Marans Thread - breed discussion & pictures are welcome!

[ChickCrazed]

Hello! I am getting three Birchen Maran chicks this weekend (my first time raising chicks!). I'm really hoping at least one of them is female! What are the Maran Roosters temperaments like? I know they all can vary, but do they tend to be good Roosters in general? I know some breeds are known for more docile roos in general! Also, any early sexing geniuses out there?

 

[Runawaylobster]

Quote:
they are really cute . I have quite a few marans roos and i have only ever had one that was mean. They are big beautiful birds and i don't have any problems with them.

 

[DeannaA]

Hello! I am getting three Birchen Maran chicks this weekend (my first time raising chicks!). I'm really hoping at least one of them is female! What are the Maran Roosters temperaments like? I know they all can vary, but do they tend to be good Roosters in general? I know some breeds are known for more docile roos in general! Also, any early sexing geniuses out there?

I have a copper splash and he lets the other guy be in charge even thou he is bigger. They do everything together. I'm glad they don't fight but it's weird when they stand by and help out while the other is mating.

 

[ChickCrazed]

I have a copper splash and he lets the other guy be in charge even thou he is bigger. They do everything together. I'm glad they don't fight but it's weird when they stand by and help out while the other is mating.

That is hilarious! He does sound mellow! I have an 8 month old Cochin cockerel but so far he is pretty much a huge fluffy toy. I can't decide if I want one of the chicks to be a cockerel, it is another one to feed with no eggs, but it is also some sort of protection, which I am doubtful my Cochin will ever be!

 

[Chickielady]

We are raising 30 Cuckoo Marans and we love them! They are huge birds and very sweet! Have only been pecked at once and I was clipping wings when it happened. I can understand that!
Anyway, does anyone have any pictures of their Cuckoo's? Would love to see more!!



They are now 6 months old and are laying eggs like crazy! Silly things lay when it's only 12* outside. Which is frigid for Louisiana!!!

Dang, that is cold for Louisianna !!!!!!!!!!!
I raise Silver Cuckoo Marans, and have had a flock locked for ...what is it, 8 years now ?
10 ?
Anyways, some photos & notes:
Cocks:


Cockerels:

Hens????


and eggs????
One thing to remember with Marans, is that the Black Copper has the darkest eggs, hands down.
But it has copper in it's genes, so breeding it into the Silver Cuckoo is the big problem !
The Silver cannot have any gold on it, anywhere.
Therein lies the issue.
I am satisfied with the Silver Cuckoo's egg color...I do not feel it is inferior and "needs work"
Any coloration that has been bred into the Black Copper has diluted egg color, including the split for Blue.
And further on it goes.
Just the way it is.
But, all good Marans produce their darkest egg at the beginning of their lay, say, each spring, and by fall their egg color can be very light indeed !
By fall, they can loose both egg color and bloom to the point where the egg barely is recongnized as a Marans egg at all.
My birds lay a HUGE egg regardless, and by fall the color is pretty much petered out to resemble a Wellie or even a jersey Giant egg.



You will also experience that Silver Cuckoos from 1 person might have a slightly darker egg, but be really SMALL.........or even Blue Copper eggs, same color as the Silver Cuckoo eggs, but still tiny as a golf ball.......so, I am happy with my egg size and color, and working on a lower tail set.
LOL having a dark chocolate golf ball for breakfast does not turn my prop.
I also love the way my line of Silvers lays all year round.
They slow in winter...it is dark up here !
But they do not ever stop.
Rain, Snow, sleet or 16 degrees...they never stop.
My favorite breed.
Blue Coppers and Jersey Giants, my 2nd favorite breed.

 

[Chickielady]

Hello! I am getting three Birchen Maran chicks this weekend (my first time raising chicks!). I'm really hoping at least one of them is female! What are the Maran Roosters temperaments like? I know they all can vary, but do they tend to be good Roosters in general? I know some breeds are known for more docile roos in general! Also, any early sexing geniuses out there?

