Marans Thread - breed discussion & pictures are welcome!

[chickendeal]

 

[gilavina]

the pullet you are showing photos of definitely has the coloring on the breast that I would not keep here, but again it is all about what your goal is. If you are wanting to start a breeding program to breed to the SOP, then she will not be helpful there, but if you are raising them because you enjoy them as a backyard flock, then I wouldn't worry too much

 

[chickendeal]

 

[chickendeal]

How can you tell its a pullet i thought it was a roo since it has wattles and a pink comb and the other one that is about the same size its comb is almost yellow with no wattles yet thats why i like the legbars you know from birth lol

 

[gilavina]

Just from what I could see in the photo, I'm seeing more pullet features, but if you could set them down and get a shot from the side with them standing if possible and I can tell you for sure

 

[Ray from PA]

What did you end up hatching for breed and variety on the shipped eggs? How are you liking what you are seeing overall from your hatch, both shipped and yours? I can totally relate to the feeling on empty, spring is always that way for me, and have a wee case of insomnia at present, I think from wearing too thin. Hopefully things will get more manageable for all of us that push too hard too often haha

Haha, I suppose they are little tanks, they sure do have some weight behind them at birth. My heart just about stopped when I pulled out the first tray and started picking them up. Its so very good to see the progress, particularly because I almost sold out twice, and when I would go spend time in the pens debating, I just couldn't bear the thought of giving up on them, no matter how frustrating.

What all did you end up holding back then for breeding stock? I am going to continue culling in my original stock through hatching/grow out season as I see what is being produced.

Shipped eggs were BCM's,,, hoping for at least one good Roo, and of course a good pullet 2 never hurts. The conformation on her birds is a bit better than mine, and I don't mind starting out with a whole new group if that would be the case,,,, just another experiment. A few of them are also of good size and the chick color seems to be good and everyone is feather legged.
My own are still a bit mixed, some feathered, some not. They mostly are good colored chicks. I deal with mossiness, but luckily can cull them early, the pullets get good layer homes.
I kept 12 pullets from last year,,, still culling from them, egg color is good from most, equal to or better than their mother's,,,,, but culling for size now that they are more grown, and anything else that I notice. I have 4 that I like the improvements on,,, now have to see how well they reproduce,,,, just want to find a better Roo that will help with that. I may breed them back to their father to see what comes of that.
All part of the fun of it all.

 

[gilavina]

Shipped eggs were BCM's,,, hoping for at least one good Roo, and of course a good pullet 2 never hurts. The conformation on her birds is a bit better than mine, and I don't mind starting out with a whole new group if that would be the case,,,, just another experiment. A few of them are also of good size and the chick color seems to be good and everyone is feather legged.
My own are still a bit mixed, some feathered, some not. They mostly are good colored chicks. I deal with mossiness, but luckily can cull them early, the pullets get good layer homes.
I kept 12 pullets from last year,,, still culling from them, egg color is good from most, equal to or better than their mother's,,,,, but culling for size now that they are more grown, and anything else that I notice. I have 4 that I like the improvements on,,, now have to see how well they reproduce,,,, just want to find a better Roo that will help with that. I may breed them back to their father to see what comes of that.
All part of the fun of it all.

Do you ever pick your birds up very often? I constantly am handling them here, especially as they are growing, by cradling them with one hand between the legs with the breast resting on the palm and wrist. I use the other hand to check for width on the back, and wings etc. There is nothing that can replace getting to know what a good bird feels like as much as what they look like. The more you can understand the structure of how they feel, the more you can tell when they are on the ground or even in photos. I learned from my dad who is legally blind, so particularly am sensitive to structure because of his teaching me how to feel for quality of structure without having to see the bird.

 

[missnu01]

So do Maran's mixes count? Because I just hatched 18 chicks that had assorted hens as mothers, Speckled Sussex, Buff Orpington, EE, Olive Eggers, Wyandotte, Barred Rock, Partridge Rock, so on and so forth...Anyway those assorted hens are all in with a Black Copper, and Blue Copper Marans. A lot of the chicks just look like Marans. 2 of them are 3/4 Marans...so I get it from those, but I really thought that the chicks would look different from each other, and some are...Only some have feathered feet, only a couple have beards, 2 appear to be partridge colored presently, but all in all they are all shades of black and gray...

I will not post pictures unless that would be alright...I know sometimes the breed threads do not appreciate mixes...but I would like to know how many chicks resemble a Marans chick more than anything else...or maybe some adult color guesses....

 

[Zonoma]

Question-- I have two Marans, one Black Copper (who is beautiful) and one Cuckoo (who is sweet). But the eggs they lay don't have that famously dark, chocolate-y color. They're just a nice, serviceable brown egg like you'd get from any brown-egg-laying breed. Is there anything I should be doing to encouraging the dark eggs, because I thought that was all genetics... maybe these girls were bred more for other features. The BCM, I could believe to be bred for looks alone... I should take her picture for you guys.

It is genetic, though as with all brown layers the pigment lessens with age. Even mine get pretty light toward molting season.

Not all Marans are created equal, though. Many breed only toward "standards" (conformation and color) and the egg color suffers. There are a few well known lines that maintain both. If you are interested in a really dark egg layer find someone who has Wade Jean or Cottage Hill birds near you.

 

[chickendeal]

Just from what I could see in the photo, I'm seeing more pullet features, but if you could set them down and get a shot from the side with them standing if possible and I can tell you for sure

i will in the morning ive put them all to bed but i will take pics of the ones i paired up thinking it was roo and pullet thank you so much from all the pics ive seen the hens have copper necks and the roos have copper down there backs so im kinda????