Marans Thread - breed discussion & pictures are welcome!

[gilavina]

One of the things I've found going to shows and getting to know the folks breeding Marans is that they're a great bunch of people - truly! I have on many occasions overheard conversations where two people were looking at one person's bird, and evaluating it. The owner of the bird might have had trouble with something in their program, as evidenced in the bird they're looking at, and the other person was able to share their strategy to "fix" the issue, and often even offer some stock that may help the other person.

Forums are fantastic, to be sure, but you just can't the level of support I mention above online.

I agree, in person is optimal, but for a lot of people, especially those trying to figure out if getting into poultry breeding long term or more seriously, this place is a great place to get the 'bug' for it. Conversely, it can also be a good place for people to maybe decide its not the breed for them, or can really push them to decide that Marans are the breed for them. I'm sure if I hadn't had all the years of poultry breeding and interaction with those in the poultry world, it would be a really hard world to break into as there is still a large portion of it that is word of mouth. One of the clubs I'm part of, and built their website for this last year is finally online after existing for 128 years. A huge passion of mine is doing what I can to develop poultry breeders that will carry on into future generations, so I can get a bit excited about it.

 

[ashandvine]

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.

Please, tell me what a 'stringman' is.

Barngoddess...

Question: I have read time and again that a show bird and good breeder are not going to be the same bird, and in the case of Marans, Show vs dark eggs aren't usually in the same bird. I am sure this is the eventual goal, should it be possible, but this is where my question of opinion comes in; if a bird is great for type but not eggs... how can a Marans be a SQ Marans if its egg doesn't meat standards? If it does meet the minimum then would that bird be considered ideal over one that isn't as visually perfect but who lays a darker egg? Maybe this is half a doz of one and six of another but its what I am thinking about. And lest I be misunderstood, I ask because I have a pullet who I think is very nice for type who has started laying but so far, out of her three eggs, they are not as dark as I would hope for. If I put that in a box with her such an egg, would the judge look at it and deduct points based on how it was not very dark?

addendum to ask: does the male pass on the dark egg gene, the pullet/hen or is it a combination?

 

[snowbird]

Will say this again and that is breeding Poultry is not Rocket Science. The Marans are no different than any other breed of chickens. If you have a fault,DQ and anything else you would like to work on , Improving the Marans is no different than any other breed.

With the Marans you have to be alert on the Genetic Formulas as they will not breed exactly like the Formulas say. Someday when the different strains are developed in Marans they will breed more true.

First thing to work on is be careful what you bring in to breed into your Marans. The tighter you breed your fowl if they are decent the better the offspring will be . With all the faults the Marans at present have try and not breed Brother-Sister.

 

[snowbird]

Please, tell me what a 'stringman' is.

Barngoddess...

Question: I have read time and again that a show bird and good breeder are not going to be the same bird, and in the case of Marans, Show vs dark eggs aren't usually in the same bird. I am sure this is the eventual goal, should it be possible, but this is where my question of opinion comes in; if a bird is great for type but not eggs... how can a Marans be a SQ Marans if its egg doesn't meat standards? If it does meet the minimum then would that bird be considered ideal over one that isn't as visually perfect but who lays a darker egg? Maybe this is half a doz of one and six of another but its what I am thinking about. And lest I be misunderstood, I ask because I have a pullet who I think is very nice for type who has started laying but so far, out of her three eggs, they are not as dark as I would hope for. If I put that in a box with her such an egg, would the judge look at it and deduct points based on how it was not very dark?

addendum to ask: does the male pass on the dark egg gene, the pullet/hen or is it a combination?

Stringman is some one that shows a large number of Fairs around the Country for the premium. There are still a few left here in the midwest. Some of the present Stringmen around here might show up to a 1000 or more birds.
The eggs has no effect on showing fowl since the judge could care less what color of egg you get. The Male and female have a part in egg color. In my experience the Marans that lay the darkest egg may not be your best competion bird.

 

[gilavina]

Stringman is some one that shows a large number of Fairs around the Country for the premium. There are still a few left here in the midwest. Some of the present Stringmen around here might show up to a 1000 or more birds.
The eggs has no effect on showing fowl since the judge could care less what color of egg you get. The Male and female have a part in egg color. In my experience the Marans that lay the darkest egg may not be your best competion bird.

most of the stringmen I've ever known have been so entertaining and colorful. there's a couple left here, but some of the one's that have passed away now used to have names like MonkeyMan and the like. And yes, it was because he had a pet monkey that went with him to all the shows an rode around in his shoulder.

