Marans Thread - breed discussion & pictures are welcome!

[Wynette]

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You can't tell from the picture but all but one of the hens from that hatch were quite mossy. I liked the 4mo. old better also, but so did a raccoon! It got the only hen I had planned on keeping too. But I got the raccoon, so I guess we are even.

Oh, I'm so sorry! GRRRrrrr!!! Darnit!

 

[flgardengirl]

I'm sooo happy!

One of my broody black coppers just hatched 2 of her chicks. She has one blue copper and one black copper chick so far. (I have blue coppers and blk coppers in the same pen) They are so cute! I knew she had something in there this morning when I gave her a little bit of food and she was really super nasty and had her wings spread out. Then she started making the clucking noise like when the rooster calls the hens to get a treat and looking under her wings. Later I saw the babies. I'm trying to stay out of there because I don't want to freak her out.
She has 9 more eggs including an olive egger egg and a split blk/lav orp egg I slipped under there.

I hope some more hatch.

 

[pinkchick]

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WooooWHooooot! Congrats to you and your broody!!!! Photo's are a must when you can safely approach mamma and babies!

 

[gvntofly05]

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My broody is on day 7 (I think) She started with 5 OE eggs and is down to 3. My daughter broke one on day 2 collecting eggs and she grabbed the wrong one and dropped it.

The other one got broke when another hen tried to take over the nesting box.

I was sad because it was developing good.

But this is just a trial for me. First broody! I want to see how she will do hatching and mothering.

 

[snowbird]

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Wynette , this female does not have enough Hackle color to show well at any of the larger shows. But like I have said in the past breed what you like as you are the one walking through the snow in the winter feeding and watering.

 

[snowbird]

Quote:

My broody is on day 7 (I think) She started with 5 OE eggs and is down to 3. My daughter broke one on day 2 collecting eggs and she grabbed the wrong one and dropped it.

The other one got broke when another hen tried to take over the nesting box.

I was sad because it was developing good.

But this is just a trial for me. First broody! I want to see how she will do hatching and mothering.

Just wondering how you go about Vaccinating for mareks if you use the broody hens for hatching.

 

[gvntofly05]

Quote:

My broody is on day 7 (I think) She started with 5 OE eggs and is down to 3. My daughter broke one on day 2 collecting eggs and she grabbed the wrong one and dropped it.

The other one got broke when another hen tried to take over the nesting box.

I was sad because it was developing good.

But this is just a trial for me. First broody! I want to see how she will do hatching and mothering.

Just wondering how you go about Vaccinating for mareks if you use the broody hens for hatching.

I don't currently vaccinate any of my own chicks. If someone buys chicks from me and wants them vaccinated I will do it for them but they must pay for the vaccine and the syringes.

ETA: Come spring when I am hatching 50-100 chicks at a time they will all be vaccinated. Right now it's hard for me to justify opening a 1000 dose vial of Mareks vaccine for hatches of 5-10 chicks.

 

[snowbird]

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Wynette , this female does not have enough Hackle color to show well at any of the larger shows. But like I have said in the past breed what you like as you are the one walking through the snow in the winter feeding and watering.

Hmmm...this I didn't know, Don. I may end up running two flocks, if this is the case. One for what I like, as you said, and one exhibition flock.

I'd love to see some pics of your stock - have you posted and I missed them?

I have the light box completed and will paint today or tomorrow and ad the lights. I need to make a bunch of pictures for April as I promised. Will show mostly faults as I have plenty of them on hand. Soon as I get started will post some on here, if anyone wants to see a certain fault let me know and will try and get it on the list.

 

[TurkeyMountainChickens]

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WooooWHooooot! Congrats to you and your broody!!!! Photo's are a must when you can safely approach mamma and babies!

Yay! Congrats. I love broody hens with chicks. They are so funny! And babies are so cute.

 

[shelleyb1969]

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I vaccinate all of my chicks as day olds. As for the broody chicks...I pull them from the hens within 24 hours of hatch and vaccinate them. I, personally, brood the chicks from that point on in my house. I just find that house-brooded chicks are friendlier than hen raised ones. But if I wanted (and I have), I have put the vaccinated chicks back with their vaccinated mothers for grow out.