Marans Thread - breed discussion & pictures are welcome!

[gilavina]

Vicki, yes it will be filmed as I have lined someone up with a movie camera.

fantastic! Looking forward to it.

 

[Debbi]

I'm looking forward to the seminar. Any word on whether it will be recorded for those of us that might not be able to go? I'd love to see if I could make it, but with the way things are going as far as spare time, I'm lucky to have a few hours a week to decide what I want to do, let alone try to get away for something longer than that.

Oh, someone please record it! On cassette tape or CD, I would be more than willing to pay for a copy, as I'm sure many would! No way I can make it!

 

[gilavina]

Hey Don, what do you think about the prospects of that Splash boy in my avatar over that nice beefy black hen I posted today? I'm mainly looking to get some more blue pullets to work with and think those two bred together would make beastly babies. What do you think would happen in terms of getting color onto the females hackles with that mating?

 

[snowbird]

On a different topic from type, may I ask what you all do when pairing up birds as far as pens go? Do you find that if you move pullets or hens to a different space, they quit laying due to the move?
I had moved all my Blue Copper pullets to individual 4' x 4' pens for a while, until I felt I knew which was laying which color, so I could use that information in deciding which to breed. When I finally moved them all back into the big pen, one of them, which was fine with the others originally, got picked on badly and I had to isolate her. In my setup, I have big pens that can house 15 birds easily without crowding. Then I have a bunch of 4' X 4' pens that are mainly used to house individual males but could be used for single mating or to house individual pullets so I know they eggs came from that bird. I do not have trap nests, something I'd like in the future, but for now, I need to work with what I have. A friend suggested using pen-within-a-pen to separate pullets I want to collect eggs from, using those portable folding dog exercise pens, put a top on so bird stays in, a small nest box and food/water bowls and set it up in the main pen. That way the bird is not in isolation and the others can still see her and she doesn't become a stranger and hard to integrate back into the flock. If I just put the cockerel in with the flock and collect eggs, I will not know which pullet laid them and at this point, I think I should know that. Comments, suggestions on how best to do this? Thanks

Marcy, I have a lot of pens you are talking about and I use them for single mating all the eggs I collect. If need be you can mate a male with six female this way. I switch the male in the middle of the day to a different female and so on for the three days and then start from #1 again and down the line. set up your records so it includes the band # of the male and female, mark all eggs with the pen number and toe punch or slit mark all the chicks, soon as they are old enough wing band all and record the markings and band number in your record book.

 

[snowbird]

Hey Don, what do you think about the prospects of that Splash boy in my avatar over that nice beefy black hen I posted today? I'm mainly looking to get some more blue pullets to work with and think those two bred together would make beastly babies. What do you think would happen in terms of getting color onto the females hackles with that mating?

In my opinion I think that would be a great mating and thats what I thought when I saw her picture. Talk about some Sop type Marans . The hackle feathering should be good also.

 

[Debbi]

Debbi, this is my thought also, we also must remember that there will always be differences of opinion on what should be. I very much like to hear other breeding methods, just want them from someone that has walked the walk.

Oh would that I could walk the walk at this time. When things calm down here, and I get some help with building, I hope to be able to do just that. In the mean time, I am storing all the info and plans in my mind, and on paper where I can.

 

[gilavina]

In my opinion I think that would be a great mating and thats what I thought when I saw her picture. Talk about some Sop type Marans . The hackle feathering should be good also.

very good. I've been eyeing those two for a mating since last spring, but never got it accomplished since I had to cut my hatching season short when my dad went into the hospital for so long.

 

[snowbird]

If anyone has some Marans they are planning on mating up. post some pictures and lets see what you have. Like to see some good body and big breast and wide and long back.

 

[gilavina]

If anyone has some Marans they are planning on mating up. post some pictures and lets see what you have. Like to see some good body and big breast and wide and long back.

I'll keep working on some update photos over the next few weeks as I finish culling and sorting for breeding pens. Maybe by then the rest of my birds will be done getting all their feathers in after their recent molt. I use photos in my breeding records to track matings and etc.

 

[DMRippy]

I too have enjoyed reading all the talk about the finer points. I have done 1 round of culling. I need to do another. Some of this info is going to help me in that culling I am sure. Leg and toe nail color.... I had no idea. This is a place were we pick up things here and there like bread crumbs..... eventually we will have the info we need to start painting the barn. There is no reason I can't hit on a few things at a time, type is a given but somethings I will NOT breed forward PERIOD. This next breeding cycle I want to work with what I have and keep the color going and right, not that I am going to sacrifice type for it. But I have color in my pullets and I LOVE it! I just don't want to loose it moving forward. Since my last culling, I can see more clearly what I have to work with. I already have a few that might end up being culled. BUT not going to do anything hasty.