I have experienced Silver Cuckoo Marans that a friend got, from a breeder back east (MO ?) that was a man hater from hell !
They both were horrible trying to spur anyone & every animal & bird............I avoid such issues.
Nasty mean cocks come from mean hens.
The hen will continue to turn out mean sons forever until she is eliminated.
I have seen some hens grab, and TWIST your arm skin until they can rip it out !
Yeah, you do not just get a peck, but you have a HUNK of meat gone missing out of your forearm.
The cockerels from such a hen are beyond horrible...I won't even go there describing how awful they are.
The point is, every breed can have meaness in them.
And it really is up to the breeder to eliminate such traits.

 

[Ihilani Coffee]

You will also experience that Silver Cuckoos from 1 person might have a slightly darker egg, but be really SMALL.........or even Blue Copper eggs, same color as the Silver Cuckoo eggs, but still tiny as a golf ball.......so, I am happy with my egg size and color, and working on a lower tail set.
LOL having a dark chocolate golf ball for breakfast does not turn my prop.
I also love the way my line of Silvers lays all year round.
They slow in winter...it is dark up here !

My blue coppers lay L-XL and even approaching jumbo sometimes. They are more speckled than my BCM, but I'm happy with the egg color and size even though the blues are lighter than the BCM eggs.

 

[lianamac]

I have a copper splash and he lets the other guy be in charge even thou he is bigger.  They do everything together.  I'm glad they don't fight but it's weird when they stand by and help out while the other is mating.

That's too funny! My 2 maran roosters do exactly the same thing! Except they will actually both mate with the poor hen, but the secondary rooster is polite and stands by and waits his turn!
I love these boys!
They are not very aggressive with me either. The most they do is occasionally peck me but if I pet them they stop. If I pick them up they settle right down. They will snuggle on my lap for 20 minutes or more at a time while I pet them. In fact they often fall asleep while they are snuggling (just like when they were babies) and I end up having to make them get down.
They also work together as a team to protect and corral the hens. They have already saved them from a hawk and a large dog. Both times they made all the hens get back into the pen then stood together in the doorway and held off the attacker.
One thing I learned is if you have multiple roosters that get along is to not ever separate them or they will fight when they are put back together. So when I have to take one of them somewhere, like the vet, they both go.
I also held them A LOT when they were little, and brought them treats every time they saw me. I used treats to teach them to come when I call them-which makes it SO much easier to get them back into their pen. They just follow me right in.

 

[DeannaA]

That's too funny! My 2 maran roosters do exactly the same thing! Except they will actually both mate with the poor hen, but the secondary rooster is polite and stands by and waits his turn!
I love these boys!
They are not very aggressive with me either. The most they do is occasionally peck me but if I pet them they stop. If I pick them up they settle right down. They will snuggle on my lap for 20 minutes or more at a time while I pet them. In fact they often fall asleep while they are snuggling (just like when they were babies) and I end up having to make them get down.
They also work together as a team to protect and corral the hens. They have already saved them from a hawk and a large dog. Both times they made all the hens get back into the pen then stood together in the doorway and held off the attacker.
One thing I learned is if you have multiple roosters that get along is to not ever separate them or they will fight when they are put back together. So when I have to take one of them somewhere, like the vet, they both go.
I also held them A LOT when they were little, and brought them treats every time they saw me. I used treats to teach them to come when I call them-which makes it SO much easier to get them back into their pen. They just follow me right in.

These two grew up together and were the only two in the brooder for a long time. One is the Splash the other is an Easter Egger. I don't hold them but they are pretty good. If I am outside they pass on the duty of protection to me and eat. A hawk will fly over and they dont care because they are positive I will protect them from everything. If I stare one down then they call the alert and everyone runs.

 

[KsKingBee]

I am looking for some information that I think I read on this thread. Someone posted that they have been experimenting on early sexing of chicks by holding the chick on its back on their lap. I believe they said after the chick had relaxed and a foot comes up in a defensive position it was a cockerel, if it stretches out it was a pullet.

Does this ring a bell for anyone? I would sure like to find that post again of know who it was that posted it. There was some more information that was quite interesting that I have forgotten and would like to refresh my memory.