Marans Thread - breed discussion & pictures are welcome!

[Wynette]

geebsie, you can hold Rudy any time - just hop on a plane directed to Michigan!

I don't know that it's extra bloom, because at least the one that I had, did not feel like bloom when I'd wash them; they were not "slippery" like bloom feels when you wash an egg. But, I could be wrong. They sure were pretty!

 

[pinkchick]

Emu!

My neighbor had a mating pair and for 2 years she kept asking me to try and hatch some out. This year I finally agreed to try some for her. They lay every 3rd day during their lay cycle and it seemed like it took forever to gather 7 eggs, unfortunately her female only gave her 15 eggs this year and then passed away. The last 7 she gave me to hatch out, did not, probably because they were her last 7 eggs just before she abruptly stopped laying and died, I am sure that is why they didn't hatch as the female was sick and my neighbor didn't know, as she didn't show any symptoms. I was not about to open those eggs up to see why because I suspect after 50 some days of cookin' in the 'bator it was probably best not to........

 

[daegorn]

Thanks Pink! My son wants two now. That face was made for that post!

 

[BevDavis]

Quote:
Hi

A bird with the dwarfing gene looks like a standard bird with shorter legs. A bantam is a small version of a standard bird.

Bev

I can tell you from personal experience that a dwarf does not look like a standard bird with shorter legs. I have had 3 dwarf Delawares ..... they have more than short legs! They also have larger heads, the eyes are not right, the beak isn't either. The feather quality is poor, etc..... I could go on and on....

My understanding is that they have to get a double dose of the dwarfing gene; one from each parent.

These chicks looked perfectly normal when hatched. All of these things "developed." (the feet too)

http://i847.photobucket.com/albums/ab31/kathyinmo/12-20-09 Delaware comparison/12-20-09038.jpg

http://i847.photobucket.com/albums/ab31/kathyinmo/12-20-09 Delaware comparison/12-20-09034.jpg

http://i847.photobucket.com/albums/ab31/kathyinmo/12-20-09 Delaware comparison/12-20-09025.jpg

http://i847.photobucket.com/albums/ab31/kathyinmo/12-20-09 Delaware comparison/12-20-09084.jpg

Hi

I have just been reading up on the dwarfing gene and it appears that there is more than one. I did find the one that I had come across. None of the other dwarfing genes mentioned malformations but the size of the birds were reduced in size.

Bev

 

[geebs]

The article I posted (link) stated that there were cases of the dw gene not the dw3 (which is bantam) that could create problems not only with the crooked toes/crossbeak and large heads but also of poor hatch rates due to the size of the eggyolk that needed to be absorbed the last day... So they would pip and die.. I found that fascinating. I wonder how many of the hatcheries buy dw birds that appear as bantam (dw3) and have issues... Well enough of the hijacking.. thanks all... I think we were originally trying to figure out which (male or hen) had the most to say about the size of the bird.. For bantam all the articles say that the rooster downsizes when he is bantam.... I don't know which regulates it for LF. If someone finds out please let us know...

 

[BevDavis]

Quote:
Hi

I had a hen that laid the prettiest mauve egg and tried my hardest to hatch them to start a line but never could. Did the off spring from that hen lay the same colored eggs they came from? In the second year that hen laid the same colored eggs as all the other, it was strange!

Bev

Bev,

I did finally get a few to hatch earlier this year after many attempts. One of her offspring lays the same colored eggs but she doesn't lay like that everyday like her mother did. I have yet to get a photo of one of them from my best friend who has her. I only hatched them to see if it would pass on to the babies, one out of 4 or 5 isn't bad, but of course it had to be the one the one chick I gave away. Now if I could get my dear friend to give her back to me for some more tests that would be great but she is like geebs and very protective of her and won't let me near her without supervision because she knows I'll toss her in my truck and take her home.

Silly me I gave her, the original hen, to a man and his developmentally disabled adult son who fell in love with the "white speckled bird" as he called her, she was very friendly and he wanted to hold a chicken so I let him hold her........needless to say it was over right then and the smile on his face while he was sitting there contently petting "Indy" (short for Independence as she hatched on the 4th of July) did me in.....I knew he had to take this bird home, lol, he wouldn't let his dad put her in the carrier......she was going to ride home in his lap, but thankfully dad prevailed. I heard from them about a month ago and she is still laying that purplish egg.

Here is one of her eggs (far left) that I would get almost daily from her. Apologies to those of you that have seen these before, but Bev wasn't on the forum when we had this discussion about the purplish eggs in the other thread.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/11170_imgp5910.jpg
Here's one that she gave me that was as white as could be but you can see the color under one of the scratches.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/11170_imgp6160.jpg
Far left of the photo are some of the last eggs that I got from her and put in the 'bator......wouldn't you know it but the last attempt at hatching some of her eggs I would get a few babies, but only one has continued on with Mamma's egg color.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/11170_imgp6180.jpg

Hi

Thanks for sharing the pictures and information. I havent got that hen any more but I have heard of others that have had eggs like that as well from Marans.

Bev

 

[BevDavis]

Quote:
Hi

That egg is very much like the one I used to get as well.

Bev

 

[pinkchick]

Chooks~ lol.......I was one of those peeps too! I loved that avatar Wynette.

Here are some random photos of the some of the babies from GFF. They will be 3 mos old next week. I know they are young and I know more photos at different angles are necessary but just want to hear whatch'ya all have to say thus far, all comments are greatly appreciated and I do not EVER take offense at any insights or opinions offered when I post photos of birds or eggs...... so feel free to fire away everyone.

Will work on trying to get photos of the rest them up soon.

First things first..........The "Golden" Child

enough of him........

BCM pullet whose copper is just starting to come and she has a couple of mossy feathers but it is disappearing, only the last little bit of the feather stills shows it.

Pullet whos is not showing any signs of copper and does not have any mossy. Her name is "Peek" she is always peeking around things to see what your doing.

Pullet who is not showing any signs of copper and has a few mossy feathers and again the mossy is disappearing.

BCM who does not have any mossy.

My favorite boy.

 

[chasehope]

Pink~

those boys look very intense! My rooster doesnt look at me like that!

 

[Debbi]

Pretty girls, Pink, I hope they get some coppering in. Mine are just 14 weeks today, and the copper is still coming in, so hang in there!