Marans Thread - breed discussion & pictures are welcome!

[gilavina]

Vivki, The eggs hatched yesterday and there were 7 out of 8 that hatched. I like most of what I see but not all. I also had a dozen Kevin bought from Maryland and they hatched 9 out of 12 and these also have some things I do not like and some I do like. I have them all marked. This is the end of all the six dozen Kevin bought to see what would hatch. Sure will be a lot of work to be done here. WE had 18 Light Brahma eggs in this hatch and they were all clear. What ever happened with the old addage do a test hatch before shipping high dollar eggs all over the country.

That's not too bad for shipped eggs! I look forward to comparing what you have hatched out there and what I'm working on here. That's too bad you didn't get anything out of the Light Brahma eggs. I love brahmas, giants and the true orpingtons, but just don't have the space or the budget for that kind of feed bill haha

 

[gilavina]

O.K Vicki. Here they are.

Remember, they are going through a moult. They should have black either full or tipped tail feathers, but they have lost them for some reason.

They don't seem to have sprigs and they both have 5 point combs. So that's a tick.
If you spot a problem, could you please explain to me what It is, so that I can learn and know what to look for next time.

This is Marzipan ( A ). Side shot.

This is Maranda ( B ). Side Shot.

A's feet. Not sure how good the feather cover is but I know French Marans are only supposed to have light feathering.

B's feet.

A's face. Note the 5 point comb. Excuse the food on the mouth.

B's face. Again 5 point comb.

A ( left ) and B ( right ). A is less thick than B around the shoulders and neck and head. Oh and tail. O.K B is just bigger altogether.lol.
Note: lack of black tail feathers.

A. Back of neck. They have both got some nice Red and black coming in around the base of the neck ( where hackle feathers would be )

Same shot but of B.

All angles

. A ( left ) B ( right ).


I didn't know what shots you wanted so just took a few of all angles.

Say if you would like more.
Thanks.

Sorry Luke, I was gone all day yesterday at a poultry show and did some planting while I had the window of decent weather before it got dark once I got home. I don't raise this variety, but overall they look like they are growing out well. I am not sure on the shafting in the feathers if that is ok or a no no, but someone like Don or others that raise this variety might be able to help you with that.

 

[cluckcluckluke]

Sorry Luke, I was gone all day yesterday at a poultry show and did some planting while I had the window of decent weather before it got dark once I got home. I don't raise this variety, but overall they look like they are growing out well. I am not sure on the shafting in the feathers if that is ok or a no no, but someone like Don or others that raise this variety might be able to help you with that.

I was wondering were you had gone.lol.
Did you get any more poultry?
What Variety do you raise?

Thanks for looking at them though and replying. I to am not sure on the feathering on the feet but thanks again

.

 

[gilavina]

I was wondering were you had gone.lol.
Did you get any more poultry?
What Variety do you raise?

Thanks for looking at them though and replying. I to am not sure on the feathering on the feet but thanks again

.

Haha, no, I didn't come home with anything else. I did see a really nice set of Sumatras for sale, but they were already sold by the time I went back to look at them again, so took that dilemma right out of my hands.
In the Marans I raise Black/Blue/Splash Coppers, Black/Blue/Splash Birchens and Silvers. I also am working on a solid blue project that will be long term. I also have Black/Blue/Splash Wyandottes and Columbian Wyandottes in both large fowl and bantams, as well as Light and Coronation Sussex along with a project of lavender birchen sussex that I hope to be able to get off the ground this year. Just waiting on laying to be more consistent.

 

[kara1015]

Got this cutie at the swap today... really hoping it's a pullet! I picked the darkest one I could find. Any thoughts? I've had terrible luck with marans!

 

[desertmarcy]

Yesterday I gave my lay-nothing Black Copper hen to a friend who is a "chicken collector". She has one of I don't know how many breeds, I guess about 24 since that is the limit of # of chickens she can keep in the city limits. She will be a pet there and my friend doesn't care that she hasn't laid! This bird is about a year old and I haven't seen an egg from her yet, so I don't think I want her in my breeding program. Of course she will probably start now that she is gone! I checked with my friend today to see how the hen integrated into her flock and she said no problem, the other birds acted like they didn't know she was there. She must be a chicken whisperer, she adds birds to an existing flock and just never has any issues! Except the last Black Copper hen she got from me took over the role of rooster and started mounting all the other hens, and some are bantams and were getting beaten up, so that one went to another place. Now my friend has a new Black Copper Marans for her "collection" and hopefully this one will remain a "hen"

 

[rmtrevizo1]

What do u all think od a cross breed of a bcm rooster and a golden bo hen would this be ok to breed together.

 

[cluckcluckluke]

Haha, no, I didn't come home with anything else. I did see a really nice set of Sumatras for sale, but they were already sold by the time I went back to look at them again, so took that dilemma right out of my hands.
In the Marans I raise Black/Blue/Splash Coppers, Black/Blue/Splash Birchens and Silvers. I also am working on a solid blue project that will be long term. I also have Black/Blue/Splash Wyandottes and Columbian Wyandottes in both large fowl and bantams, as well as Light and Coronation Sussex along with a project of lavender birchen sussex that I hope to be able to get off the ground this year. Just waiting on laying to be more consistent.

SNAP! You have a lot of projects. I thought it was rare to go over like 5 or so! How long have you been breeding?

haha, I kind of feel glad when I'm not sure if I should get something then it just goes. Takes all the umming and areing out of it.

 

[SIMZ]

Ok - can we critique? Here is my first hatched chick. She's just about 11 weeks.

She has a nice green sheen, but also a bit of purple. Not as good, right?


This seems to be her usual tail set. Any insight into that?


Are her legs the correct color? Feathering?

How does the coppering look?


She does have some mossiness.




She's still young, but I'd like to know if there are things already evident showing up with her -- good and bad. Thanks in advance!

 

[gilavina]

SNAP! You have a lot of projects. I thought it was rare to go over like 5 or so! How long have you been breeding?

haha, I kind of feel glad when I'm not sure if I should get something then it just goes. Takes all the umming and areing out of it.

I grew up in a poultry breeding and showing family and so it all started when I was very little. My dad taught me most everything I know, well along with his goofy friends at the poultry shows and clerking for judges, so nearly all my life I've been around it. The Marans are ones that I've been working on for a bit over 4 years now.
I agree sometimes it is nice when a decisionn is made for me like that, but then there has also been regret when I didn't take an opportunity I wish I would have. Passed on some amazing birds over the years that I would have loved to have now