Marans Thread - breed discussion & pictures are welcome!

[geebs]

No way... you still hatchin??? whacha got in dare?

I will share my pullet pic with you... I have about 4 really good pullets that I put in a holding pen.. as I get ones that feather out correctly they get to go into the pen... I have nine... I have one more to put in tomarrow.. that gives me over 1/2 that are what I want for next years hens... I will watch and see what I get for roos.. I hope something worthy of breeding to these pullets.

Here is a possibility.. I will watch him...He is slow to feather so I am hopeful that he will be one that will color out correctly.

Here are the other two possibilities.. These are the only three I am growing out... I am really counting on something useful

 

[kathyinmo]

Nice, yes very nice! Growing out the girls! I bet you are anxious to see what kind of egg they lay!

You know me .... I am always hatching something. Today is Silkied Ameraucanas.

 

[geebs]

Ya... I don't get too worried about it as I usually get pretty good layers of darkies... It is fun though.... I will be posting first eggs... I will be really dissappointed if I don't get good egg color as I have done all the right things... I need at least 2 good layers with great conformation to be the next step forward.

 

[kathyinmo]

How much copper do you like on the girls .... very little or moderate amounts?

 

[geebs]

Well Kathinmo I would have to say, since you asked, that I like the amount for the proposed standard which is what I have in the center of the number one picture in the most recent posting of mine. I am quite satisfied with this pullet...

Okay let me edit this.. The reason to not use a too mahogany and shiney rooster with too much BLACK would be the all black hens.. the straw hackles would creat a partidge like effect.. My bad... Sorry guys. So both would need to be rejected.. The black hens would look black but really be genetically BC and that could fowl the genepool for the black strain of marans.

Edited the following morning.. I guess i was up too late.

 

[math ace]

Quote:
Is the boric acid a powder that you mix with water? Can you get it OTC?

Boric acid is found in Borax as in the powdered laundry detergent. I haven't used it on mites but I know people who use it to kill fleas by sprinkling it on thier carpets, leaving overnight and vaccuuming up the next day. I have heard it is also good to kill roaches if you place some in a little dish up high in the cupboards where they can get to it but the other pets and small children can't.

BORAX is a laundry detergent that can be sprinkled on your carpets and then vacumned up every few days to kill fleas and their eggs - - it dries out their shells.

Boric acid (used in BORAX ) is sold as a powder and used to kill roaches. It is to be dusted - - lightly, very lightly, - - - along the baseboards to kill ROACHES

. The roaches walk through it and then take it back to the nest clean their legs and ingest it. Then they DIE

BOTH products work very well.

 

[math ace]

I went to bed last night reading this thread and woke up this morning reading this thread. I am up to page 23.

I must go run some errands, so don't get to carried away with the posting. I will try to digest the remaing pages when I return.

 

[snowbird]

Quote:
Shelley, at MSU it was explained to me unless you had a sterile environment to keep the chicks in it would be a waste of time to vaccinate them after 24 hours.

I did a lot of research before I chose to begin vaccinating my flock and found many different beliefs in regards to Marek's and vaccinations. Do you know if there's any documentation in regards to research done by MSU to substantiate their beliefs? Please don't take this as me being stubborn and non-conceding.

I'm just wondering since there's so many differing opinions on the matter, by both experienced professionals and backyard poultry breeders. It would be nice if there was something published in regards to an actual research project that has been done.

Shelley, I have been to MSU a few times for the Pollurium certifying and their is a chance to ask all the big wigs questions during and after.Sometimes they also have small clinics after the certifying group. When I talked to Dr. Fulton he stated to me that all poultry in the worl should be vaccinated for Mareks as it has been in epidemic proportions in lots of areas. Mareks is the only vaccination they recommend unless you will be exposing your fowl to areas like shows where you will be exposed to various disease.

Probably the powder form of Mareks is because the wafer product was unavailable for a while and some of the supply people used it to get rid of the powder. The best time to order the Mareks vaccine is in cold weather and I order a bottle for every week that I plan on hatching. Hope this is what you are looking for. There has always been lots of disease at shows in our area. Most shows you can walk into the building and smell Coryza soon as you are around the sale bird area. All for now.

 

[snowbird]

Quote:
Is there proof available to back up these statements you are using. I disagree with all of this because I have made the matings and have the proof. The problems with making these statements on what someone says is that people will listen to what you are saying and dispose of some good Marans. Just like any show fowl you most often do not get real good colored fowl by breeding two real good colored birds together. You must have a balance on each side to bring them together. I totally disagree with you on this because I know for a fact that it is not factual. Stepping down.

 

[pinkchick]

geebs~

I really really really like that pullet in the center of the first photo with the darker hackles. If she ever comes up missing you probably won't have to drive any further than my house to find her.