Marans Thread - breed discussion & pictures are welcome!

[gilavina]

Hey Don,

I haven't been on much, but was just wondering if you have posted any photos of your chicks yet? I'm hoping to have some time to do photos after the 4th. It's been so busy I'm too tired to sleep at night.

 

[snowbird]

Hi, Dana - no, he doesn't have too much copper. Is his breast solid black? It should have no more than 10% copper feathers if it has any. From the angle of the picture, it's difficult to make a good asessment, but it appears that he's a pretty nice guy from what I can tell. His feet look like they may be light...what color are his shanks? Eye color is acceptable, but not idea. Ideally it would be a bit darker, more orange. But, that's definitely not a deal breaker, as he's within the limits of where they should be, color wise. His tail may be a bit high - again, that's difficult to tell via pictures. It should be held at a 45 degree angle. Can you get pictures taken from down at his level? From the top, straight down, so we can evaluate his frame, and from the sides, back, and front as well?

Wynette, I agree with you on all your comments, plus I also believe the male is showing a lot of wheaten influence. By this I mean a lot of brown in the lower body feathers and like you said the leggs should have some color.

 

[snowbird]

Hey Don,

I haven't been on much, but was just wondering if you have posted any photos of your chicks yet? I'm hoping to have some time to do photos after the 4th. It's been so busy I'm too tired to sleep at night.

Vicki, I have not had any weather to do the pictures. we have around 21 young males and maybe 5-6 will keep and the balance will go into the freezer. There will be some good educational pictures with Faults to post.

 

[gilavina]

Vicki, I have not had any weather to do the pictures. we have around 21 young males and maybe 5-6 will keep and the balance will go into the freezer. There will be some good educational pictures with Faults to post.

Ahh, yes, the pesky weather. We had hail yesterday here, luckily it started before I had gone outside with the camera so I didn't get stuck out in the pens and get pelted. I'm looking forward to pics. I have those 4 chicks I held back from that same place Ken had ordered from and will have to get some shots so we can compare. I have some really beefy chicks from my own stock. Just need to work on taming them down some, I just haven't had the time

 

[Wynette]

Wynette, I agree with you on all your comments, plus I also believe the male is showing a lot of wheaten influence. By this I mean a lot of brown in the lower body feathers and like you said the leggs should have some color.

I wondered about that too, Don.

labmum - take a close look at your male's wings; open them up, and look closely. Do you see any "smudgy" brown? Sort of a speckled look on the wings? Also, look at his bum feathers; do they appear dark brownish rather than charcoal/black? If so, this male may have some wheaten in his background. There are MANY out there that do, as the Wheaten was used (I believe) to help darken the egg color.

 

[Labmum2]

Thanks again Don and Wynette. Although I can't take pictures right now, I did run outside and look at him a little closer. He definitely has more than 10% copper on his breast. I don't plan to show birds and I'm just a little backyard chicken owner who has taken a real interest in black copper marans, but I would like to eventually have a nice looking flock just to simply say I have a real nice looking little flock. lol Originally I purchased 8 straight runs and SEVEN turned out to be roosters. The only hen I have is an australorp. (Culled the rest of the roosters) I currently have 9 more 4 week old chicks out in the coop and I'm waiting for 10 more from Chicken Scratch Poultry. Hopefully, I'll get some hens this time around. I'll be back tomorrow.

 

[NJchixs]

Hello every one. I just today picked up this six month old cockerel to add to some young pullets I have. A friend had gotten some chicks from marquisella and this boy she was looking to rehome. The pullets I have hatched from some nice dark eggs but I didn't want to use a related Roo. I don't see any sprigs on his comb and his eye are a nice orange/amber. Otherwise how does he look? I've tried reading the sop but having a hard time comparing that to the birds. Sorry i couldnt get better pics but he wasn't too happy with all the moving around. Thanks for all the help.

 

[TarMac]

wow he's so pretty!

 

[desertmarcy]

Here is my mahogany colored Black Copper Marans cockerel. He is around 5 to 5-1/2 months old. It was difficult to get photos, he would not stand still. Most of the photos were taken with flash, if they are dark, it is no flash. Looking for critique. Thanks in advance.

 

[ashandvine]

Chick question: Mossiness=brown down. When they feather in and show copper or mahogany 'chips' on their feathers all over is this something they molt out or is it an early sign of too much color in a bird? There isn't any specifically in their hackles or breast, but all over random. They haven't fully feathered so I am hoping that it means they are going molt out these colors like they do the white.