Marans Thread - breed discussion & pictures are welcome!

[Lotsapaints]

Quote:

I had one pullet that waited for 24 weeks others that started at 21 weeks I've also read on here people waiting 8 months for them to start thank goodness I didn't have to wait that long. WE love pictures.

ON Pink is the greatest with the blue color I too am very glad she's willing to share what has worked for her.

 

[math ace]

WELCOME IVYWOODS

I've briefly scanned the last 5 pages and feel like I just entered a college level course in breeding. The problem is that I NEVER graduated from the High School level course in breeding.

You are some very WISE

folks, I however am a Babe in the woods and can not follow a word being spoken

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IVYWOODS - -- there are no apa standards yet. There are proposed standards for the marans that are close to being finalized - -- but no official standards yet.

 

[shelleyb1969]

For all you WONDERFUL Maran gurus...I have a question.

How important is culling for disposition? In other words...should birds with very aggressive behavior and dispositions be culled, even though they may be good quality? I enforce a 0 tolerance policy when it comes to aggressive behavior in roosters. I feel that future offspring has nothing to gain by inheriting that quality. Is this trait being considered in anyone's Maran breeding program? To my recollection, I don't recall it even being mentioned in the thread before. I'm just curious how you folks view the topic since the breed isn't APA recognized yet.

 

[Ivywoods]

Thank you for the welcome. I've been doing a little more reading and will continue to do so. I found a page with the "French Standard" and have made a link to that.

I am curious, however. Many people here refer to "too many points" on the combs, indicating that 5 is ideal. I wonder where that comes from. I'm going to have to go count points! I have about 8 roosters to choose from, and I want to pick what would be best for my girls for next spring. I have one rooster with a particularly floppy comb, so I think I have eliminated him. Other than that, I haven't got a clue which one would be best.

I have a new camera ordered to replace my broken one. When it comes in about a week, perhaps I can post pictures of all my boys and the more experienced people here can help me decide. Guess I will have to band and number them, too.

 

[Debbi]

shelleyb1969 ,

In my opinion, and mine doesn't matter much here

, the roo in question or pullet for that matter, had better be darned near PERFECT for me to put up with an obnoxious attitude! I sure wouldn't want that nasty trait passed on the the next generation, UNLESS the birds were close to perfection. Then some heavy duty personal attention would be "impressed" on them as a daily routine! Just MY opinion, others will chime in here for sure!

EDITED: That said, tonight I went out to the run before putting them up for the night. I picked up the roo (13 weeks) to check him out and just to pet him and in turn make him submit to me. Well, the pullets were very concerned tonight, as this is the first time I had sat down in a chair with him. He, the roo, was fine, the pullets were VERY upset! I guess they saw their leader as being put in a vulnerable position, or that they saw him as getting all the attention?? Once I let go of the roo, one of the dominant pullets came up to me, and I picked her up too. I could always pet her, but breifly, but this time I got to hold her. I could tell she didn't like it, but she was NOT going to let her time be less than the roo's time! How funny they are!

 

[Debbi]

Quote:
Ivywoods, The ideal of 5 points comes from the French and also the US "proposed" standard. This breed has not yet been APA approved, so the standard of perfection is still yet "proposed". Go to this link to read the "proposed" standard of the breed. Check out the "color varities" for the specific color standards.

http://www.maransusa.org/

 

[Lotsapaints]

Quote:
It will come to you one day math ace I remember reading color genetic stuff over and over again and just not getting it (for horses) looking at all those letters and thinking it was Greek or something then one day the light started to flicker and soon it came on. I've been reading the chicken ones there are more combos but it works similar I'll get it figured out someday..until then I have help from here

 

[shelleyb1969]

Quote:
Thanks for your input, Debbi. That's what I'm trying to figure out with this breed. Let's just say for conversation's sake that someone does have a perfect rooster, but he has an incredibly nasty disposition. Is the disposition of future offspring being disregarded in efforts to produce "perfect" birds? I'm no expert, but somewhere down the line that trait is going to rear it's very ugly head and a whole 'nother can o'worms must be dealt with. It's my belief that there's just too many nice roosters out there to be dealing with one obnoxious jerk of a rooster...and I tell all of my bad boy roosters that just before they head to freezer camp.

 

[Debbi]

Quote:
Thanks for your input, Debbi. That's what I'm trying to figure out with this breed. Let's just say for conversation's sake that someone does have a perfect rooster, but he has an incredibly nasty disposition. Is the disposition of future offspring being disregarded in efforts to produce "perfect" birds? I'm no expert, but somewhere down the line that trait is going to rear it's very ugly head and a whole 'nother can o'worms must be dealt with. It's my belief that there's just too many nice roosters out there to be dealing with one obnoxious jerk of a rooster...and I tell all of my bad boy roosters that just before they head to freezer camp.

That's just MY opinion, but I sure as heck wouldn't want that trait to pop it's head up in future generations! This is supposed to be a "Docile" breed, and that is what I expect! JMHO

 

[Debbi]

Quote:
It will come to you one day math ace I remember reading color genetic stuff over and over again and just not getting it (for horses) looking at all those letters and thinking it was Greek or something then one day the light started to flicker and soon it came on. I've been reading the chicken ones there are more combos but it works similar I'll get it figured out someday..until then I have help from here

MATHACE

Well, if you are a math ace, just look at it like Algebra! I am NO math ace, ever! Still can't see Algebra in my every day life, but then again, didn't see chicken genetics there either!

Go with the flow baby!