Marans Thread - breed discussion & pictures are welcome!

[wooden-animal]

Hi Folks

I am new to the BYC. I have ten breeds of laying hens and eight breeds of turkeys.
I hatch out a lot of Black Copper Marans this spring and would like some info or
feedback on what some of the top breeders think. I have only been hatching chicks
for two years. I have started a small hatchery in Payette Idaho and I am trying to keep
to as close to the standards as I can. But some of it is just hatchery stock. The Welsummers,
Light Brahmas, Delaware's, and the Black Copper Marans are some of my favorite. I would like
any comments or info i can get. I build my own incubators and hatchers, I have been in cabinet
business for 16 years. Decided I needed a change to help me through this economy. We have
50 hens and 5 roosters in each house. A 55gal drum with 6 nipples for each house. I grind and
mix my own feed. We also hatch out the Cornish Cross. I would welcome any comments.

I will post some pictures of my Black Copper and What I think is aBirchan Maran.

PS Well I will post some pictures as soon as I figure it out.

 

[chasehope]

So I am confused! I hatched out 3 golden cuckoo eggs and all 3 of the chicks are different colors. the black one is OBVIOUSLY the wrong color, but what about the other 2? They just hatched this morning so they are still sleepy! You can see their body color from these pictures. I had/have the GC's in their own pen, however our determined pot bellied pig let them out a time or 2, to steal their food, do these 2 look like golden cuckoo babies? We have a blue copper marans and silver laced cochin rooster that run loose at the moment, so I suppose they could be theirs...Dang...any ideas?

 

[geebs]

Yep.. The darker ones are girls... The lighter ones are boys... The black one.. If it has a dot on his/her head is a regular cuckoo... Big spot...boy... little spot girl....

 

[BevDavis]

Quote:
Bev I guess I am a bit of a renegade... I know the wheaton gene is in there somewhere for the mossy... and that the feathers have the coloring probs... But those dark eggies... I am just over the moon for em!!! I figure if you show them as good looking adults and the faults are gone by then... Well then they never existed... (cake and eat it too breeding program!!)

Does that make me a bad person... Oh and I don't sell eggs.

(I hope this redeems me a little)... Just love them darkies... Can't wait for my pullet eggies.!!

Hi

There is nothing wrong with them if you just want Marans for their eggs but if you want to show them then there is a lot of sorting out to do. If you want to sell them then they have to be sorted out. I know that we didn't notice the mossiness in either lines until recently. In my line it didn't show itself in the chicks to start with but does now. I think what has happened is that we all set the darkest eggs and so increased the mossiness by breeding from those birds that carried it.

Bev

 

[wooden-animal]

Hi Folks I think I have this figured out. So heare are some pictures.
Also wanted to let you Know I am NPIP #88 in Idaho. And to thank Bev for joining
the BYC. I bought eggs all over the country last spring and was told I had some of
your stock. I hope so. I do know I got a lot of mixed breed birds and some Birchen hens.

I made a mistake because I was after Black Copper Marans And did not
know any thing about the birchen Marans until I read about them on
this Foram. I culled 3 Birchen roosters because I thuoght they where cross breeds.
I did keep one rooster and three hens. Well sometimes you learn the hard way.
So I have decided not to cull any more until they start laying.

 

[math ace]

I am going to start my VERY FIRST BATCH of eggs in the incubator sooooon

Those of you that have had many successful hatches - - - TALK TO ME

First 18 days what temp and humidity do you run ? ?

Last 3 days (lockdown) what temp and humidity do you run ? ? ?

 

[berkeleysprings]

34
65
always 99.5
Quote:

 

[BevDavis]

Quote:
Hi

You have got an interesting flock of birds, black coppers, birchens and golden salmon. Now all you have to do is to wait to see what egg color they lay. If you need any help with what to breed to what to get better egg color in any particular line please let me know.

Thank you all for your warm welcome to the BYC, I am finding it interesting and learning at the same time.

Bev

 

[Debbi]

Thank YOU Bev for all of your valued input here!! We all appreciate it!

 

[Newyorkrita]

Quote:
I know I really goofed in my first try. I read the directions for the Genesis 1588 and just filled up the first water tray like they said to do. UGGG

Well that put the humitidy at over 85% since its already plenty humid here were I live. So I just thought I only had to follow directions. WRONG!!!

Humidity is important. Different people have different ideas about whats right but most everone agrees to moniter humidity. Now I am using the dry hatch method and like the humidity betwen 20-30%. Of course it does go higher but not adding water makes it come back down. I still need to see how this currant hatch comes out.