Marans Thread - breed discussion & pictures are welcome!

[desertmarcy]

Thanks for the input! I thought it sounded high, but then again, I am a newbie. The ad says they're "show quality" but I'm just interested in the pretty eggs.

At that age, "show quality" means "show quality POTENTIAL". Breeders of any variety of show quality chickens know there are always culls that won't make the cut for show or breeding.
Ask the people if they have any "culls" they would sell for less, just for layers. Defects that can be culled for early on that won't affect them as layers include clean legs, poor leg feathering, crooked toes; some people may cull early for overmelanized (solid black) color. Anybody else have things they can cull for early? Although the color can develop later on, with mine, if they have absolutely no color by 3 months, they are not likely to have the correct copper hackle color. If they tell you none of their birds are culls, they are all show quality: move on to someone else because they are lying IMO unless they already culled any bird with obvious defects. Of course the things that are culled for may not show up until the birds are older.

 

[desertmarcy]

Those are awesome! I had added some, what I guess to be, early drafts to my post, but they didn't appear. The ones you posted are much nicer and much more descriptive. They also portray the breed as a bit heavier than the ones I found. Do you know when the next book will be released?

I believe it is published every 10 years, so that would make it 2020. Someone correct me if I am wrong.

 

[Turkeytruff]

I think it depends on the quality of the bird and it is hard to tell on a 2-3 month old. $25 seems a little high to me for that age unless they are from show-winning parents and the offspring are so far looking good. I just sold one today, 3 months old, for $15.

Up here on Vancouver Island, fertilized eggs are $55/ dozen for BCMs and day old unsexed BCM chicks go for $15. I have been lucky this year and am growing out some pullets and wouldn't sell them for less than $50 - IF I would sell them at all. They are in high demand here.

 

[Zanna]

Up here on Vancouver Island, fertilized eggs are $55/ dozen for BCMs and day old unsexed BCM chicks go for $15. I have been lucky this year and am growing out some pullets and wouldn't sell them for less than $50 - IF I would sell them at all. They are in high demand here.

Wow! I grew up in Vancouver and my 9 year old nephew who lives there has a few chickens. Sounds like I need to take him some hatching eggs on my next trip up, he's quite creative at making money already

In Oregon, I have sold my day old chicks for $6 - $8/each depending on my breedings, and POL pullets/young hens for $15 - $20 depending on quality and egg colour if known.

Currently I am working on breeding a recessive white gene out of my flock and am not selling anything other than what I classify as "pet" quality layers until I know that I have this gene gone.

 

[desertmarcy]

Up here on Vancouver Island, fertilized eggs are $55/ dozen for BCMs and day old unsexed BCM chicks go for $15. I have been lucky this year and am growing out some pullets and wouldn't sell them for less than $50 - IF I would sell them at all. They are in high demand here.

Well you better sell as many chicks as you can now because sooner or later, like all things that start ridiculously high, the crash is coming.

 

[devo52]

So I just hatched out 26 marans (black copper blue and cukoo) my question is how do I tell the difference in the black coppers and cukoo say 4 days old they all look alike

 

[ladycat]

So I just hatched out 26 marans (black copper blue and cukoo) my question is how do I tell the difference in the black coppers and cukoo say 4 days old they all look alike

The cuckoos have a whitish spot on top of their heads.

 

[DMRippy]

So I just hatched out 26 marans (black copper blue and cukoo) my question is how do I tell the difference in the black coppers and cukoo say 4 days old they all look alike

Cuckoos don't look ANYTHING like Coppers at hatch.

These are coppers







These are Cuckoos








Cuckoos have the barring gene and all should have a spot on their head.

 

[devo52]

Ohh ok I was informed they both do thanks so much this helps so much I am selling them at an auction Friday and I wanted to make sure I identify them right. What about sexing any obvious ways in these breeds. Oh here in Louisiana we are lucky to get 6.00 per chick

 

[DMRippy]

Ohh ok I was informed they both do thanks so much this helps so much I am selling them at an auction Friday and I wanted to make sure I identify them right. What about sexing any obvious ways in these breeds. Oh here in Louisiana we are lucky to get 6.00 per chick

No you can't sex them. Cuckoo can be sexed with some experience but I can't do it with confidence so you probably shouldn't either.