Marans Thread - breed discussion & pictures are welcome!

[xlboergoats]

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.

Sprigs are a pain that we all have to keep an eye out for. I hate it when someone that I have been watching and watching and watching pops up with a durn spig. It has happened to me more that once. It seems that it is always that one that I have such great plans for. I hope that you catch your pullet tomorrow and find that she doesn't have a sprig.

We have worked with Black Birchens more that once. We are really pleased with this last set that we bought. Now we will just have to wait and see if the males have nice color.

Ernie Haire
Arp, Texas
www.Marans2XL.com

 

[Blarneyeggs]

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

Thank you! ...and I was cracking up at the 'long ride home with Mom' comment.

 

[whidbey]

...

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

There has been eggs for White Marans on ebay

 

[pinkchick]

Sprigs are a pain that we all have to keep an eye out for. I hate it when someone that I have been watching and watching and watching pops up with a durn spig. It has happened to me more that once. It seems that it is always that one that I have such great plans for. I hope that you catch your pullet tomorrow and find that she doesn't have a sprig.

We have worked with Black Birchens more that once. We are really pleased with this last set that we bought. Now we will just have to wait and see if the males have nice color.


Ernie Haire
Arp, Texas
www.Marans2XL.com

Thanks for the happy thoughts Ernie..........I wish I was reporting with good news.
It's a very very tiny little sprig. Sort of reminds me of wierded out taste bud on a tongue...you know like when you burn your tongue and inevitably one of the taste buds pops up and hurts, but it's shaped like a tiny little tear drop. Frustrates the bejeezes out of me!!!!


Edited to Add: The dang thing popped up overnight.......in a photo that I posted of this same bird about 3 weeks ago it was not there. Argh!

 

[pinkchick]

Don~

Comb question for you.......seems to be a comb issue day for me.

This is the that young dark male that you like.....look at his comb, the blade. See how it appears to be touching the head? Well it doesn't touch, but it is very close....is this something I should worry about? Should I go ahead and test mate him? Or is this an issue I can't get away from?
Thanks in advance.

 

[snowbird]

Don~

Comb question for you.......seems to be a comb issue day for me.

This is the that young male that you like.....look at his comb, the blade. See how it appears to be touching the head? Well it doesn't touch, but it is very close....is this something I should worry about? Should I go ahead and test mate him? Or is this an issue I can't get away from?
Thanks in advance.

Kim, At this point in the game I would not worry about any of the comb problems unless it is a DQ. Yes go ahead and test mate this male and see what you get.

 

[flgardengirl]

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.

I love your birchen boy. He is quite the looker, seems like he is gonna be a big guy. I don't have my blue birchen male anymore. He ended up with some mahogany in his wing so I didn't want to deal with that. I have my black birchen female that had some brown mossiness in her chest. Well she is all grown up now and there is no brown on her whatsoever now! It is really strange. She does have a little silver in her chest but she looks nothing like I thought she would, when she is a chick. Plus she is laying nice dark eggs too. I'm so glad I didn't cull her. She does not have feathered shanks, though but I think I can use her.

 

[pmessner]

what is a sprig?
and can someone evaluate this roo for me?

 

[gilavina]

Well, its looking like I might have a bit of a fight on my hands. There are now 2 very large great horned (tiger) owls getting braver by the day. Me thinks the male has found a lady. Been going out the last day or two around dusk and walking towards them, they are very people shy, so trying to use that to get them to back off some more. Luckily, Goliath sends off warning calls when they come close, so that helps as well. I know if they get one bird, it will be 100x's harder to get rid of them. I'm guessing just from when they take off, that the male has a wing span of about 4 to 5 feet, the female I would guess somewhere between 3 and 4 feet.

 

[flgardengirl]

what is a sprig?
and can someone evaluate this roo for me?

Hi, This is a good photo of a side sprig on a male. The father of this bird had a tiny sprig located at the base of the comb under the feather line. I didn't notice it when I bought him but when several chicks of his started throwing sprigs I went looking very closely at that male and found it under the feather line. So make sure to check there too when buying stock. I culled him and all his offspring. Too bad because they were all nice birds otherwise but it was a good learning experience for me.