Marans Thread - breed discussion & pictures are welcome!

[DMRippy]

Quote: I am just now trying to figure out these genes. I am slow to get things sometimes.

 

[SilkiesForEver]

Hi all!

I'm new to Marans and purchased two young chicks about 4 months ago from a breeder. I got lucky and ended up with a cockerel and a pullet! But I have a few questions,

The chick that ended up being a pullet has always been bigger than the cockerel, even though the cockerel was a little older. She's HUGE now, and towers over the little guy who remains the smallest in my flock of average layer breeds. Are the males really that slow in growing? Or did something go awry?

Also, my pullet has NO copper in her plumage at all. None whatsoever. Whereas my cockerel already has long copper hackle and saddle feathers. Both are purebred, and all of the breeder's flock had nice copper coloring. Genetics?

Thanks!

 

[DMRippy]

Hi all!

I'm new to Marans and purchased two young chicks about 4 months ago from a breeder. I got lucky and ended up with a cockerel and a pullet! But I have a few questions,

The chick that ended up being a pullet has always been bigger than the cockerel, even though the cockerel was a little older. She's HUGE now, and towers over the little guy who remains the smallest in my flock of average layer breeds. Are the males really that slow in growing? Or did something go awry?

Also, my pullet has NO copper in her plumage at all. None whatsoever. Whereas my cockerel already has long copper hackle and saddle feathers. Both are purebred, and all of the breeder's flock had nice copper coloring. Genetics?

Thanks!

You can get a runt in chickens.... that might be what is going on. Usually the ones that are smaller like that don't survive for long. But you never know.

Color can take a while to show even in pullets. Give her time.... but she may never show copper. Most pullets don't show copper like they should.

 

[SilkiesForEver]

Quote: He should be thriving, as he's the only cockerel in a group of 10 girls!

Even though she's nearly 5 months old? The cockerel showed copper when he started feathering in..

Thanks for your reply!

 

[Ripster]

I am just now trying to figure out these genes. I am slow to get things sometimes.

Mottling Is plumage that has a variable percentage of the feathers tipped in white. Usually the best colored birds have roughly one third of their feathers tipped in white, that is evenly distributed all over the bird. Typically most birds tend to add more mottling as they get older. If a female looks good as a pullet she will look overdone as a hen. A common problem is birds that have either solid white or significantly white wing and tail feathers. With that said when you have a bird that has proper mottling they are truly stunning.

 

[wife2abirdman]

Well thank you all for your compliments. I am hoping she will pass her coloring to at least one baby. I know there is no real way of telling but hopefully she passes her color on. I really need to get a color chart for the eggs though. Any ideas where to get one?

 

[ic46750]

Well thank you all for your compliments. I am hoping she will pass her coloring to at least one baby.  I know there is no real way of telling but hopefully she passes her color on.  I really need to get a color chart for the eggs though. Any ideas where to get one?

 

[Ripster]

Well thank you all for your compliments. I am hoping she will pass her coloring to at least one baby. I know there is no real way of telling but hopefully she passes her color on. I really need to get a color chart for the eggs though. Any ideas where to get one?

You can get egg color charts here. http://www.maranschickenclubusa.com/Eggshowinfo.html Just scroll down to the bottom of the page.

 

[Ihilani Coffee]

Mottling Is plumage that has a variable percentage of the feathers tipped in white. Usually the best colored birds have roughly one third of their feathers tipped in white, that is evenly distributed all over the bird. Typically most birds tend to add more mottling as they get older. If a female looks good as a pullet she will look overdone as a hen. A common problem is birds that have either solid white or significantly white wing and tail feathers. With that said when you have a bird that has proper mottling they are truly stunning.

Is a Speckled Sussex mottled then? And what about the MF pattern where it's two colors on one feather?

Was I in the ballpark saying that splash was different colored feathers here and there on the bird, or can splash have two colors on one feather (just not necessarily "tipped")? Thanks for the education, BTW.

 

[Ihilani Coffee]

You can get egg color charts here. http://www.maranschickenclubusa.com/Eggshowinfo.html Just scroll down to the bottom of the page.

Though it is a standardized photo, the reflection off some of the eggs makes it difficult to assess individual eggs in comparison sometimes. Still, at least everyone who uses it has the same frame of reference.