Marans Thread - breed discussion & pictures are welcome!

[OneMountainAcres]

I was guessing pullets because my 4 week old roo has a comb half that size and just as red. I wasn't thinking of course that 2 months is 8 weeks lol. Feeling like a dummy now.

 

[ladycat]

I'm hatching my own Wheaten Marans for the first time.

I bought chicks last summer from two sources, and I've had hatching eggs shipped to me.

The chicks I got last summer are the ones that produced the eggs that are hatching right now. My goodness, these chicks are LIVELY. They are running all around in the hatcher before they are fluffed up good! I guess my makeshift breeder diet is working well, because I have some mighty vigorous chicks hatching out. And it looks like I'm getting a very high hatch percentage.

 

[ellymayRans]

I'm hatching my own Wheaten Marans for the first time.

I bought chicks last summer from two sources, and I've had hatching eggs shipped to me. 

The chicks I got last summer are the ones that produced the eggs that are hatching right now. My goodness, these chicks are LIVELY. They are running all around in the hatcher before they are fluffed up good! I guess my makeshift breeder diet is working well, because I have some mighty vigorous chicks hatching out. And it looks like I'm getting a very high hatch percentage.

That's great news! Congrats!
What form of breeder diet have you concocted! ?

 

[CarolinaSkies]

I'm hatching my own Wheaten Marans for the first time.

I bought chicks last summer from two sources, and I've had hatching eggs shipped to me.

The chicks I got last summer are the ones that produced the eggs that are hatching right now. My goodness, these chicks are LIVELY. They are running all around in the hatcher before they are fluffed up good! I guess my makeshift breeder diet is working well, because I have some mighty vigorous chicks hatching out. And it looks like I'm getting a very high hatch percentage.

Congrats! I'm curious about your breeder diet as well! Please share.

 

[CarolinaSkies]

Hello I am wondering if anyone can help ID these birds? I bought them from a local chicken breeder who told me they were pure bred Wheaten Marans from the Bev Davis lines and that they were pullets. They were 4 days old when I got them and around 2 months old now.

One is very blue/grey and the other has quite a bit of blue in it also which shot up a red flag that these weren't what was advertised. I am also concerned that they appear to both be roosters.
I plan on contacting the breeder to see what he has to say about the coloring and if he is going to keep his word about replacing them if they turn out to be roosters...

I think roosters too. Any chicks pics? The chick down will help with IDing them.

 

[ladycat]

What form of breeder diet have you concocted! ?

Well, I had to come up with my own because the only breeder diet available here is gamebird breeder. It's 18% protein and something like $22 for a 40# bag.

I've learned a very great deal from a copy of the Morrison Feeding Standard, so I had to take a look at what was available to me, decide what would work, and calculate in what proportions to mix it.

So my base is a 16% laying pellet, which I can get for $12 for a 50# bag.

I'm mixing floating catfish food with that to raise the protein and add animal protein. And I'm mixing in Manna-Pro rabbit pellets (I chose that brand because it's alfalfa based rather than "roughage products").

I'm also giving handfuls of pure very leafy high quality alfalfa hay, which they LOVE.

My final pellet mix is a little over 18% protein, with some animal protein, and between the rabbit pellets and hay, they are getting a good amount of alfalfa, which is extremely rich in vitamins, minerals, and anti-oxidants.

Another thing I give them is granite grit in addition to oyster shell, because granite grit is rich in trace minerals.

If I need to continue producing hatching eggs in the summer, I will recalculate my pellet mix and raise the protein, because they eat less when it's hot. By raising the protein and nutrient level, they will still get the nutritional levels they need even though they are eating less.

 

[DMRippy]

What form of breeder diet have you concocted! ?

Well, I had to come up with my own because the only breeder diet available here is gamebird breeder. It's 18% protein and something like $22 for a 40# bag.

I've learned a very great deal from a copy of the Morrison Feeding Standard, so I had to take a look at what was available to me, decide what would work, and calculate in what proportions to mix it.

So my base is a 16% laying pellet, which I can get for $12 for a 50# bag.

I'm mixing floating catfish food with that to raise the protein and add animal protein. And I'm mixing in Manna-Pro rabbit pellets (I chose that brand because it's alfalfa based rather than "roughage products").

I'm also giving handfuls of pure very leafy high quality alfalfa hay, which they LOVE.

My final pellet mix is a little over 18% protein, with some animal protein, and between the rabbit pellets and hay, they are getting a good amount of alfalfa, which is extremely rich in vitamins, minerals, and anti-oxidants. 

Another thing I give them is granite grit in addition to oyster shell, because granite grit is rich in trace minerals.

If I need to continue producing hatching eggs in the summer, I will recalculate my pellet mix and raise the protein, because they eat less when it's hot. By raising the protein and nutrient level, they will still get the nutritional levels they need even though they are eating less.

Here we can get a brand of feed called Tucker 22% Super layer and it is the best! Pork based feed too! No need to mix and it is only $13 a 50# bag.

 

[ladycat]

Here we can get a brand of feed called Tucker 22% Super layer and it is the best! Pork based feed too! No need to mix and it is only $13 a 50# bag.

My choices are so limited here.

I'm also limited on household/grocery shopping choices. We just don't have much to choose from in our rural area!

 

[ellymayRans]

Well, I had to come up with my own because the only breeder diet available here is gamebird breeder. It's 18% protein and something like $22 for a 40# bag.

I've learned a very great deal from a copy of the Morrison Feeding Standard, so I had to take a look at what was available to me, decide what would work, and calculate in what proportions to mix it.

So my base is a 16% laying pellet, which I can get for $12 for a 50# bag.

I'm mixing floating catfish food with that to raise the protein and add animal protein. And I'm mixing in Manna-Pro rabbit pellets (I chose that brand because it's alfalfa based rather than "roughage products").

I'm also giving handfuls of pure very leafy high quality alfalfa hay, which they LOVE.

My final pellet mix is a little over 18% protein, with some animal protein, and between the rabbit pellets and hay, they are getting a good amount of alfalfa, which is extremely rich in vitamins, minerals, and anti-oxidants. 

Another thing I give them is granite grit in addition to oyster shell, because granite grit is rich in trace minerals.

If I need to continue producing hatching eggs in the summer, I will recalculate my pellet mix and raise the protein, because they eat less when it's hot. By raising the protein and nutrient level, they will still get the nutritional levels they need even though they are eating less.

Here we can get a brand of feed called Tucker 22% Super layer and it is the best! Pork based feed too! No need to mix and it is only $13 a 50# bag.

Thanks Ladies!

 

[MoonlightFarmCT]

I

I have a 3 week old BCM cockerel FREE TO GOOD HOME if anyone is interested.