Marans Thread - breed discussion & pictures are welcome!

[heath_elisha]

Here's a link to some info. on how the egg shows are run, and I think there's an entry form on the site as well: http://marans.org/eggshows.html

Thank you. I'll look into it...... my chickies from pink will be 24 weeks old at the time of the show. Maybe we could be some competition!

 

[Hens and Roos]

I LOVE the genetics books - much the chagrin of many!!

I have Genetics of Chicken Colours by Sigrid Van Dort, David Hancox, & Friends, and I also have her latest release, Genetics of the Chicken Extremes that deals with how the birds are put together. (I also have her book on Silkies.) Sigrid's books are by far, the easiest to start with because she LOADS them with pictures from around the world and she explains at length. Her English isn't perfect but she seems to be able to make her points well enough.

It is like learning a new language so it's slow going and I have to refer back to the books constantly to refresh and check my memory. The pictures REALLY help. I believe the only way to get them is from Sigrid herself. http://www.chickencolours.com/

thanks that is good to know- maybe this book or both will end up on my wish list........

noticed on the website that there is a person in the US that you can order through- did you have to order from overseas?

 

[Chickielady]

From what I am told of silver cuckoo, what you're referring to is sun damage, and it affects silver cuckoo, blue, and white birds. The only thing you can do to avoid this is to keep them inside.

The gold that you see in some cuckoos is due to those particular strains being crossed at one time with the wheaten, and what you are seeing is autosomal red.

Thanks!
That explains alot...like after they molt the hackle grows back in silver again...too bad I can't spray them with Banana Boat Sun Block !

 

[Debbi]

Thanks!
That explains alot...like after they molt the hackle grows back in silver again...too bad I can't spray them with Banana Boat Sun Block !

A corn based diet along with the sun will attribute to the yellowing too. If your birds are molting back to silver, it's not autosomal red leakage. I learned that from my White Silkies!

 

[BarnGoddess01]

Quote:
I know that to be true with Silkies. They need to be silver based as opposed to gold.

 

[BarnGoddess01]

Quote:
A white bird based on silver rather than gold won't turn yellow from sun OR corn.

 

[Debbi]

A white bird based on silver rather than gold won't turn yellow from sun OR corn.

Hmm, not sure on that, check with Sonoran .

 

[BarnGoddess01]

Quote:
I know it from my own experience with white Silkies - and the literature. Don't need to check with Sonoran.

 

[maryhysong]

I see All you lurkers... You can't hide on the new system

Chicken Crazy12
Chickenfan4life
EEBLACKCOPPERMARANZ
oiChick
desertmarcy
gilavina
maryhysong
pinkchick

And Hi back! Yes I usually just lurk here sucking up as much knowledge and info as I possibly can! My only BCM at the moment are two little chicks 2 weeks old today. Maybe I'll post pics this weekend.

 

[BarnGoddess01]

Quote:
From Sigrid Van Dort's "Genetics of Chicken Colours"; "Silver (S) is often used to improve 'white' .... Silver creates super white, compared to Gold based (s+) white. .... Take for example the white Silkie. White Silkies are often gold (s+) based, you can see this in the roosters who tend to have yellowish hackle and saddle feathers, especially as they grow older. ... By changing the Gold for Silver, a super white, more whiter than 'ordinary' white Silkies can be obtained."

I have also found this to be true in my own very limited experience. But the evidence IS compelling. Backed up by the breeder that provided me with my first white Silkie.