Marans Thread - breed discussion & pictures are welcome!

[maryhysong]

If i put the extra roos in a roo only run...will they fight each other or be ok until i find more hens to add to the flock....I can do that with a breakdown run we made when i raised quail...I just rechecked the date I got these babies there so so big but not 6 months old yet...only 4 months old...

It kind of depends on the birds, everyone is different. Your best bet is having them where they cannot see the girls that will help keep some of it down. I have four boys together that have been raised together since they were chicks, have never been separated. They are pretty good together, but they do fuss at each other once in awhile, with some sparring. I am keeping an eye on them tho in case the sparring starts to get serious. I imagine however once they are separated into breeding pens I may never be able to pen them all back together. I know with some you can and some you can't, again depends on the birds.

Seriously tho you really need to think about just ditching most of them and just keeping the best one or two. Your life will be much easier down the road and your feed bill much lower.

 

[SIMZ]

It may not be bad now, but trust me, when they really get their "rooster" on, culling them won't seem so bad. I bought 12 pullets of another breed from a TSC store and got 12 roosters. They are just hitting 6 months old, slow growers, and have become a real pain in the butt. It would probably be worst but I have some Blue Slate turkeys that are currently keeping them in line. As soon as the weather cools off they are destined for the freezer. I feel that right now they are living the good live, free ranging, etc. They will only have one bad day and I will make that one as humane as possible. Having chickens comes with making the hard choices.

X2!!!!

 

[ArkieGirl72638]

I have good luck getting my chickens from Cackle Hatchery, they do ship but are within a 2 hour drive and I love going there.It is a nice ride from Osage, Arkansas to Lebannon, Missouri. I get a chance to look around their store and always find a bargain or 2 in the process. The last time I was there I was just picking up chickens, but while looking around saw they had some Blue Slate turkeys available. I got 6, they were unsexed but I ended up with 3 hens and 3 toms. The Marans I received from them were referred to as Cukoo Marans...is that the same as the breed being discussed on this site. Mine are black and white...the hens are just so calm. I am new to the chicken game, I raised my first batch last year, Dark Brahmas (great breed also) but the rooster was a real aggressive bugger...I let everyone of my 8 dogs meet him on a 1 to 1 basis and they NEVER came within 20 feet of a chicken again. He let them know who was boss. I lost that group of birds in October to a bear...he smashed in the pen and ate all 8..caught him in the act of finishing the last one. Put my BIG dog on him and fired a couple of rounds from the shot gun in the air. It was the last time I saw him. Now I keep 2 rows of electric fencing around the pen and the coop is a section of my steel sided garage.
I want to thank all the people here who have patience to help us newbies with our questions. I have learned so much.

 

[ky chicken mom]

It kind of depends on the birds, everyone is different. Your best bet is having them where they cannot see the girls that will help keep some of it down. I have four boys together that have been raised together since they were chicks, have never been separated. They are pretty good together, but they do fuss at each other once in awhile, with some sparring. I am keeping an eye on them tho in case the sparring starts to get serious. I imagine however once they are separated into breeding pens I may never be able to pen them all back together. I know with some you can and some you can't, again depends on the birds.

Seriously tho you really need to think about just ditching most of them and just keeping the best one or two. Your life will be much easier down the road and your feed bill much lower.

I am too new to the poultry to be able to tell what a good roo is...I had put a add on BYC a few weeks ago offering some for free...nothing amounted to anyone actually wanting them...In...How to tell a Good Maran Rooster for Dummies mode...can you or anyone tell or show in pictures what to look for ...All of mine are from ---> Blue Haven Poultry <--- she has the adults on her page at bluehavenpoultry.com

 

[Dan the maran]

This is my first time writing. I have enjoyed many farm activities including sports which include horses, Hunting fishing, dogs, and now chickens.

My favorite is the Maran . The large variety of colors and very sweet dispositions of these birds and my Amercannas make them delightful pets. When I enter the barn I find my shoulders full and birds resting on my feet. If my arms are out they are never empty. Today is hatch day for one of my girls and she has not left the nest long enough to show off her new babies. Proud papa is a birchen and momma is a very lovely black tailed red hen.

I would love to ask those of you who use incubators what the best Cabinet Incubator that can be purchased. I would love to have one made but would not have a clue how to best go about finding some one to make me one. I would appreciate any suggestions you have.

