Marans Thread - breed discussion & pictures are welcome!

[ChuskaMtns]

Hey everyone.
Does marans need more humidity than others to hatch?

It depends on your ambient humidity. I live in the very dry desert so I set my humidity at 65% for the entire hatch. I get 100% hatch rates using my bird's eggs. I use a GQF Sportsman incubator. You have to take into account your location, as humidity varies, type of incubator, still air or fan, etc.

 

[scflock]

Lol , I thought it was the opposite. Luckily I had some of my mixed eggs in there. Lock down 2 days ago and they are hatching nicely.
What's the difference between feathers legs and not. I'm getting both. I really don't mind, I just want colorful eggs when collecting. Yet it's good to know.

I agree with the posters above. I have read many people that say you need a higher humidity, and that may work for some people, but lower works better for me. All of my breeds except the marans hatch well at 38-40% humidity. I tried the marans first at that, and had a lot of fully developed, but unhatched chicks. I dropped to 28-30%, even running dry in the summer, and started getting an 85% hatch rate. No one number is the gospel for everyone, but that is what works for me.

It depends on your ambient humidity. I live in the very dry desert so I set my humidity at 65% for the entire hatch. I get 100% hatch rates using my bird's eggs. I use a GQF Sportsman incubator. You have to take into account your location, as humidity varies, type of incubator, still air or fan, etc.

Totally agree

 

[snowbird]

SC, if anyone would like to see what a BC Males is supposed to look like go to the Marans Fanciers FB page and you will see a BC Marans male from France that is what they are supposed to look like.

 

[texasmarans]

That was a pretty heavy thread. I guess we're calling a do-over!! I am just a backyard chicken owner that has one lovely FBCM that has not started laying yet. I beilieve she is 21 weeks now, but I didn't hatch her so I"m not excatly sure. When do they usually start laying?

 

[texasmarans]

Debbi - AWE....poor little lonely chick.  Fingers crossed you get more!


For those interested in showing, here is the point system French Black Coppers will be judged on:


Symmetry  4

Weight or size  4

Condition & vigor  10

Comb  5

Beak  3

Skull & face  4

Eyes  4

Wattles  2

Earlobes  4

Neck  6

Back  12

Tail  8

Wings  8

Breast  10

Body & fluff  8

Legs & toes 8


chics in the sun - your girl should begin laying soon!  Mine normally start aroudn 21-22 weeks, generally.

 

[texasmarans]

Hi everyone!
It is my understanding that the cockerels have feathering down the outside of the legs but not the hens. Mine were hatched mid-May and began laying in December. (BCM)

I was kinda scared to post in the other thread, but it was pretty interesting reading.  Thanks for starting a new Marans thread though.  /img/smilies/smile.png


I have fallen in love with this breed - my little BCMs are only about 10 weeks old, but they're a pleasure to have in the flock.  I'm not going to be breeding these particular birds since they don't have the feathered legs BUT they sure are turning out to be beautiful.  Does anyone actually favor the clean legs even though it isn't included in the proposed standard?



Again, thanks for starting the Marans thread again.

 

[KirstieJG]

Here in the UK the british marans breed is a clean legged breed and is judged as such, I believe. The French Marans, obviously with the french town of Marans being where the breed originated, should have the feathered legs. At least that is what i have read.

 

[dolfi]

Here in the UK the british marans breed is a clean legged breed and is judged as such, I believe.  The French Marans, obviously with the french town of Marans being where the breed originated, should have the feathered legs.  At least that is what i have read.

Thank you. So what I need to decide is which one is like best.

 

[forgetful]

The United States follows the French standard and calls for feathered shanks

 

[Wynette]

The United States follows the French standard and calls for feathered shanks

That's not exactly true - we used the French standard as a basis for the American standard, but they are not exactly the same.