Marans Thread - breed discussion & pictures are welcome!

[flgardengirl]

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I think this is a valid question and have wondered this myself since I am working on my blues as well and would like know which direction to go...breed to a darker or a lighter blue?
I am thinking I will be shooting for a fairly dark blue with good lacing. I personally liked the lighter blues at first but they don't show lacing very well. The dark almost black blue is very dramatic but not sure if it will be what the standard calls for either.
I believe the black in bbs is a genetically black bird. The splash in bbs...I have no clue how that will be standardized...lol

 

[math ace]

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QUICK - - show me a picture . . . I have appx 24 hours to put this together unless somebody suggest something else . . .

PLEASE, post a picture of this plastic "cloth" set up . . .

THANKS

 

[Lotsapaints]

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QUICK - - show me a picture . . . I have appx 24 hours to put this together unless somebody suggest something else . . .

PLEASE, post a picture of this plastic "cloth" set up . . .

THANKS

Math ace calm down you don't need to do that until lock down so you have some time to get it all done and the old timers used muslin bags probably like old tobacco bags to hatch them in I was thinking of making cheesecloth bags that way you have the shell with the chick and you can band them as you take them out. I buy 4's for the hatch and when they out grow those I buy the 9's and I use #'s with a color for the year that way I know by looking how old they are.

 

[fowlman01]

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Just my opinion, but I don't think this time of year is a good time to cull by egg production. Most chickens cut back laying as the days become shorter.

Walt

 

[BevDavis]

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Hi

I think that different birds lay at different times and that they will be laying when the others have finished.

Bev

 

[BevDavis]

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QUICK - - show me a picture . . . I have appx 24 hours to put this together unless somebody suggest something else . . .

PLEASE, post a picture of this plastic "cloth" set up . . .

THANKS

Math ace calm down you don't need to do that until lock down so you have some time to get it all done and the old timers used muslin bags probably like old tobacco bags to hatch them in I was thinking of making cheesecloth bags that way you have the shell with the chick and you can band them as you take them out. I buy 4's for the hatch and when they out grow those I buy the 9's and I use #'s with a color for the year that way I know by looking how old they are.

Hi

Have you thought of using those small laundry bags, they have a zip or string tie and can be washed after use.

Bev

 

[Lotsapaints]

I thought about those laundry bags but I hatch in a turn X had visions of the mesh getting caught up and snagged they would work great in my bigger incubator though is that what you use?

 

[math ace]

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I have LOVED my marans - - -let me offer some insight to what I experienced when they were young.

I had 12 EE's 3 leghorns and 4 marans ALL AT THE SAME TIME as chicks.
Leghorns were crazy flighty things from the beginning.
EE's were EE's - - -not flighty but very active.

THE marans didn't like all that activity. They stayed in the background. As the chicks started to grow, I would offer treats and could not get the marans to come and get them. LIGHTBULB time - - - these birds were not aggressive and did not like the activity of the others. One day - - I locked the other birds and the coop and sat down with just the marans. They came up and took the treats out of my hands. I had to treat them separately. Then I would allow a few of the mellow birds out with the marans and treat time went well. The girls don't like to compete with others. . . . .

NOW they are bigger, MUCH bigger, and are the FIRST to be at my feet for treats. They talk to me non-stop.
They will JUMP up and TAKE food out of my hands NOW . . . Still not an aggressive bird.

MY suggestion - - - try to wine and dine just the marans without the others around. Soon you will have them eating out of your hands. As they get bigger - - - absolutely no way are they going to be "FLIGHTY".

 

[aceschix]

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QUICK - - show me a picture . . . I have appx 24 hours to put this together unless somebody suggest something else . . .

PLEASE, post a picture of this plastic "cloth" set up . . .

THANKS

I do not think I kept a picture. What type of incubator are you using?

Get the platic crossstitch stuff. Measure your bator from floor to where the cover will hit it. Cut it a little shorter than you need that way there is no chance your cover will be lifted at all.

Measure across where you want to separate. Cut to length. Make sure there are no gaps along the edges. You may need to be creative to cut this to the form of your edges.

How many compartments do you need? I had 4 my first time out so I made two pieces cut a slit in the middle so that one would slide down over the other making a lowercase"t" or a cross. This created 4 square compartments in my 1588. I hatch in cartons so I cut my cartons down to fit while still leaving walking room for when they are drying.

Does this make sense to you? Ask questions and I will try to explain.

 

[math ace]

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I am not culling. I am just not going to further their genes by incubating any of their eggs. My production has been horrid since probably May. Considering they did not start laying until about a month before that . . . .

I seriously think this may be the issue. I am supplementing lighting in my coop SINCE these girls decided to take a 4 month holiday. NOW, if I had two birds that really aren't laying that well to start off with, than that would explain a lot!

So, I will continue to watch the girls, but will only hatch from the two birds that I KNOW are doing a good job of laying.

I found ALL 4 girls in the laying boxes today but only 2 laid eggs. the other 2 left the boxes without laying something after about an hour. I have seen these same two girls do that previously during this week. . . .

I have been watching for signs of broodiness, but they never stay on the nest for longer than an hour. . .