Marans Thread - breed discussion & pictures are welcome!

[geebs]

Here is something to ponder folks... Let's throw this into the mental melting pot and see what cooks out.

Those of you that have had birds a while might get this... Why is it that the birds with the most diverse genetic base and less than great conformation tend to have the darkest eggs... Birds with partridge, or mossy, or other genetic defects stacked on top of each other???

Splash birds lay the lightest... what is the link... what is the possible linK? There has to be some kind of connection between color on the outside and color coming from the inside.... You start culling out some of the genetic defect and you lose the color... Experts... can we have some theories please.

 

[snowbird]

Quote:
I am not by any means a expert , but the Dark egg laying Marans were bred for Dark eggs with no Type considered. Then the Club came along and everyone realized they had to have better Type if they were going to compete in the shows. I also think the little narrow Back females had something to do with the dark eggs. Smaller birds so longer to get out of the spray booth.

 

[Wynette]

Don, I totally agree with you - as well with Walt! I am happy to say that most of my dealings with BYC folks have been fantastic - folks are typically very willing to disclose their breeding practices and answer any questions I have. I so appreciate that! I am actually tickled when folks ask me similar questions - makes it seem all worth the hours and hours I spend documenting!

Detox? Nah...just roll with it, Don!

 

[ruth]

Quote:
Where are these threads some of you are referencing? I would love to read them. What new shades and colors of BCMs?????????

Are you talking about the Olive Egger Thread? I'm on that one and did get my olive eggers by crossing BCMs and EEs and did recently post that I was working on my own little "breed", for lack of a better term, that are blue, with muffs and lay dark olive eggs - but that's just for fun and not a single bird looks like a BCM or could be confused with one. The roo that looks like pure BCM has a pea comb and I've only gotten one of those.

For the record, I've never added any birds back into my BCM breeder pens, not even their own offspring - still the original 40+ birds I got directly and indirectly from Wade Jeane and have never mixed their bloodline and will never mix it.

I do agree with you all that the "surprises" and inconsistencies that are popping up are a result of mixing multiple bloodlines and other breeds. Some of these new "lines" have only been around a few years and they were obtained by mixing other breeds.

I've stayed out of these discussions for fear of stepping on toes so I'm interested to see this topic finally being discussed.

 

[Wynette]

For sure, there are two schools of thought - those folks who believe you must maintain lines, and those who feel a more diverse genetic base is helpful. I, for one, do both. I have pure birds from three different lines. However, I get the very best hatchability when I cross my lines - PURE LINES of the SAME BREED that is. I see nothing wrong with crossing lines of the the same breed/color - JMO. When I had pures, my hatchability (in ALL the pure lines) was quite poor. I truly wish I could have stayed with pure lines, but it would do me nor my customers any good to get only a couple to hatch from a full 12+ order of eggs.

Ruth - I'm a little confused on your comment "I've never added any birds back into my BCM breeder pens, not even their own offspring....." How then, do you keep that line going? I must be missing something...I mean, eventually, your hens are going to be too old to lay or roos too old to breed, right?

I also don't think there's a thing wrong with trying to develop a "mutt" breed such as the "olive egger" - I think so long as folks are transparent & tell what the breeding is, that should in no way interfere with exhibition quality breeders. JMO!!!

 

[Debbi]

Wynette,

I agree with you there. I intend on keeping one line seperate from the rest and pure, once I get it. Then I intend to breed the best to the best of the different lines. I feel, you can only do so much when you only breed one line for too long, then your stuff becomes stagnant. The point is in trying to improve qualities from one generation to the next. If you keep breeding the same to the same, wherein lies any change, either for the good or bad? Unless you have perfection with a single line, I would be inclined to experiment to see if you can't do better. I am talking same breeds here, no introduction of different breeds!

 

[snowbird]

I do not try and breed within a certain line of BC or Wheaten as there are not really that many different lines in the first place. I will use Marans as long as they will get me to the point in type I am looking for. I want a big top of the weight marans with Type and broad chest, broad back with good length, good width between the legs. I have raised the female with this in this breeding season. I will never feed a 5 pound cock bird or a three pound hen.

You have to either have several breeding groups or eventually you will have to bring in new blood, If you do bring new blood try and get something related to your flock if at all possible.

 

[math ace]

Quote:
when i bought my birds i was told they were wade jeane line, but not until i asked. i assume the old lady was telling me the truth because she didn't have any idea what that meant, lol, and she raised a dozen varieties of birds, not a FCBM connoisseur.. i have no idea beyond what i was told. i did take pics of the eggs mine came from (quite dark, some were 6s for sure) and of the breeding flock before i bought them, if you'd like to see the ancestry. may i ask, why do you ask?

Each breeders birds looks different . . . I am working on refining my eye for the birds. Your girl reminded me of the wade jean line and that was why I asked - - - Just to see how good I am getting at this . . . .

 

[math ace]

Quote:
Go SLOW girl - - I can't follow all this - - -Clearify plese - - Does this mean you cross the davis and wade lines ? ?

CROSSING LINES - - what does that mean ? ?

Is there a dictionary around for marans ? ?

 

[pawtraitart]

I'm new to marans and am excited to get to work! I had very limited success in hatching good quality birds so in the end I have only one rooster that I feel is worth working with next season. He has a solid black chest and light feathering on his shanks and down the outside toe. (He is 5 months old)

Can I get some expert opinions on how I can build a flock out of what I have? What hens would you pair this guy with to make improvements? I know it's going to take many generations to get where I want to be. Please forgive the scattered feathers on the ground. Everyone is going through a molt.