Marans Thread - breed discussion & pictures are welcome!

[gilavina]

I just mailed 5 of these for the show in Ohio next weekend. They are tiny little pullet eggs, not the darkest by any means but they are shiny/smooth and all look exactly the same. Don't expect to get a prize but sent them for fun and figured I ought to support the club.

good deal! My main concern is that these aren't shiny. The hen that lays these always lays ones exactly the same, but don't know if they'll be tossed out because they are matte or not.

 

[bamachicks8]

nice, cant wait to see what you hatch

These are some of what I have in the incubator.

So jealous can't wait to get marans

 

[RyeRanch]

I have 2 squirrels giving me a headache right now! Cute as they are.....I can't stand them anymore! I can't shoot them because where they hang out is facing the neighbors house, so I tried a live trap and only caught my cat. Guess I shouldn't have used catfood as bait.
The squirrels are trying everything they can to find ways into the coops while they are locked up tight but with no luck. However, they know the chickens and geese are going to be let out for the day and they know the coop pop door will be open...it's a free for all with those rodents and they are making me CRAZY!
My neighbor also wants to know when if I catch them so he can eat them. I told him since he did such a nice job taking care of the bobcat, he could catch my squirrels. He laughed and said, "Nope, that's the hard part, but once you've got 'em give me a holler."


Now the chickens do not pay the squirrels any attention, but my gander, though he is not fast, he will certainly give them an earful and a quick chase.

Try the squirrelenator to catch them. We bait it with chicken scratch and it works well. We caught 3 today. I Had never thought to see I anyone would want them for food.

 

[Bakerentllc]

Doesnt my rooster look black to yall? He was labeled as blue copper on his egg

, but so far at 8 weeks I havent seen blue or copper on him! His feathers look black to me!

If you breed blue copper to blue copper sometimes you get black copper chicks! It's a blue black splash thing. I breed blue copper to blue copper and get blue copper, black copper and blue splash.

 

[Bakerentllc]

Try the squirrelenator to catch them. We bait it with chicken scratch and it works well. We caught 3 today. I Had never thought to see I anyone would want them for food.

You have never had squirrell gumbo. Wow it's good

 

[ellymayRans]

Question, my young BCM cockeral is squeaky. Swear he's been like that from as far back as I can remember! Just can't help but wonder is that really just something some do? It's not when he tries crowing, which he doesn't have down quite yet, it's more when he's breathing. Really reminds me of a squeaky toy or how they sound when sneezing. It's not crazy like all of the time, with every breath, but often enough. Should I be concerned?

 

[pinkchick]

Question, my young BCM cockeral is squeaky. Swear he's been like that from as far back as I can remember! Just can't help but wonder is that really just something some do? It's not when he tries crowing, which he doesn't have down quite yet, it's more when he's breathing. Really reminds me of a squeaky toy or how they sound when sneezing. It's not crazy like all of the time, with every breath, but often enough. Should I be concerned?

Don't know what it is but if he acts normal and isn't showing any other signs of something then maybe it's just the way he is.

But just as a precaution I would keep an eye out for things that might be out of the ordinary for him. If nothing comes of it (which I hope it does not) that is great.

Here are some of the things I watch for in my birds on a regular basis just so I am aware of their overall health and if needed can catch something before it goes bad.
Wheezing, rattling, nasal drainage, coughing, eye irritations such as watery or worse, bad odors coming from beak and throat, behaviors, eating and drinking, excrement, loss of spirit or languidness, puffed up feathers or hunching up.

If you see things like these above then you will know that he is not feeling well.

 

[pinkchick]

Flgarden~ I hope you are feeling better very soon.
Brooder full of absolute cuteness you've got going on there!

 

[maryhysong]

Question, my young BCM cockeral is squeaky. Swear he's been like that from as far back as I can remember! Just can't help but wonder is that really just something some do? It's not when he tries crowing, which he doesn't have down quite yet, it's more when he's breathing. Really reminds me of a squeaky toy or how they sound when sneezing. It's not crazy like all of the time, with every breath, but often enough. Should I be concerned?

I have some young EE girls that have a funny squeaky sound that they make, sometimes almost like a loud high pitched 'pip!" Just seems to be the bird

 

[gilavina]

I have some young EE girls that have a funny squeaky sound that they make, sometimes almost like a loud high pitched 'pip!" Just seems to be the bird

I have a hen in my layer flock that makes a 'piping' noise, but is totally healthy. From what I'd deduced, she only does it when she eats, so I assume she must have a misshapen pipe or something and will occasionally get food lodged or maybe restricts the breathing a bit.