Marans Thread - breed discussion & pictures are welcome!

I'd love to see the partitions! Tryin to figure out how to keep breeds separated or know which is which...thinkong if making chick photo flash cards!
The base of this is a regular GQF tray. The insert is from hardware cloth that was a tray for LARGE (emu/ostrich) eggs that came with my 20 year old incubator. I cut gutter screen and made "hoop house" enclosures with a "fence" at the end so they won't pop out and get behind the tray. The berry boxes are moveable for the smaller batches of eggs like the single/double you see. The only thing that's a hassle is getting some chicks out...it cannot be done quickly as the screen tucks into the wire "half fence" of the tray. I like the plastic box idea and when I have an actual hatcher (I hatch in my incubator now) that may work out well.

As to keeping the breeds separate by looks...forget about it! With the black and blue coppers, I need to keep the BCM chicks separate from the blacks of blue breeding. If hatching any crosses with other breeds, the black takes over and they all blur into visual similarity.

 
I got this idea from Vicky and modified it for me. I used that canvas for needle crafting. Cut it to the right size and wired it into the baskets I had. You could make the baskets completely out of the canvas if you wanted.





Most are just divided in half but I did do a few in 1/3 and 1/4s. Some times i have just one egg from a breed... not so much anymore.
You must have a separate hatcher. I use the bottom of the cabinet incubator for hatching, sometimes while egg racks above are still turning a later set. I was offered a hatcher at a good price (I think) yesterday so considering it...another big investment for my "hobby" but if I keep setting eggs with others in there maybe a necessity.
 
Ihilani - I like your separators - great idea! Thanks for sharing.

My Black Coppers have FINALLY gotten to laying for the season; they normally start the end of January but it's been quite a horrible winter here in the Midwest. I am SO very thankful for the eggs! Most are spoken for!!
 
You must have a separate hatcher. I use the bottom of the cabinet incubator for hatching, sometimes while egg racks above are still turning a later set. I was offered a hatcher at a good price (I think) yesterday so considering it...another big investment for my "hobby" but if I keep setting eggs with others in there maybe a necessity.
I do. It is almost not big enough but I have a chicken friend that made me a new and improved version. The one I am using now is a wooden box that someone gave me. We cut a hole in the top and put some glass there added the heating elements and VOILA a hatcher. I can put 12 of those basket in at one time.

This is the new one. I have it wired up just need time to do some trim work on it before I fire it up.

 
Hi anyone want to help me sex my blue marans? hatched January 2nd. I'm torn.
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