Marans Thread - breed discussion & pictures are welcome!

[gilavina]

mornin everyone,

Did some more work on sorting pens on paper and is looking like 18 birds are on the slate to stay here for the black, blue, and splash coppers. I still have a pen with some of the youngest pullets I haven't gotten a chance to look over closer, but its only 6 or so. I'm hoping to end up with about 15 or so at the end of it all. Should be the best year yet for breeding pen line ups. Now to get the birchens sorted too. Got some good plans for test mating that I'm really excited about. Just gotta decide when to start collecting eggs and setting them.

 

[pinkchick]

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.

Hey hey......now don't go leavin' Kimmee out of the good stuff!!

 

[pinkchick]

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

I can't wait to see this! I am very excited about it!

 

[maryhysong]

Don ~ I think where I'm lost is in switching the males daily. I don't see where that is what I think of as single mating. What I'm doing now is breeding the girls to one male and hatching those eggs. I'll go back and switch the girls to a different male and see how those chicks turn out and figure out which is the best male/female mating. Don't know, but my way may be a slower process than what you're doing.

I think what Don is doing is cooping the girls individually. Then on the first day the male is with the first girl, next day the male moves to the next coop and so on, but just one male is used for a group of females at a time. Just that this way the girls are separate so you can identify their eggs. I imagine then when he's got enough eggs from that male/female combo he might wait 2 or more weeks and introduce a new male to the hens. At least this is what I'm thinking would be an easy way to know for sure which hen laid which egg if you can't trap nest.

 

[gilavina]

mornin Kim!

Looks like its gonna be a nice day out this way, so will give the sorting another shot. I hope to get some more photos of birds, if I have time. I have a poultry meeting for one of the clubs I'm in late this afternoon, but sure hope I can get plenty done before then. Did you happen to see the ladies I posted yesterday?

 

[pinkchick]

I did see them and that Blue gal is built almost identically to the blue gal that I posted. Love that beefy look on the girls!

Gives me hope after seeing her that I am moving in the right direction.

 

[gilavina]

I did see them and that Blue gal is built almost identically to the blue gal that I posted. Love that beefy look on the girls!
Gives me hope after seeing her that I am moving in the right direction.

it is a good feeling indeed isn't it? just can't wait to see what the chicks will look like this next season!

 

[pinkchick]

Indeed it is!
This upcoming spring I will have been working with the Marans for 5 years, so it is good to see that I have atleast a few birds to start over with again that will possibly give me something better or more promising for future generations.

 

[gilavina]

Indeed it is!
This upcoming spring I will have been working with the Marans for 5 years, so it is good to see that I have atleast a few birds to start over with again that will possibly give me something better or more promising for future generations.

awesome! I'm heading into my 4th year here in a month or so.

 

[pinkchick]

Where does the time go?