Marans Thread - breed discussion & pictures are welcome!

[gilavina]

Well not exactly, I had the Marans in with my other birds I hatched so they were by AGE, then I separated out ALL the Marans Pullets and put them in the one pen. I culled maybe 8-10 between the 2 BIG pens already. These are what is left so I am thinking about 15-18 pullets/hens (maybe 3 hens). About February I would like to start hatching Marans for ME and ME only. I can do more hatches after that but that would be my main birds to work with next fall. This year I had to get something to work with. Now I can pick the best of the best and maybe some 2nd picks and cull the rest. I would LOVE to keep 10 good pullets.

that sounds like a good goal to have. I like setting a number in my head of what my ideal flock looks like and then all the birds get run through that filter and it is quickly obvious which ones should take one of those spots.

 

[desertmarcy]

If you put one pullet in each of the smaller pens and rotate that male instead of moving the girls, you won't need trap nests as they will each have their own little birdie condo, if that makes sense

Yes, ideally I think I should do that. I need to cull out some cockerels first to make room. Been waiting patiently on some Good Shepard Barred Rock cockerels to mature before making the final cut. They take forever! 8 months and still waiting for tails to fully come in. They are beautiful, though--so worth the wait. I was also worried, as I posted just now in response to Don, that after too long in their own little condo, it would be hard to re-integrate them back as a flock. Do you have problems with that?

 

[DMRippy]

Quote: I have had that happen TWICE this year and once last year.

It was not spurs.... the roos from this year don't really have any maybe a 1/2 inch. ANY help with that would be great too.

 

[gilavina]

Yes, ideally I think I should do that. I need to cull out some cockerels first to make room. Been waiting patiently on some Good Shepard Barred Rock cockerels to mature before making the final cut. They take forever! 8 months and still waiting for tails to fully come in. They are beautiful, though--so worth the wait. I was also worried, as I posted just now in response to Don, that after too long in their own little condo, it would be hard to re-integrate them back as a flock. Do you have problems with that?

when I am switching around birds, the key for me is to do it at night after dark, and to move more than one back into a pen. The other factor that might be something to consider, is when you go to integrate those pullets back in, to have some others that will come out to go to those other pens. It creates enough change and reduces the bullying.

 

[desertmarcy]

I have had that happen TWICE this year and once last year.

It was not spurs.... the roos from this year don't really have any maybe a 1/2 inch. ANY help with that would be great too.

No, my RIR is only 8 months old, he didn't have spurs either. I figured this will fix you, you little meanie, picking the feathers out of everybody's tail---I'll just put you in here and you can keep this boy company--but I didn't intend for her lesson to be that harsh

 

[gilavina]

I have had that happen TWICE this year and once last year.

It was not spurs.... the roos from this year don't really have any maybe a 1/2 inch. ANY help with that would be great too.

I file the spurs down and round them out really well. It prevents alot of those issues.

 

[gilavina]

Debbi, the young BC and blue copper I saw today had real nice size and looked to have plenty of bulk. If I get the location will let you and Vicki know what I find.

I missed this before. Please do Don, its always good to know of more people working on them. Particularly if they are making good strides in them, which sounds like they might indeed be.

 

[gilavina]

No, my RIR is only 8 months old, he didn't have spurs either. I figured this will fix you, you little meanie, picking the feathers out of everybody's tail---I'll just put you in here and you can keep this boy company--but I didn't intend for her lesson to be that harsh

Where did he tear her up? It might be the nails as well, I also keep those really well trimmed and filed. If you have your birds up on wire at all, its important to keep the nails well maintained as they can turn into weapons fast.

 

[slick4591]

After banging my head for a while these are the breeding pens I came up with. The PVC only cost like $20 and the houses were bartered for. My handyman (which I'm not) had this scrap material he used. Can't remember the price on the field fence, but it's already tested coyote proof. Also, had to paint the outside of the houses or the chooks would live inside a billboard. I think they are large enough for six birds, but five has been my max so far.

I'm keeping the males in these houses and moving the females to and from their pens.

Don, I'm still trying to grasp why you are moving males daily. How do you know which breeding combination works best? Musta missed something somewhere.

 

[gilavina]

Lookin good Slick! How many are ya planning on putting together?