Marans Thread - breed discussion & pictures are welcome!

[Runawaylobster]

I know you are right on that Don. I have a little roo that has been in quarantine and he is lots bigger than the other roos in grow out pens. I REALLY need to build some pens for rooster. When we are done moving and such MAYBE I will have some time to devote to some projects like that. I HATE having to feed a bunch of SINGLE pens. I will need to find a way to make that part easier. We have stream lined feeding and watering so that I can be done in less than 45 mins if I have to.

I hear you!!

I am trying to keep two of each breed also but it's turning into a logistical nightmare. I keep boys together if they were raised together but i haven't got gutsy enough to try to integrate ones that have been on their own for a while. I had planned to build a rooster condo.. using 16ft lumber divided into 3ft wide runs.. so i could get a 5 holer out of it. but it hasn't materielized yet.. I have decided that i either have to cut back on number of breeds because I promised myself i would not build any more coops, i'm up to 6 coops and a makeshift run for my breeding roo Twizzler while he is moulting... The black tailed buffs are looking like the most shaky of the ones i have, either that or the CCL's have to go.

 

[Ihilani Coffee]

I hear you!!

I am trying to keep two of each breed also but it's turning into a logistical nightmare. I keep boys together if they were raised together but i haven't got gutsy enough to try to integrate ones that have been on their own for a while. I had planned to build a rooster condo.. using 16ft lumber divided into 3ft wide runs.. so i could get a 5 holer out of it. but it hasn't materielized yet.. I have decided that i either have to cut back on number of breeds because I promised myself i would not build any more coops, i'm up to 6 coops and a makeshift run for my breeding roo Twizzler while he is moulting... The black tailed buffs are looking like the most shaky of the ones i have, either that or the CCL's have to go.

I'm thinking of adding another breed, but no more room in the main chicken house (three pens/large yards). There are two horse stalls in the horse barn that now have chickens in them also. It was suggested to me today by the male person who would be doing the building that I should consider big chicken tractors for this. Hmmmm..........

 

[Runawaylobster]

I'm thinking of adding another breed, but no more room in the main chicken house (three pens/large yards). There are two horse stalls in the horse barn that now have chickens in them also. It was suggested to me today by the male person who would be doing the building that I should consider big chicken tractors for this. Hmmmm..........

I made some of my coops moveable (very large PVC hoop things) I gave up after a while because unless you move them very quickly (like every couple of days) they will destroy the ground underneath, so you have to be really on it to keep up.

I went yesterday with my daughter to pickup our first nuc of bees, and the farm had zillions of chickens. My daughter said to me later. "Mom, i dont think i should get on your case any more about having too many chickens after seeing that place"

it made me smile for sure. I'm doing one last hatch of BTB's to see how they are moving along, but if the birds are not coming out right I may give up just because i have so much going already. Let's see how it goes.

 

[Ihilani Coffee]

I made some of my coops moveable (very large PVC hoop things) I gave up after a while because unless you move them very quickly (like every couple of days) they will destroy the ground underneath, so you have to be really on it to keep up.

I asked him if he was also going to move them around all the time.

Didn't really get an answer on that.

 

[chrissyr]

I went yesterday with my daughter to pickup our first nuc of bees, and the farm had zillions of chickens. My daughter said to me later. "Mom, i dont think i should get on your case any more about having too many chickens after seeing that place"

Oh I wish I could get bees! My DH is “deathly allergic”. That’s what he was told when he was a kid. But last summer he got stung on the neck. It did swell a bit, but he didn’t go into anaphylactic shock. I told him “see, it’s not a life threatening allergy”. He didn’t see my point, so no bees.

 

[KsKingBee]

I went yesterday with my daughter to pickup our first nuc of bees, and the farm had zillions of chickens.

That made me take a quick look at your location, we don't even think about getting nucs here until April. We place our orders this time of year and then wait and wait and wait.

 

[KsKingBee]

Oh I wish I could get bees! My DH is “deathly allergic”. That’s what he was told when he was a kid. But last summer he got stung on the neck. It did swell a bit, but he didn’t go into anaphylactic shock. I told him “see, it’s not a life threatening allergy”. He didn’t see my point, so no bees.

We do a lot of bee removals from buildings and such and the allergic mantra is always the same. The fear of being stung in many people is equal to the fear of being shot with a handgun so they pull out the old allergic card so they aren't thought of as sissy's. One out of a hundred people truly are allergic and it is no laughing matter, the rest of us are also allergic to a lesser degree, just not life threatening. There is a very simple test that most any doctor can do for you to find the level of reaction that you may have. The good news is that the more you get stung the less reaction you will have. Oh, and the venom is different in each stinging insect as are the reactions. He very well could be deathly allergic to a wasp and not at all to a honey bee. Hope this helps.

 

[Zanna]

We do a lot of bee removals from buildings and such and the allergic mantra is always the same. The fear of being stung in many people is equal to the fear of being shot with a handgun so they pull out the old allergic card so they aren't thought of as sissy's. One out of a hundred people truly are allergic and it is no laughing matter, the rest of us are also allergic to a lesser degree, just not life threatening. There is a very simple test that most any doctor can do for you to find the level of reaction that you may have. The good news is that the more you get stung the less reaction you will have. Oh, and the venom is different in each stinging insect as are the reactions. He very well could be deathly allergic to a wasp and not at all to a honey bee. Hope this helps.

We have raised honey bees for over 15 years. DH has become less sensitive to stings through the years, I have done just the opposite and it has become life threatening. Going through the allergy desensitising procedure right now for honeybees and yellow jackets. Not fun but neither is the alternative!!!

 

[KsKingBee]

Zanna, in beekeeping there is what is known as 'The Golden Sting' that has put an end to many beekeepers passion, I hope you snip it in the bud with the desensitizing program. I went through a desensitizing program for my other allergies and it worked wonderfully, good luck with yours!

Just to keep true to the thread, what do you guys recommend to keep from loosing young birds from 'dog piling'? I have lot too many in my brooder, up to two months old.

 

[chrissyr]

Zanna, in beekeeping there is what is known as 'The Golden Sting' that has put an end to many beekeepers passion, I hope you snip it in the bud with the desensitizing program. I went through a desensitizing program for my other allergies and it worked wonderfully, good luck with yours!

Just to keep true to the thread, what do you guys recommend to keep from loosing young birds from 'dog piling'? I have lot too many in my brooder, up to two months old.

I believe they dog pile when they’re too cold. If you can add another light or something. I’m going to check out the Brinsea Brooders. Supposed to work amazing with only 22watt usage. I would just make sure it’s warm enough and they have enough room. This weather has been extremely cold