my life right now to process chickens.

NOW I find them REALLY hard and wish I had never really started.... but I will keep plugging along since I see some progress my first year.

 

[snowbird]

Donna, yes, bought the material for the trap nests yesterday. I built one two times already so didn't like and put them in the burn pile. It will take a little time as I want to take it apart and make knocked down pictures with measurements.