Marans Thread - breed discussion & pictures are welcome!

[pinkchick]

Remember the discussion of the stubs or fluff between the middle and outer toes of males vs. females? Well, I can't find a photo of a mature bird with it, but my Blue Copper chick in the brooder has fluff between her outer and middle toe. 2 little tiny fluffs on each web on each foot. She came from my Blue Copper hen that has sparse leg feathering and no outer toe feathering, but her pappa, has great leg feathering and outer toe feathering, but does not have any fluff between his toes. I tried taking a pic of it but the fluff is so light colored right now it is hard to see in a photo. Hoping I can get a good pic in a couple weeks when she has grown a bit more.






RAVEN~
Forget that I said that a couple of them had some roo-tude.....they are all pullets.

Sassy and cute as the dickens!

 

[pinkchick]

Morning Vicki!

How's it going? Did that weather you, Don and Wynette were having pass through yet? Or are ya'll still snow covered?

 

[pinkchick]

I would love to know what is up with my 10 mos. old pullet who has not begun to lay yet. She's making me crazy!

I checked her yesterday....looks to be that the vent is finally pinking and moistening up vs the dry pale vent she has had all this time.....hoping this may mean eggs are coming pretty soon.

 

[gilavina]

Morning Vicki!

How's it going? Did that weather you, Don and Wynette were having pass through yet? Or are ya'll still snow covered?

haha, we were supposed to get some crazy amounts on last Thursday or Friday and then again Sunday and Monday, we ended up with less than 6 inches all together, which I will definitely take. Things should start melting off this weekend being in the 40s.

I'm starting to get really excited about hatching season and hope to get some stuff done this weekend on switching some more birds around and deciding who won't make the cut this first time around. Come on Spring, I've missed you.

 

[gilavina]

I would love to know what is up with my 10 mos. old pullet who has not begun to lay yet. She's making me crazy!

I checked her yesterday....looks to be that the vent is finally pinking and moistening up vs the dry pale vent she has had all this time.....hoping this may mean eggs are coming pretty soon.

You can generally tell with birds being close to lay by feeling the vent area for softening. Sounds like from what you are seeing, she might be close. Do you know if she's bottom of the flock? If so, may have something to do with why its taking her longer to lay

 

[pinkchick]

I have missed ya'll too....just been busy getting some things done around here that should have been done 10 years ago. DH and I tore down our back deck, thank goodness. That thing was ugly as sin and I am very happy to see it gone. Looks SOOOOOOOOO much better.


Got 20 single mated test eggs in the 'bator with 7 goose eggs. Can hardly stand the wait to see what is produced from that dark male, Will. I am positive that the little Blue Copper pullet in the brooder is from him. No way could the birchen male who got out could have produced this chunky chickie with such good leg feathering...no way.
Is 7 days old to old to try the toe punch?

Speaking of birchens.......I am going to get rid of the birchens I have here, I am not pleased with egg color at all! Can't even call them a Marans at this point. My hen, Stoopid, the half and half BLRW and Barnevelder lays a much darker egg than they do.
Sad they are not laying an egg even close to the color of the egg they hatched from.

 

[pinkchick]

I know you have said before but humor me, your pairing Luella up with Gigantor or Big Boy?

Now there's some crosses I can't wait to see.

 

[gilavina]

I have missed ya'll too....just been busy getting some things done around here that should have been done 10 years ago.

DH and I tore down our back deck, thank goodness. That thing was ugly as sin and I am very happy to see it gone. Looks SOOOOOOOOO much better.


Got 20 single mated test eggs in the 'bator with 7 goose eggs. Can hardly stand the wait to see what is produced from that dark male, Will. I am positive that the little Blue Copper pullet in the brooder is from him. No way could the birchen male who got out could have produced this chunky chickie with such good leg feathering...no way.
Is 7 days old to old to try the toe punch?

Speaking of birchens.......I am going to get rid of the birchens I have here, I am not pleased with egg color at all! Can't even call them a Marans at this point. My hen, Stoopid, the half and half BLRW and Barnevelder lays a much darker egg than they do.
Sad they are not laying an egg even close to the color of the egg they hatched from.

Sounds like you are indeed really busy!
When are the eggs supposed to hatch? 7 days for me is a bit old, but I know that some people will differ on that. I just prefer doing it immediately to make it easier on them since their webs are so soft.
I wondered if you might go ahead and get rid of the birchens. It would be disappointing to get eggs out of birds that came from a darker egg. Probably best in the long run, since I don't see a reason to raise a bird you don't love

 

[gilavina]

I know you have said before but humor me, your pairing Luella up with Gigantor or Big Boy?

Now there's some crosses I can't wait to see.

Luella will be crossed with Big Boy and then also crossed onto the younger blue copper cockerel I hatch late last summer

 

[pinkchick]

You can generally tell with birds being close to lay by feeling the vent area for softening. Sounds like from what you are seeing, she might be close. Do you know if she's bottom of the flock? If so, may have something to do with why its taking her longer to lay

You know I hadn't even thought of that.....her order in the flock. Geesh, what a dummy! She is the youngest and newest addition in that coop....even though she has been in this coop for a few months, what you said makes perfect sense.