Marans Thread - breed discussion & pictures are welcome!

[winniem13]

Hi everyone! I just got my first BCM (well second, long story!). Her name is Winnie, and I'm so excited to have her! Here are some pictures! Shes 2 weeks old!

Hi Winnie! Great name, my name is Winnie, too!!!!!

 

[ashandvine]

FWIW this is a frustrating breed because even the folks who seem like they 'know' aren't always in the know. I am one of those people who likes to learn the rules and then move forward. I'll get the best I can and work with it but I like to feel as though I know where the lines are on the road. Marans seem to be very easy to mess up and just too many people with them who don't know much more than me. Who do you trust? Then there is who will or won't sell and if they are honest or knowing and it all gets so messy so fast. Feeling that familiar discouraged feeling, like I can't get the answers right and don't know where to go for them either. Its all well and good for people to want to have a chicken and name it and say they have this cute little chicken with a famous name but when a person is trying to learn how to be more than a pet keeper of any breed... well, nothing is easy, right?

 

[Bakerentllc]

FWIW this is a frustrating breed because even the folks who seem like they 'know' aren't always in the know.  I am one of those people who likes to learn the rules and then move forward.  I'll get the best I can and work with it but I like to feel as though I know where the lines are on the road.  Marans seem to be very easy to mess up and just too many people with them who don't know much more than me.  Who do you trust?  Then there is who will or won't sell and if they are honest or knowing and it all gets so messy so fast.  Feeling that familiar discouraged feeling, like I can't get the answers right and don't know where to go for them either.  Its all well and good for people to want to have a chicken and name it and say they have this cute little chicken with a famous name but when a person is trying to learn how to be more than a pet keeper of any breed... well, nothing is easy, right? 

I agree! Some of the advice givin on here blows me away! I hatched more birds then I wish to say in the last year. But still all the advice I can give is what's worked for me.
I've heard of putting hatching eggs in fridge or hatching eggs from fridge, not turning eggs for first 8 days, but I think the number one thing people do wrong when hatching eggs is mess with them to much!!! People post candling at 7-10-12-15-18 days. Leave them alone. I hardly ever get any to explode. Leave them all in. In my last 100 eggs I've only had 4 not hatch! I DO NOT CANDLE!

 

[Chickawawa]

Hello! We are considering getting several Marans chicks to add to our growing egg business and one of the reasons we are interested in them (besides the gorgeous eggs) is their reported ability to handle marshy conditions well. We live on a bit of a hill that leads to our creek. Around halfway down the hill is some flat land we would like to utilize tho it does become marshy from time to time. Can anyone tell me about their experiences with their Marans in marshy conditions?

Thanks in advance for your help!

 

[Wynette]

mchlldickson - that chick you posted pics of, while super cute, is extremely mossy. That's what the brown coloring on the wings is called. If you were wanting to breed it, I would highly recommend not. But, if it's just a pet for you, carry one! They're lovely birds to be sure, and mine are excellent layers. First to start up in the spring, last to stop in the winter.

As far as candling eggs - I almost never do so, either, as for me, it really doens't matter. If they don't hatch, I pitch them (after checking inside). HOWEVER, since a mother hen will leave the nest once or twice a day to eliminate and eat/drink, that's really the equivalent as checking/candling. It won't hurt them at all. Now, upon LOCKDOWN, for sure you don't want to mess with them...just as a hen will lock herself down on the eggs those last 3 days.

 

[Wynette]

FWIW this is a frustrating breed because even the folks who seem like they 'know' aren't always in the know. I am one of those people who likes to learn the rules and then move forward. I'll get the best I can and work with it but I like to feel as though I know where the lines are on the road. Marans seem to be very easy to mess up and just too many people with them who don't know much more than me. Who do you trust? Then there is who will or won't sell and if they are honest or knowing and it all gets so messy so fast. Feeling that familiar discouraged feeling, like I can't get the answers right and don't know where to go for them either. Its all well and good for people to want to have a chicken and name it and say they have this cute little chicken with a famous name but when a person is trying to learn how to be more than a pet keeper of any breed... well, nothing is easy, right?

Yep, I hear you. I ran into trouble very early on, because I made a bad decision based on something I'd read. I think the very best you can do is do exactly what YOU are doing!!! Ask tons of questions, and do your research in other places to confirm what you learn. Most folks want to be helpful, and they don't mean to give incorrect information...also, there are tons of differing opinions, as well, as you're finding!

I WILL say that I see the most accurate (overall) information posted on the MCCUSA Yahoo forum. That is ALL breeders of Marans - all different varieties. They'd welcome you with open arms if you're not a member yet, Ash...they love to talk breeding practices!

 

[gilavina]

FWIW this is a frustrating breed because even the folks who seem like they 'know' aren't always in the know. I am one of those people who likes to learn the rules and then move forward. I'll get the best I can and work with it but I like to feel as though I know where the lines are on the road. Marans seem to be very easy to mess up and just too many people with them who don't know much more than me. Who do you trust? Then there is who will or won't sell and if they are honest or knowing and it all gets so messy so fast. Feeling that familiar discouraged feeling, like I can't get the answers right and don't know where to go for them either. Its all well and good for people to want to have a chicken and name it and say they have this cute little chicken with a famous name but when a person is trying to learn how to be more than a pet keeper of any breed... well, nothing is easy, right?

