Marans Thread - breed discussion & pictures are welcome!

[Ivywoods]

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Wow! That's a tiny egg!

 

[chasehope]

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Yes, that is one of the livestocdk guardians we have. Great dogs.

We have Pyr/Kuvasz cross and Maremma as our LGD's and they are worth their weight in gold!! I am glad to see that more people are using them!

 

[cackleberrycoop]

Yup, our's are Anatolian shepherd/Great Pyrenees. Couldn't agree more - great dogs.

 

[cackleberrycoop]

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What a funny photo. So cute!

 

[Organics North]

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Are their any actual true BB/S? I suspect mine are not just some do not show it either

I wonder if anyone actually has BB/S that breeds true?

ON

 

[Debbi]

CRAAAAAAPOLA!!!!! got my kit coop today, yeh right. NO INSTRUCTIONS, NO HARDWARE!! I am so ticked off I could scream!!!!!!!

Called the gal and told her of the problem. She was very nice, and of course, said this was the FIRST time this had ever happened with this model. WHY is it that I seem to be the person that all these FIRST TIME events seem to happen to??? So now, I had to restack all the parts, enfolded in a tarp, in the chicken run, because now it's supposed to rain till Tuesday! She will ship the instructions/hardware out tomorrow, and I should get them by Saturday...in the rain.

I knew I would have to beef this thing up, but OMG! The floor is slats, just slats, no sub floor! Will have to line all sides and floor with some kind of insulating material to obtain any kind of warmth for a partial time of the winter months. She insisted she had the same coop with her chooks in it, and she lives in Michigan. Told her she better go look what modifications her hubby made to the thing, because a polar chicken would freeze to death in the winters of Missouri in this set up! And as for housing 5-6 chickens??? NOT! You could comfortably house maybe 5 banties in this thing. On the plus side, it will be fine for a pair of selective breeding...in a hidden place...in the summer! Will also have to bolt this thing down to some 4x4s to help keep it on the ground. I can see this thing in the next county with a strong wind! Geeeeeeeeeeee Whizzzzzzzzzzz!!

 

[Debbi]

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WOO-HOO! Atta boy Dave!!

or should I say Dave's pullet?

 

[bigoakhunter]

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I hate kits of any kind. And it sounds like you got a doozie. Missing parts and instructions. Are you sure this is not some grand scheme to test your patience????

Hang in there it will work out. You may need to buy some boards or plywood to beef the floor up.

Keep smiling!

 

[Debbi]

Thanks Dave. I knew I'd have to beef it up, maybe as far as insulation/sealing cracks; but this is just a lot more than I expected. Guess that's what I get for thinking! Evidently, the winters in England are far less than what they are here, as that is where these cheapo kits are from! Can do the expected beefing up and the unexpected, but need the instructions and hardware!! The only hardware they had on this thing was some wing nuts and a couple of latches for the nest box lid. Needless to say, cheap, cheap, cheap! and that ain't the chicks singing!! Will also have to add some type of roofing to keep the wet out. Not really pleased with this, guess you get what you pay for, for sure!!

 

[Cowgirlgrace]

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I always look at those coops and think they are so cute but then I look at the dimensions and think, no way. I have groups of 10-12 chickens so the coop part needs to be at lest 6'x8' and none of those kits are ever big enough. Sorry for your frustration on the parts. That happens to us a lot too. We are in Western WA in Puget Sound so we don't have the harsh winters like you do. I do have some in a horse shelter that is enclosed on 3 sides so wondering if I should modify it to contain a little more warmth but can't imagine doing the double walled insulated heated thing. We get lots of rain but glad I don't have to worry too much about freezing combs. Hope you get things done before the really bad weather hits.