Marans Thread - breed discussion & pictures are welcome!

[DMRippy]

I spent a lot of time and then money to add FBCMs to my small back yard flock.  Had 12 chicks shipped last spring.  Two died over the next 2 months 3 were hens and the rest roos.  Although I was told all of the breeding flock roos were nice (culled anything mean) all of the roosters eventually got rowdy.  I didn't keep any of them but gave them to ppl for their flocks and have kept up with them.

One was killed by a predator.  (We free range)  The eggs of the other 2 eventually started having meat spots; bad enough that I stopped giving them to ppl.  One started getting a swollen belly (assuming Ascites) but is still laying almost every day but the yolks are so rubbery, I now give feed those eggs to my dogs. 

The last Marans apparently went broody.  She disappeared and I thought her dead but she has a nest in a thick patch of ferns behind the house and we see her once a day.

I'm no longer interested in keeping Marans.  The sick one will be culled and the broody hen will either be re-homed or culled. I already have 2 other broody hens and they are all going.  I only have room for a small flock and having hens hatching chicks every year has really caused problems although I absolutely love watching the process.

If I had a barn or some other large accommodations, it wouldn't matter so much.  Anyway...venting cause I'm so disappointed in the ones I purchased. 

So, is my broody Marans a fluke or is it common for them to go broody?  Ugggg... and I'm constantly worried about her and soon the chicks...never had them outside the coop/run like that.

they go bloody a lot! I had 7 in one nest box a few weeks ago and. 3 in the other 2 nest boxes. they are determined broodies too.

Sorry you are having so many problems. only have had one aggressive roo....dinner not long after. too. I had issues in my first marans with meat spots too but it cleared up and the subsequent generations have not had them at all.

 

[DMRippy]

Kim, Vicki I posted pics on FB if you will go look please. I can't post from my phone on here.

 

[Zanna]

If the Mulberry or Gypsy face goes away by the time they reach sexual maturity, why does the SOP matter?

Whats the average age of a bird when you first start showing them?

Just curious.

Hi Kim, I would agree with this but the ones I have with it are not going away. The pullet I posted a pic. of is almost a year old and has been laying for 5 mos.

 

[Zanna]

Okay this is a term I haven't heard. Does it mean dark through and through? Thanks for the comparison and thanks DM for the info. I will have to see what happens here. I think Pink Chick makes a good point about developments up to sexual maturity. When raising certain breeds you HAVE to wait at least a year and sometimes two to really see what you have so the idea of culling so early for anything not a clear DQ seems a little aggressive to me.

I believe the Mulberry or Gypsy face is only referring to the face/comb/wattles dark purple approaching black, not the whole bird. Just read my SOP: it is found in the face and wattles of silkies, sumatras, birchen and brown red modern games and some in sebrights. Not ok on Marans. Here are comparison pics. of the heads of two of my pullets, 1st one gypsy faced (SOP calls it Gypsy Colour even though it just refers to the head) and the other is not. Both these girls are laying and mature, almost a year old. Cropping and enlarging the head shots makes them blurry, sorry. Maybe someone else with more info/experience with this will give us some more info......... Anyone???

 

[hannakat]

Thanks DMRippy! Wish I was breeding them now I'm glad the meat spots cleared up for you. Ahhh .... chickens....what to do

 

[DMRippy]

Thanks DMRippy!  Wish I was breeding them now   I'm glad the meat spots cleared up for you.  Ahhh .... chickens....what to do 

 

if I were you I would try again. Marans are a work in progress and sometimes you just need the right starting point. lots of culling is still needed. if you want to breed them they are not the easy chickens some think. if you just want dark egg layers that is a different mind set..... I am sure you know how that goes.

 

[Brada Puhi]

Okay this is a term I haven't heard. Does it mean dark through and through? Thanks for the comparison and thanks DM for the info. I will have to see what happens here. I think Pink Chick makes a good point about developments up to sexual maturity. When raising certain breeds you HAVE to wait at least a year and sometimes two to really see what you have so the idea of culling so early for anything not a clear DQ seems a little aggressive to me.

Amen!

 

[hannakat]

Yea..I just wanted to add that color to my egg basket. Thank you for letting me cry on your shoulder!

 

[Wynette]

Regarding Marans being broody - I have only had one Black Copper go broody in over 7 years of breeding them. I'm not sure if it's my line, or what. I absolutely love broodies & hatch with them whenever I can...sure wish I could get some broodies in my Marans pen!

 

[DMRippy]

Regarding Marans being broody - I have only had one Black Copper go broody in over 7 years of breeding them. I'm not sure if it's my line, or what. I absolutely love broodies & hatch with them whenever I can...sure wish I could get some broodies in my Marans pen!

when I bought my Marans their mother's were bloody and I have had broodies every since. they seem to make it a group effort. one of my original hens has never gone bloody. I am going to use her for some single ratings in a few weeks......maybe her daughtersbwill not be so bloody. I kinda figure if they go bloody I don't get as many eggs from them to hatch and will kinda breed away from it. I personally don't use broodies I just don't have room to keep them in pens away from the rest of the flock.