Marans Thread - breed discussion & pictures are welcome!

[TheCrazyClucker]

It's not quite stark white,it is more of a tan-ish color

 

[Chickenman76]

The bottom row the 5th egg is one of my marans

 

[BOATMAN]

What is the best thing for lice and mites? I live in the South and it seems my birds are getting them a lot.

Thanks

 

[Brada Puhi]

What is the best thing for lice and mites? I live in the South and it seems my birds are getting them a lot.

Thanks

Aloha, I heard to use ashes as a dusting area. Just plain ashes from a wood fire. But I'm new to this too. Anyone try ashes before?

aloha, Puhi

 

[Brada Puhi]

The bottom row the 5th egg is one of my marans

Aloha,

I hope my eggs look like that. I'm a few months away yet. kden, puhi

 

[Chickenman76]

Aloha,

I hope my eggs look like that. I'm a few months away yet. kden, puhi

Thanks and good luck, I have a hen that lays a tad darker, but they're all beautiful

 

[pinkchick]

Aloha, I heard to use ashes as a dusting area.  Just plain ashes from a wood fire.  But I'm new to this too.  Anyone try ashes before?

aloha, Puhi

I have read about folks using ash. I am not sure how it works. The one thing I suggest is just make sure that the ash has come from clean burns, that it contains no ash from wood that has been treated such as pressure treated wood or outdoor wood.

I use a poultry dusting powder if I see problems.

 

[cmitchell]

BCM chicks, 10 days old.

 

[ckvchestnut]

Nice birds and eggs everyone thanks for all the answers to my questions on breeding splash cuckoos to my black coppers. They'll probably end up finding a new home or the stew pot sadly.

I have another quick question: Since it appears that FBCM are late bloomers, and they begin to lay later than others, what is all your preference in encouraging laying? In the fall with lighting? Or no supplemental light and wait until they naturally start in spring? Or do some if you start supplemental lighting in late winter to get a head start? Mine were hatched May 22nd so they wouldn't start likely until November or December roughly if I was lucky. Is it better to just wait? Should they start out with slightly bigger eggs then in the spring?

 

[desertmarcy]

Here is a question for those of you breeding Black Copper Marans. I need to do some culling again soon. I have one cockerel that is mahogany, not copper at all. Is that alone reason enough to cull? Just wondering if there is ever ANY reason to use a mahogany-colored male in a Black Copper breeding program.