Marans Thread - breed discussion & pictures are welcome!

[kathyinmo]

Quote:
I think so, too. I have the best hatches with the dry hatch method. I use 35% the first 18 days, and don't worry if it gets down to 25%. I use 65% for the hatch. I totally agree that too much humidity is a problem. I have found the chicks are too sticky to turn inside the shell, when it is so high.

 

[flgardengirl]

Quote:
I think so, too. I have the best hatches with the dry hatch method. I use 35% the first 18 days, and don't worry if it gets down to 25%. I use 65% for the hatch. I totally agree that too much humidity is a problem. I have found the chicks are too sticky to turn inside the shell, when it is so high.

x2

 

[math ace]

How soon do you cull for white feathers ? ? ?
I know there will be many different answers and that is ok . .. Just looking for thoughts about this. I know some of you believe the paint takes time to apply and others say it won't ever go away.


Concerning the proposed standards for BCM - - It is a DQ to have white feathers in the wing . . . .

How about white feathers in the
1.) Tail - - which is it DQ or FAULT ? ?
2.) Toes or Legs - - Which is it DQ or Fault ? ?

How about the white underfluff or the bottom half of the feathers in the hackle area - - Which is it DQ or Fault ? ?

 

[geebs]

Math Ace.. I know I could be lynched on this thread but this is the way I do things... I cull for white feathers after molt... I don't cull for white underfluff unless it is so washed out that it is unattractive... Mousy blue on a black bird.. But this is just for my foundation bird... There is a lot to work on from generation to generation... I have neither the space or inclination to hatch 600 birds at a time... so I opt for the take the long winding road... More generations to get to Rome...You have to think ahead quite a bit.. Out of the several hundred that I did hatch over the season... I kept one male and I kept 5 females.. Only 3 that are worth breeding forward.. I didn't need to cull so much for the white feather by the time I had culled for other traits there just wasn't many left.. I am trying to leave something every generation to work on... Slow baby steps.. That is the way I do it.. Others do it differently...

I cull first for conformation... It HAS to work with the male I am using...It doesn't have to be perfect because my male isn't... It has to compliment him.... If he is overly red... she needs to be overly dark... that usually takes care of the lighter bum feathers... for my flock anyway.

I just want to say.. You guys are the bestest!!!! I love this thread.. This is the most fun you could stuff in a sock... All I want for Christmas is my BYC!!!! LOL!!!

Thanks boatloads BEV... It makes the forum a little sweeter!!!

 

[fowled-out]

This is why the APA is having such a hard time accepting marans because of too much variables.

 

[math ace]

Quote:
So, this little one is the one I am going to be watching out of my new batch. He has the most foot feathering of all 13 chicks. He has like WAY MORE than the rest. A couple of my blues hens could use some more foot feathering. I'll be watching for confirmation as he ages too. I won't be making my decision on foot feathering alone. However, since I don't want to keep more than a 2 or 3 roos. . . I do need to select carefully.

At this early point he already has a lot of white coming in on the toe feathering. His daddy has an issue with that too. Approximately, When is the first molt?

 

[pinkchick]

Morning Everyone! WoW! This was a a busy little place yesterday. Love to see this thread cruising right along.

 

[BevDavis]

Quote:
So, this little one is the one I am going to be watching out of my new batch. He has the most foot feathering of all 13 chicks. He has like WAY MORE than the rest. A couple of my blues hens could use some more foot feathering. I'll be watching for confirmation as he ages too. I won't be making my decision on foot feathering alone. However, since I don't want to keep more than a 2 or 3 roos. . . I do need to select carefully.

At this early point he already has a lot of white coming in on the toe feathering. His daddy has an issue with that too. Approximately, When is the first molt?
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/45875_new_chicks_2_weeks_old_11_19_10_034.jpg

Hi

The standard calls for sparse leg feathering so be careful not to breed them with too much.

Bev

 

[math ace]

Quote:
Thanks Bev. . .

I have a couple of hens that have non or very sparse feathering and I was hoping to use a more heavier feathered roo to improve the chicks feathering.

Any idea how "sparse" sparse is ? ?

I have been looking for the EXACT description of the proposed leg / shank/ foot coloring for the proposed standards for BCM's.
All I can find is that "Yellow is a DQ". . . .

Thanks for any help you can provide

 

[pinkchick]

Quote:
Hi Geebs

I have been trying to get the gold in the hackles since 2005 but was mainly breeding for egg color. I must admit that the hackles weren't the prime importance. If I hadn't got the egg color I hadn't got a Marans. I have however been concentrating on the hackles for the past couple of years and it has got better each year. As soon as I can I'll take some pictures.

Bev

Agreed!!!!!!!! X 1000%

Bev,
A few posts back you mentioned that you have a blue copper roo with some red in the breast and that this is a first for you, how much red does he have in his breast?
Thanks!