Marans Thread - breed discussion & pictures are welcome!

[DMRippy]

I wish I would have had chickens when I lived in newnan!! I was born and raised right in Newnan. My family is still there. Where about in Newman is this held?

http://www.cvpa-newnan.org/show.html

 

[kowgurl62]

I have been trying to catch up on BYC posts. We finally got home from Newnan and have almost gotten things caught up around here. This is the first time that I have had time to sit down at the computer. Being away from home for a show and then heading back to work really takes its toll on this around here. Now it is time to crank up the incubators and get back to hatching.

We were all geared up to hatch big numbers of Cuckoos this season, but looks like we will be switching up some of our plans. We will not quit breeding, hatching, and showing Cuckoos. We just won't have to stress about the number of Cuckoos that we can have ready to go to Shawnee, Oklahoma in December. We have focused on our Cuckoos, Black Coppers, and Whites the last two years.

Newnan was a great show, but COLD. We were under a tent in the mud. The show officials had rented heaters for the tent, but the Fire Marshall would not let them use them. We stood outside the tent and huddled around the heaters.

Getting to meet so many nice breeders and visit with old friends made it worth fighting the cold. We had the chance to meet and visit with so many breeders that we have only been able to visit with online. We swapped eggs and birds with some of the breeders that we met there and some of our friends that we only get to see once in a while.

The Marans that were shown there were nice birds. The birds were very consistant in "type" regardless to the variety. The judges that judged our tent and the ones that just came through to look at the Marans were very complimentary of the improvements that we have made as a breed. We were lucky enough to get to visit with some of the judges after the show in Saturday. The meeting with the judges was very positive and informative.

We have shown at Shawnee the last two years. Even if the weather is cold and wet there, the facilities are nice. The show will be inside. If we can get from the parking lot to the building, life will be good. We hope that everyone will start hatching now and making plans to attend the show in Shawnee, Oklahom in December.

Regards,
Ernie Haire
Arp, Texas

Hi Ernie,
I have a question about your Cuckoos. Do they lay a larger egg than your Black Coppers? I had a guy at work claim one of his rhode island reds was laying a dark chocolate egg. I said no way, bring me that egg and let me see it. Well, he brought it, it IS dark, not quite as dark as my darkest Black Coppers, but pretty darn dark. And HUGE! Well, I asked him if any of the reds looked any different, he said no, they all looked the same, except for the one "barred rock". I told him, that's no barred rock, that's a cuckoo maran.
I am going to find out today where that hen came from, it is THE perfect shaped Maran egg, plus jumbo size. I was just wondering if the Cuckoos lay a larger egg. The egg size on my BC's is a large, i'd say, but nothing like this egg.

 

[The Dawg]

I have what some might consider a stupid question. I bought some fbcm and the roo has pearl colored legs and beak, the hens have dark legs and beak. Should the roo be used for breeding? I'm not interested in showing or pedigree, just a hobby and I enjoy the eggs.

 

[ashandvine]

To be clear: I am learning and say for the third time I was not trying to be disrespectful or mean at all. I really was just asking and while I do tend to be direct, I know of no way to ask such questions in an indirect way. I want to learn. I am struggling right now with a positive attitude in my own keeping of birds. Maybe its the time of year, but feeling that I am not intending to harm others sense of pride or enthusiasm. Enthusiasm carries us where fatigue and fear would make us pause. I intend to keep posting until I am not told I shouldn't, but in doing so I will keep asking questions.
Ohbigmama, the work that has gone into their type is evident. I am grateful you did not take offense to my question. I would be interested to know what the judges had to say when you talked to them about the ear color.
Zanna and Snowbird, thanks for speaking for me, and Wynette you are a good supporter. I don't know how often criticism has been misconstrued for negativity or questions confused with condemnation but while I have ocassionally gotten 'preachy' about some things (in other threads) most of the time I am just asking where others wonder. Thank you for your answers.

