Marans Thread - breed discussion & pictures are welcome!

[xlboergoats]

Oh, I so want White Marans! Wish I could find some eggs.

We will start back hatching as soon as we get back from the show in Newnan, Georgia. We have whites. Just give us a holler if you don't find something in your area.

Ernie Haire
Arp, Texas
www.Marans2XL.com

 

[pinkchick]

Got my first Birchen egg today. It is a pretty big pullet egg and color is pretty light like a Welsummer egg. We will see what her first couple of dozen eggs brings. It also had several calcium deposits on it. All in all I am pretty happy to finally see a Birchen egg.

 

[DMRippy]

Got my first Birchen egg today. It is a pretty big pullet egg and color is pretty light like a Welsummer egg. We will see what her first couple of dozen eggs brings. It also had several calcium deposits on it. All in all I am pretty happy to finally see a Birchen egg.

Yeah! I have a new cuckoo or 2 laying that color and I have 1 or 2 laying darker more like a BCM.

 

[xlboergoats]

Got my first Birchen egg today. It is a pretty big pullet egg and color is pretty light like a Welsummer egg. We will see what her first couple of dozen eggs brings. It also had several calcium deposits on it. All in all I am pretty happy to finally see a Birchen egg.

Congratulations. I don't think that the excitement ever wears off of going to the pens and finding eggs. It is especially exciting when it is a new variety or one that we have been waiting on to start laying.

Ernie Haire
Arp, Texas
www.Marans2XL.com

 

[xlboergoats]

We are planning to wash chickend this weekend and get them ready to go to the Ft Worth Exposition and Livestock Show next weekend. Anyone on here planning to go the that show?

After that one, we will be off for a few weeks and then planning to go to Newnan, Georgia if the weather permits. This time of year, everything that we do revolves around the weather.

Just Wondering,
Ernie Haire
Arp, Texas
www.Marans2XL.com

 

[pinkchick]

Thanks Donna and Ernie! It is definitely exciting. Good luck at the show Ernie!
Here is the pullet guilty of that egg.

A couple quick photos of my cockerel.

 

[xlboergoats]

Thanks Donna and Ernie! It is definitely exciting. Good luck at the show Ernie!
Here is the pullet guilty of that egg.


A couple quick photos of my cockerel.

Nice Black Birchens. We have a small set that we are working with that we will be breeding as soon as show season is over. We have a set of juveniles in the brooder, but can't tell much about them yet. I like Black Birchens, but that is my Mom's project. We have some of the same varieties, and have to show against each other at the shows. I don't show Black Birchens or Black Marans because competing with Mom with can make for a long ride home sometimes. LOL!!

Just Our Way Of Doing Things,
Ernie Haire
Arp, Texas
www.Marans2XL.com

 

[austinfarm]

There are different opinions. You would for sure wait till their juvi molt. That will tell you more about your chickens. You would want to do a cull again after the molt. By then they should be ready to start mating. At my place I had to wait till the pullets were laying normal size eggs. Maybe 7-8 months old. Some people will not breed any chicken under a year old. For what you are wanting to do.... if he mates them he is old enough. Just try it, can't hurt.

Austinfarm, I notice that my Marans Roos are 'Randy' well before their same age pullets are laying or even squatting. My 20 week old Marans Cockerel is in the layer pen and breeding some of the pullets a little lower in the pecking order, the hens are not letting him, but I think that soon will change.

If I were you, I would put the Marans Cockerel with your Ameraucana now and then look for bull's eye.

Thank you for the replies. My Americauna is actually over two years old. She is not the same age as my marans. I have been afraid to stick them in the pen with the older hens because I tried a few weeks ago and they were chasing him around and pecking him. I was afraid he was going to get hurt. I was also finishing up the medicated starter, so I needed them separate. I had a Silver laced Wyandotte that just started laying this fall. She was bottom of the totem pole, but when I put the rooster in the pen she jumped on him like a rooster and started ripping out feathers. I sold her the other day. I decided I didn't want a bird that aggressive. Maybe now that she is gone it will be a little better. Maybe I will put them in tomorrow and see how it goes. I have 8 chicks and 4 hens. Maybe if I put them all in instead of just one, the hens won't be able to single one out and hurt it?

 

[austinfarm]

She's talking about making olive eggers, so I'm sure she doesn't care about conformation in the males.

It really depends on so many things, I am in agreement with your very last sentence! Just try, it can't hurt! Sometimes, they will get to breeding more quickly when put in with some "experienced" older hens who are more willing to breed right away. When the young females first start to get bred (in other words, when the cockerels begin to TRY), they often scream like the dickens and run the other way in terror! A seasoned hen will just squat down & spread her wings in acceptance.

Thank you for the reply! My Americauna is an older bird, but I have never had a rooster before, so none of my hens have actually been bread. I will give it a try though. I just wish I lived in the country so I could keep a rooster. I have a colorful little guy without the feathered legs. He is sweet for a rooster. I would definately keep him if I could. I know they probably want feathered legs for showing, but I don't show and they just get dirty so I prefer non feathered legs. All my other pullets and roosters have feathered legs. He is the odd ball

 

[pinkchick]

Thanks Ernie, I really like the Birchens. This is my 3rd attempt with Birchens from different breeders. I am happy with these particular birds......but sitting here looking at the pullet above I noticed something didn't look right on the blade of her comb. I magnified the photo and it looks as though she has a very small sprig on the blade at the very back. I will look at her closely tomorrow and if she has a sprig it will be very sad. Sprigs are something that has showed up now in every line of Birchens I have tried. If she indeed has one she will be just a layer and that is too bad because she is a nice bird in all other departments.