 

[ashandvine]

The Marans I received from them were referred to as Cukoo Marans...is that the same as the breed being discussed on this site. Mine are black and white...the hens are just so calm. I am new to the chicken game, I raised my first batch last year, Dark Brahmas (great breed also) but the rooster was a real aggressive bugger...I let everyone of my 8 dogs meet him on a 1 to 1 basis and they NEVER came within 20 feet of a chicken again. He let them know who was boss. I lost that group of birds in October to a bear...he smashed in the pen and ate all 8..caught him in the act of finishing the last one. Put my BIG dog on him and fired a couple of rounds from the shot gun in the air. It was the last time I saw him. Now I keep 2 rows of electric fencing around the pen and the coop is a section of my steel sided garage.
I want to thank all the people here who have patience to help us newbies with our questions. I have learned so much.

WOW. a bear at your birds!? I wish I had that kind of story! And the one about the brahma teaching the dogs not to chase chickens; priceless he he he.
Cuckoo are a color variety of Marans and while the BCM get a lot of attention I like cuckoo too.
Welcome

 

[ArkieGirl72638]

Yeah, we have it all here...part of being out in the country. Bears, Bobcat, wolves, foxes, raccoon, weasel, skunks, possum, you name it there is a good chance it is here. I know the Arkansas Department of Wildlife will tell you there are NO, ABSOLUTELY NO mountain lions in our area. When I reported seeing one, they said I was mistaken and that it must be a coyote...a 3 foot animal, with a 3 foot tail in my high beams crossing the road by my house...I don't think so. After a heated debate, I just said I would shoot the nuisance "coyote" than. That statement produced a lot of hemming and hawing and back tracking..."Yes Virginia, there are Mountain Lions, Pumas,Cougars or Panthers...whatever you want to call them, in Arkansas!" I do not work out on my property, the back acreage is mountainous forest, without a gun on me at all times. If they leave me alone, I leave them alone. I am not about to get attacked by a "non existent" cat while doing chores.

Ashandvine...I love your avatar, what kind of duckling is that?

 

[rexy]

Yeah, we have it all here...part of being out in the country. Bears, Bobcat, wolves, foxes, raccoon, weasel, skunks, possum, you name it there is a good chance it is here. I know the Arkansas Department of Wildlife will tell you there are NO, ABSOLUTELY NO mountain lions in our area. When I reported seeing one, they said I was mistaken and that it must be a coyote...a 3 foot animal, with a 3 foot tail in my high beams crossing the road by my house...I don't think so. After a heated debate, I just said I would shoot the nuisance "coyote" than.  That statement produced a lot of hemming and hawing and back tracking..."Yes Virginia, there are Mountain Lions, Pumas,Cougars or Panthers...whatever you want to call them, in Arkansas!" I do not work out on my property, the back acreage is mountainous forest, without a gun on me at all times. If they leave me alone, I leave them alone. I am not about to get attacked by a "non existent" cat while doing chores.

Ashandvine...I love your avatar, what kind of duckling is that?

Man, are we boring out here? My biggest predator is my neighbors dogs!!

 

[ashandvine]

Yeah, we have it all here...part of being out in the country. Bears, Bobcat, wolves, foxes, raccoon, weasel, skunks, possum, you name it there is a good chance it is here. I know the Arkansas Department of Wildlife will tell you there are NO, ABSOLUTELY NO mountain lions in our area. When I reported seeing one, they said I was mistaken and that it must be a coyote...a 3 foot animal, with a 3 foot tail in my high beams crossing the road by my house...I don't think so. After a heated debate, I just said I would shoot the nuisance "coyote" than. That statement produced a lot of hemming and hawing and back tracking..."Yes Virginia, there are Mountain Lions, Pumas,Cougars or Panthers...whatever you want to call them, in Arkansas!" I do not work out on my property, the back acreage is mountainous forest, without a gun on me at all times. If they leave me alone, I leave them alone. I am not about to get attacked by a "non existent" cat while doing chores.

Ashandvine...I love your avatar, what kind of duckling is that?

Thank you. I started with Grey Pomeranian Saddleback Geese this year. This was my singleton this year who is now fully feathered and as big as everyone else but the pic is cute I have Marans too... trying to keep with the thread theme

We have cougar/mountain lions here too but the state still isn't acknowledging it. About half an hour from me a person's game cam caught two in broad day light strolling through the yard. SO beautiful. I understand not wanting to be a kitty snack though.

 

[naightengale]

hello everyone would yal mind helping me slim down my roos?? and give me opinions on the youngest ones. i recintly acquired a bunch of marans and id like your opinion on which would be the best to keep to use as breeders...

these are the babys few weeks old not sure exactly..thought they were roos but the more i look at them im thinking they could be a pair.(they have feathered legs and feet)







these are a bit older and are all roos one has some barring on his chest.








the one in the back is the one with the barring/lacing type pattern.


these are suppost to be 2yos (yes 3 diff birds here)





if any one needs / wants better pics of one of them let me know they were running from the camera so these were all i could get.