I'll speak on the side of not selling and why I choose not to for now. I know some people have gotten upset, frustrated and have had some downright angry PMs sent to me over it. I have chosen to work on the stock I have here without the pressure of selling so I can solely work on improvements in the quality of the stock here. Its not personal towards anyone that I don't sell to them, I don't sell to anyone at this point. For me it is first and foremost about the birds and getting them to where they could be.
This doesn't mean I'm not happy to help when I can when it comes to discussing Marans and other elements of poultry, which I think are sometimes glossed over a little too much. Too many times I've heard how easy it is to breed poultry and its simply not true when breeding to a standard. It can be frustrating indeed, I still get frustrated and have been doing it for the vast majority of my life. There are always things that will come up that one didn't expect, but the more knowledge one tucks away, the more of a frame of reference there will be to move forward. Just keep asking the questions and if you haven't, I'd recommend an APA Standard as it has a lot of information that is very helpful for building that good framework to build on.

 

[Runawaylobster]

It has been my experience that pure BTB chicks will be golden at hatch and will grow in buff colored feathered shanks where wheaten and wheaten cross pullets will grow in creamy colored feathered shanks and will hatch out pale yellow. If the chick hatches out golden but with a black dot on its head it's not pure for the BTB variety. It can be tricky to get pure BTB because not everyone makes sure that their hens are the correct genotype for this color variety. The columbian gene inhibits egg color somewhat so it's tempting for folks to use btb/wheaten cross hens to market their eggs.

I went out and inspected them... and yes some are cream colored leg feathers and some are kind of caramel coloured, it seems that suddenly now I can see what i'm looking at whereas before i was lost in a sea of brown feathers with black lacing..... now there are a couple who still look muddled but many that i can tell apart right away now... thank you so much you have solved a huge mystery for me.

Pictures coming soon ... !!! I was really worried at first but now that they are growing I think they are beginning to look much nicer. I could see no difference when they were tiny chicks though.

 

[pawtraitart]

I went out and inspected them... and yes some are cream colored leg feathers and some are kind of caramel coloured, it seems that suddenly now I can see what i'm looking at whereas before i was lost in a sea of brown feathers with black lacing..... now there are a couple who still look muddled but many that i can tell apart right away now... thank you so much you have solved a huge mystery for me.

Pictures coming soon ... !!! I was really worried at first but now that they are growing I think they are beginning to look much nicer. I could see no difference when they were tiny chicks though.

Awesome! I would mark them so you can keep track of how they feather out as they mature.

 

[flgardengirl]

I agree! Some of the advice givin on here blows me away! I hatched more birds then I wish to say in the last year. But still all the advice I can give is what's worked for me.
I've heard of putting hatching eggs in fridge or hatching eggs from fridge, not turning eggs for first 8 days, but I think the number one thing people do wrong when hatching eggs is mess with them to much!!! People post candling at 7-10-12-15-18 days. Leave them alone. I hardly ever get any to explode. Leave them all in. In my last 100 eggs I've only had 4 not hatch! I DO NOT CANDLE!

I think this bolded phrase is the key. People give advice on what works for them and what they have experienced for their line/s. Really, that is the best you can do. One can put up pics of their birds and ask what they should do based on what they show and get advice. However, it might and might not work. If it doesn't work then at least you know what doesn't work. That is also good info to have in your breeding program. You've eliminated something.

Here's the thing: You need to breed your birds for a few generations to see what pops up! You may very well see stuff in your f2's that were nowhere to be seen before that. Once you know what you actually have, then you will know what you really need to work on based on the particular standard for that bird. Get the best birds you can, even if they aren't perfect, then work with what you have without continuing to add any new stock.
I've had closed flocks (except for the projects) that I am working on for several years and what might work out for me with my particular set of genetics might not work out for everyone else.
Its a marathon not a sprint

Marans are a newer breed in the U.S. they are not perfect and in general have been messed with early on so that no two flocks are going to be breeding alike. Just saying you have so and so's line of birds means nothing unless you got them directly from that person. Who knows what happened with them in the interim if you got them years from when that particular breeder, who bred the line, released them to someone else etc.

It can also be frustrating with the newer unapproved varieties sometimes because there is no accepted standard set in place yet and people don't even agree on what you should do (what you should be breeding genetically) to reach the goals of the proposed standards (which of course can change) Sometimes you just have to do your homework and make the best decision based on what info is out there and your own common sense. Its kinda a gamble.

Like Vicki, I really enjoy working on the birds and not selling at this point. I have had chickens since I was 5. I have never intended to raise chickens for cash. They are more pets and cool science projects for me lol. Not to say at all that I am not serious about it. I like to see how close I can get to standards but I also like to push limits!

I am not against selling at all its just not for me right now . I have lots of my own flower hybrids that I have created if I really want to sell something and they would probably bring in more than the chickens lol.
I am not kidding when I say that some days I have 20+ emails asking me about chicks and eggs. I usually try to refer them to someone here on byc that has nice eggs, birds etc. and is selling at the time. Its the same thing in the flower/plant world...you can sell or not sell and often "you are ****** if you do and ****** if you don't."
Every once in a while, there is someone extremely pushy and others downright rude when you say you aren't selling. Geez makes ya kinda glad ya didn't...

Unfortunately, I don't even necessarily tell or show what all I have or everything that I am really doing with the birds or plants anymore on the internet because of a theft we had here last year. Its a shame but that is how it is. I find myself editing stuff out all the time now when before I probably would have just blabbed things out lol.

I know of rare plant hybridizers and collectors that have had their plants dug up right out of their yards, stolen from shows, etc. A lot of it happens because people on forums, facebook, and other social media know what they have and where they live or even people who have been to their homes and/or have purchased stuff from them.