Marans Thread - breed discussion & pictures are welcome!

[berkeleysprings]

So sorry pink about your loss !

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

Hi Ihilani and Ray!

Hope both of you are doing great!


Hoping very soon to have some baby Marans running around this place again thanks to 2 very good chicken friends. Can't wait to have some fuzzy butts and get started rebuilding my flock.

I am glad to see that you are getting some new babies!

Just stopped in to say hi and to say I am sorry for your losses.

 

[Zanna]

Heat wave today in Oregon

Two days ago I lost a very nice Black Copper Marans Cock, 3 years old. 9AM he was completely normal, 2 PM dead. No blood, visible anything, in a large breeder pen all by himself. Decided to take him to OSU for a necropsy, DH was heading that way the next morning so it was easy to do. I have lost very few birds over the years and have never taken one in before but this guy was special so I wanted to know if there was anything to be found. With this frigid weather I have been feeding lots of extra protein (venison scraps, fish meal, etc.) and fats (oil in feed, meat fats) and was worried being an older bird that I had overdone it and his kidneys had given out.

OSU just called and he had simply inhaled a pea into his trachea. Random fluky thing. I am still bummed but very relieved. He was healthy, parasite free, good condition. Really helps to hear all of that. So glad I sent him in.

Sometimes they just die, all kinds of things can "glitch" as well as disease. Glad to know why this boy did! In this case the necropsy was conclusive which they sometimes are not.

 

[Ihilani Coffee]

Heat wave today in Oregon

Two days ago I lost a very nice Black Copper Marans Cock, 3 years old. 9AM he was completely normal, 2 PM dead. No blood, visible anything, in a large breeder pen all by himself. Decided to take him to OSU for a necropsy, DH was heading that way the next morning so it was easy to do. I have lost very few birds over the years and have never taken one in before but this guy was special so I wanted to know if there was anything to be found. With this frigid weather I have been feeding lots of extra protein (venison scraps, fish meal, etc.) and fats (oil in feed, meat fats) and was worried being an older bird that I had overdone it and his kidneys had given out.

OSU just called and he had simply inhaled a pea into his trachea. Random fluky thing. I am still bummed but very relieved. He was healthy, parasite free, good condition. Really helps to hear all of that. So glad I sent him in.

Sometimes they just die, all kinds of things can "glitch" as well as disease. Glad to know why this boy did! In this case the necropsy was conclusive which they sometimes are not.

So sorry to hear. I know sometimes they have heart attacks and such and it is always a shock. I hope you have a backup and this doesn't set you back too much--you have such nice birds! We have two BCM and two BBS males...one too many. I am somehow reluctant to let one go yet...they are all under a year and I would prefer to wait until I can evaluate some offspring.

 

[DMRippy]

Quote:
Smart to hold on to them. I am and have been holding onto roos JUST IN CASE.

Man chickens get into more trouble.....who would have thought a PEA. Sorry for your lose and I too HOPE you have a back up. ....

I need a bachelor pen for backups. I just need 2-3 extra roos of every breed/color so that would be..... lets see I know I don't KNOW how many breeds I really have.... I did a count a few months ago and I would need 26 breeding pens and I think that might be a little more or less now. So that would about 30-45 extra roos LOL....

 

[Zanna]

Smart to hold on to them. I am and have been holding onto roos JUST IN CASE.

Man chickens get into more trouble.....who would have thought a PEA. Sorry for your lose and I too HOPE you have a back up. ....

I need a bachelor pen for backups. I just need 2-3 extra roos of every breed/color so that would be..... lets see I know I don't KNOW how many breeds I really have.... I did a count a few months ago and I would need 26 breeding pens and I think that might be a little more or less now. So that would about 30-45 extra roos LOL....

I still have his son not from my breeding (purchased) and a 7 month old son of my breeding and 10 others growing out so all is ok. Just bummed that I won't be breeding his best daughters back to him. I do need to give you a big THANK YOU Donna............. early in the season when I was getting rid of all the cockeral offspring from my matings (sent over 75 to auction, some nice ones), you reminded me in a post that anything could happen and you should always keep backups. At the time I figured I would probably be fine with the Dad and Son for this season but decided to grow out a few out anyways. Kept the one and still have a few growing out. A very important reminder to all that anything can happen, even a pea

 

[DMRippy]

Quote:
Good! I am glad you listened. I learned the hard way. I may not have a backup of breeding age but I always have some young ones growing out. I was going through one brooder today and found a couple that should go. 1 is a must go. Legs way to light and no feathers either. Not sure how he lasted this long except I have been busy. One is black and is showing some purple sheen. I will keep him a bit longer but he will surely not make it much further. I will let him molt but doubt it will go.

 

[snowbird]

Quote:
Good! I am glad you listened. I learned the hard way. I may not have a backup of breeding age but I always have some young ones growing out. I was going through one brooder today and found a couple that should go. 1 is a must go. Legs way to light and no feathers either. Not sure how he lasted this long except I have been busy. One is black and is showing some purple sheen. I will keep him a bit longer but he will surely not make it much further. I will let him molt but doubt it will go.
Donna, A couple of pointers on keeping extra males for breeding or selling.Just as soon as my male of any breed start to get rambuctous, I single pen all of them. If you watch them they will really blossum out when they have their own cage and do not have to fight of anyone else. I have still several of the 4x4 and 3x4 moveable cages and the young males look so much better in these. You will find that their feathers will also look great doing thing this way.. When I raised all the Brahma Bantams I kept them in the barrel cages.

 

[DMRippy]

I know you are right on that Don. I have a little roo that has been in quarantine and he is lots bigger than the other roos in grow out pens. I REALLY need to build some pens for rooster. When we are done moving and such MAYBE I will have some time to devote to some projects like that. I HATE having to feed a bunch of SINGLE pens. I will need to find a way to make that part easier. We have stream lined feeding and watering so that I can be done in less than 45 mins if I have to.

 

[vebyrd36]

Hello everyone; Some pics of my birds. Pinkchick how are you??
Vivi