Marans Thread - breed discussion & pictures are welcome!

[Hens and Roos]

It's terrible in a way... Now that I have been educated, I look at every bird looking for faults. I don't pick them up just to enjoy them and hear them talk. Instead, I pick them up to see what color their undercoat is, to spread their wings and see if there is any white in them, to judge their weight, AND NOW thanks to Vicki, I will be looking toe nail color LO L ...

I just held my SS cockerel. I held him in such a way so that I could look at his head straight on... Looking at the comb, looking at the beak, and judging the overall balance of the head on the body....

To think there was a time when I couldn't tell a cockerel from a pullet..... Those were the good ol' days when chickens were just for eggs for breakfast!

welcome to the dark side

 

[BroodCoop]

Hi, wanted to share my favorite picture of our Marans.

 

[heath_elisha]

Another day, another hawk

So far they have been unsuccessful.... but needless to say- my patience is running out. My son (4 years old) was very startled.... it was a biggen this time. We were going out to close up the coop for the night, still light out enough to see the very noticeable red tail as he flew about 10 feet over the runs. Wonder how long they sit there looking down on my birds....

 

[gilavina]

For Vicki~
Here are those other 2 Birchen pullets. Never heard back about that Blue Birchen male.

Oh and it will 5 years with Marans in June, not the spring, sorry about that.

That's too bad you haven't heard about the blue birchen yet. Might have to move forward with what you have eh?
The ladies are not too bad looking at all. How do they compare size wise your coppers?

 

[gilavina]

It's terrible in a way... Now that I have been educated, I look at every bird looking for faults. I don't pick them up just to enjoy them and hear them talk. Instead, I pick them up to see what color their undercoat is, to spread their wings and see if there is any white in them, to judge their weight, AND NOW thanks to Vicki, I will be looking toe nail color LO L ...

I just held my SS cockerel. I held him in such a way so that I could look at his head straight on... Looking at the comb, looking at the beak, and judging the overall balance of the head on the body....

To think there was a time when I couldn't tell a cockerel from a pullet..... Those were the good ol' days when chickens were just for eggs for breakfast!

haha, too funny. When people find out I breed birds, they always want to know what that means and what exactly I'm looking for on the birds. I tell them everything, from beak to the color on the bottom of the feet. Everything matters, its just figuring out the order of importance that takes time. It also is interesting that while working towards one certain charateristic, that sometimes others sort themselves out along the way.

 

[Cotton42]

Thanks for the help a few days (and many posts) ago with my Marans egg color. She finally figured out how to paint her eggs because I found this in the nesting box today!

 

[Chefswifey]

Here is my only copper marans hen ... she lays a 5-6 color egg and is currently experience a mini molt on her tail .... I'm curious what everyone thinks of her structure/eye color/leg color... The roo behind her is not staying ... yellow legs ;-/... I'm hoping to buy chicks or eggs from a reputable breeder (kim?!!) lol.. in the pacific northwest area I LOVE the blue copper marans best but also like the black ... Thanks for your input!

Nicole

 

[desertmarcy]

Donna, I want a egg roll out tray so the eggs are clean and the hen can not eat the eggs. I think I can build the trap nest I am building for less than the pigeon front cost . Hold of a few days and it will be worth your time. Will work in my shop later this evening.

I am also anxious to see your design. I really need nest boxes and what you are working on is exactly what I want.

 

[zooweemama]

Today I got some fun shots of my 6 month old cockerel.










How does my cockerel look? I lost all my Marans pullets this Summer (I only had 2 out of all the 10 Marans chicks I bought anyway lol- the rest all males). It was very very hot. He is all I have left now after re-homing and freezer camping the other cockerels.

 

[OleMissChic]

I rescued some birds a few days ago and after posting in another forum it seems this one could be a Marans cockrel? He's not crowing but seems like he would be old enough?