Marans Thread - breed discussion & pictures are welcome!

[Debbi]

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Not quite, but it's been a long time since I've had fresh eggs. Funny thing out here in the country, most folks prefer the store bought eggs!

 

[Ivywoods]

Egg Myths: Those green or blue eggs are from chickens that have an infection.

Brown eggs have twice as many nutrients as white eggs.

Those soft-shelled eggs, the ones with essentially no shell, those are laid by roosters. (HONEST! I know a guy that TRULY believes this!)

I wonder what myth there is about marans eggs.

 

[Debbi]

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Love the rooster eggs! My Mom, rest her soul, would NEVER buy brown eggs, as they were very "gamey" in flavor! They were laid by wild types of chickens, so not to be trusted for quality!

She'd have an aperplexy (sp?) if she saw the Marans eggs!

 

[Debbi]

Seems like with the frigid weather we've had here lately, I've not been spending as much time with my chooks. It was warmer today, so this evening before coop time, I looked them all over and talked to them. The young males are all getting in some nice coloring. Clyde, the one in my avatar, is such a love, and will follow me around looking for treats. His brother Roy, is looking very nice, and is still my main hopeful. Pip is starting to come into his own, and is getting some nice coloring in the hackle/saddle area. He's even starting to fill out some more at 4.5 months old. My big girls are all looking like plus size models, albeit with sparsely feathered shanks, but I love their type at almost 6 months. Even the little pullets are starting to color up some, and their type is looking good. Two of the cockerels will have to go; one is Fuglee. Too bad he has so many problems formwise and such a gorgeous color! The other is one of the little cockerels, Slick, who has a high tailset and very sparse shank feathering. The blue coppers go into lockdown on Sunday, so I'm hoping for something great from that hatch! How quickly they grow!! The weather is warming a bit this week to more normal temps, so time to clean out the brooders, stir/clean the deep litter in the coop, and band the little chooks. Not even technically winter yet, but I'm on a countdown to spring in my mind!!

 

[cpartist]

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Debbi-I love reading about your birds. Raising this breed can be so challenging and frustrating at times.
It is good to see someone so positive...and enjoying the journey. Some of us have been here watching
as you hatched your first chicks, through getting your first egg, and now... Blue Coppers

Hope you have a great hatch and will have cute baby pics next week

. Bring on da Blues!

 

[Debbi]

Quote:
Debbi-I love reading about your birds. Raising this breed can be so challenging and frustrating at times.
It is good to see someone so positive...and enjoying the journey. Some of us have been here watching
as you hatched your first chicks, through getting your first egg, and now... Blue Coppers

Hope you have a great hatch and will have cute baby pics next week

. Bring on da Blues!

Thanks for that cpartist! Some times I feel silly passing on my chicken stories and minor progressions. Most times they get overlooked, or folks just nod and pass on. They are exciting to me, particularly since I've had no chickens of any kind for so long. They've given me so much joy to watch, and I've learned so much from you guys here. I love this thread! I'm really excited about the Blue Coppers hatching, and you can be sure pics will follow when we have a hatch!

 

[geebs]

That's for you Debbi!!! Cpartist...Debbi..you guys make the world go round marans style.

The shared journey has so much more value than trekking it alone!!! Got eggs in the bator too....Nuthin special to report...just my next years hopefuls...

Have some mailed eggies coming on Wednesday...that will be exciting... Just some random eggs but it is still fun to hatch!!!

 

[kathyinmo]

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I am so glad I check in here every once in awhile. Always find out something new. I have 16 pens of heated water going on, and 10 of them are the heated dog water dish. They were on sale for $10 (or $11), so I got them instead of a more expensive alternative. Thanks, Berk, for this tip ..... I am sure gonna use it! I was worried that with just the dog dish my roos would get their waddles wet and they would freeze. This should help deter them dunking so far inside the dish.

Thanks again, Berk!

All you crazy winter hatchers .... good luck! Hope you have wonderful hatches and beautiful birds!

 

[Keara]

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I am a romantic...a dreamer.... Yep most routes would lead to mutts.... But what if..............(See the dreamer part:/...

)

We got the word out, any time a "sport Marans" hens or roos with smaller combs, were sent to/purchased by people in the project... We just take it slow many people just working on selecting for a smaller comb for some years..
Maybe the folks in Quebec could pitch in...

We will create the French Canadian Marans....

ON

ON,

Do folks often see smaller combs on Marans? And if so how much smaller are they?

I am a bit more impatient and think I might make me some OE and than see what I can do from there breeding back to BCM and selecting for pea comb. Living in Vermont, I feel I could use the French Canadian Marans name. After all "I can see Quebec form here"!

-Keara

 

[Keara]

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So this morning the birds look better, more perky and alert, all eating and drinking, but now they are all having wet sneezes! Should I worry or is this just stress from being shipped?
I am wondering...... I put hay on the floor of the cage, maybe I shouldn't be so cheap and go get them some shavings!