 

[Wynette]

To be clear: I am learning and say for the third time I was not trying to be disrespectful or mean at all. I really was just asking and while I do tend to be direct, I know of no way to ask such questions in an indirect way. I want to learn. I am struggling right now with a positive attitude in my own keeping of birds. Maybe its the time of year, but feeling that I am not intending to harm others sense of pride or enthusiasm. Enthusiasm carries us where fatigue and fear would make us pause. I intend to keep posting until I am not told I shouldn't, but in doing so I will keep asking questions.
Ohbigmama, the work that has gone into their type is evident. I am grateful you did not take offense to my question. I would be interested to know what the judges had to say when you talked to them about the ear color.
Zanna and Snowbird, thanks for speaking for me, and Wynette you are a good supporter. I don't know how often criticism has been misconstrued for negativity or questions confused with condemnation but while I have ocassionally gotten 'preachy' about some things (in other threads) most of the time I am just asking where others wonder. Thank you for your answers.

Gotcha - again, I apologize if I offended or hurt your feelings. It's tough knowing folks personally, knowing the struggles and things they've gone through. For me, it's tough to sit by and not feel upset sometimes when some comments are posted. But - let's move forward! I like this: "Enthusiasm carries us where fatigue and fear would ke us pause." YES! Well said.

The Dawg: If you are ONLY wanting lovely eggs for your egg basket, there's nothing wrong in using the male you have; however, if you think you may want to sell hatching eggs or stock at some point, or possibly exhibit them in the future, do not use that male. If you'd like to post some pictures, there are many folks on here who can offer feedback, if you'd like to have it.

 

[choptank330]

Wow!!! I lived 5 minutes from the fair grounds man o man, wish I would have known

 

[BarnGoddess01]

Quote:
I will also chime in and apologize as well. I'm glad to hear that your questions were coming from a sincere place and also glad to see that Nicol took your questions exactly the way you intended which is the main thing!

I must say, I get a wee bit touchy on this thread now because the criticisms and cull comments are handed out far too often. It seems I may have taken my frustration out on you so again, I say, I'm sorry.

 

[pinkchick]

Don, we will NOT move forward unless folks are willing to show pictures.  Folks will NOT show pictures when met with criticism.  Here's the thing, and you and I have had this discussion many, many times.  There is ALWAYS a way to say something without coming off as accusatory, negative, or snarky.  For example - rather than saying something like, "how can a bird with yellow legs have been put up for BB?"  perhaps something more like, "I may be not seeing the picture in the right light - does the bird have yellow legs?  Just wondering."

I'm not criticizing the comment - I was posting merely as a reminder.  AGAIN - if YOU, DON, received a comment like that, would you be likely to ever consider posting a picture again?  I think not.

Frankly, I personally could give a rip whether the Marans threads are being "killed" - it's sure as heck not likely.  There are many folks here & posting daily.  What y'all need to be doing, rather than sitting behind your computers and pointing fingers at someone else's picture, is getting out there to the shows to SEE THESE BIRDS FIRSTHAND.  The folks out there doing the good breeding work and showing are the ones who are moving this breed forward...not the ones sitting behind a computer.

First let me say that in no way is my comment on this post is meant in any way to disrespect anything anyone has said on this particular conversation at hand....but I feel that I must say something about the last comments.

As a person that does not show and does not go to shows, but participates in this breed via my own backyard and from behind my computer.......I did take a bit of offense from this statement.
I feel that I have been moving this breed forward by working with them and culling hard over the last 5 years...........I don't feel like I have held the breed back by not showing or going to shows and participating via my computer. I personally cannot afford to take my birds to shows, but I can afford to breed good quality birds from my backyard....so how does this not move the breed forward?

I know I can't be the only one that feels this way and again please understand that I am not meaning to be disrespectful. Just reading this and thinking of all the folks that do breed these birds and do not show and how they may have taken it as well.

Just my 2 cents.

 

[snowbird]

Some of the best Poultry breeders over the years that I have known have never showed a chicken and never will. One of my Mentors living about 25 miles from me had 25-30 breeds and sold many birds to the stringmen but never wanted to show fowl.

One thing we should all learn, myself included is that you can not read a post and tell the tone of voice intended.

 

[maryhysong]

There is also the fact that not all of us are lucky enough to live where there are poultry shows that we can go to. I would love to show my birds, but there are not many opportunities here beyond the county fair.