 

[BarnGoddess01]

Quote:
Now THESE are GREAT questions!!!!

I'm still working on how to distinguish the great show bird from the great breeder. I believe trial and error is how the Pros do it. Great show bird spits out junk, reserve him/her for the show ring. The hard part is figuring out which "junk" makes a good breeder. I'm still experimenting with that part (more with Silkies than Marans because Silkies are easier because they tend to breed truer at this point.)

I had my eyes opened at a show recently. Had one breeder tell me "I breed for SOP and the show ring. Eggs aren't judged with the bird." He doesn't give a flying fig about egg colour. He is only working on the bird. (The judges don't care about egg colour. Only we do.) But that isn't the case with many of the breeders. Many of them really are trying to work on building the bird and the egg colour at the same time. It was fascinating watching the sort of "private" Marans sales areas with Whites and Columbians trading hands. Lots of talk of "he came from a dark egg". Things like that. So some folks care. Some folks, not so much. That's where it is SO valuable to get out there and talk to the folks in person. Many of them are willing to talk and advise face to face but they aren't comfortable putting it in writing.

Somebody else is going to have to handle the egg colour gene question. I'm still guessing at that one myself. From my Ameraucanas, colour seems to come more from mom, finish from dad, but I haven't done enough breeding/hatching to truly commit.

 

[snowbird]

Will say if you have a line of Marans that have decent egg color and you breed them to another line the F1 will most likely not be as dark, but if you breed the F1 back into your line they will darker back up for you.

These are just things that I have found with my birds. I hope I am not considered one of the people behind the Computer as I have over 50 years with my own poultry, and 71 year around poultry.

 

[Wynette]

Please, tell me what a 'stringman' is.

Barngoddess...

Question: I have read time and again that a show bird and good breeder are not going to be the same bird, and in the case of Marans, Show vs dark eggs aren't usually in the same bird. I am sure this is the eventual goal, should it be possible, but this is where my question of opinion comes in; if a bird is great for type but not eggs... how can a Marans be a SQ Marans if its egg doesn't meat standards? If it does meet the minimum then would that bird be considered ideal over one that isn't as visually perfect but who lays a darker egg? Maybe this is half a doz of one and six of another but its what I am thinking about. And lest I be misunderstood, I ask because I have a pullet who I think is very nice for type who has started laying but so far, out of her three eggs, they are not as dark as I would hope for. If I put that in a box with her such an egg, would the judge look at it and deduct points based on how it was not very dark?

addendum to ask: does the male pass on the dark egg gene, the pullet/hen or is it a combination?

Most excellent question, and a topic of conversation on & off, always. And again at Newnan. Some of the females that laid eggs in the cages at the show were....well, let's just say the wouldn't even land on the Marans Egg colour chart as being that of a Maras. Per the breeder standard (not the APA standard, as they could give a flying fig about egg color), a Marans is not to be considered a Marans unless it lays at least a 4 on the chart, or darker. YOu're exactly right in that our eventual goal is to have excellent type AND good, dark egg color.

Our fear is that egg color is too often being ignored completely (by "our" I refer to those of us adamant to hold good egg color true to our breed - after all, what are Marans known for? A beautiful, DARK egg), and that eventually, all the dark egg genetics will go by the wayside. Then, we have just another pretty bird. Which is fine...I do, however, tend to believe that you CAN have good type and good egg color. It's a balancing act to be sure. Seems like so often, the darkest layers are the mossy females (yes, egg color genetics come from both parents). I certainly AM seeing some very dark eggs coming from some very nice-type birds. We have a ways to go, but we're making good progress on both.

 

[BarnGoddess01]

Quote:
I just sold my first bird to a "stringman". Makes me VERY nervous!

 

[snowbird]

One thing to remember is that most show birds that are good are not from two good show birds when talking about anything but the White and Black birds. Knowing what to breed together is something that comes with experience or have a good Mentor that will help. There are people out in the real world that will help if you reach out to them. I have had several in the past.