Marans Thread - breed discussion & pictures are welcome!

[math ace]

Here is my funny for today - - -

Dh has put together an incubator for me. He is the head of a electrical based maintance department. So he has all the technical stuff down pat. So, The temperature is holding constant and we have figured out how to maintain the humidity pretty constant.

I don't think he REALLY LISTENS to everything I say . . . so, he just realized TODAY that I plan on setting about 36 eggs tonight. Our current flock is only about 20 chickens . . .

This morning he was having chicken overload - - the bitty / brooder cage isn't big enough for 36 chicks, the coop isn't big enough for 36 more chickens, etc. . . .

I said (Are you listening Lotsapiants ? ? ) "

Calm down honey - - most people don't have GREAT hatches the first time out. We may only get 3 chicks to hatch.

Honey, even if they all hatch it will be 21 days before we know,

AND they will all fit in the broody cage for a month. After all we had 14 in there last time for 2 months. Surely, we could keep 36 in there for a month."

 

[Organics North]

Quote:

Math Ace, remember the discussion on feed some pages back...????

Many folks are running a solid 20% protein mix. I run a 17 to 20 percent mix plus the birds free range. Also when I am anxious for pullets to start laying and in winter.. I boost the protein a couple more percent for short periods of time maybe up to 24%.

How did I get an egg from a 21 week old pullet? Luck, maybe?.... Genetics, maybe? Environment, Maybe?

I strongly believe the biggest factor is diet! My birds are very healthy on their natural living food, chemical free, higher protein diet.

Food is fuel.. Put higher octane fuel in and get higher performance...

ON

 

[bikechick]

MathAce

2 funny
I understand. I'm starting some eggs Sunday to run a trial before I spend the big $$ on Marans eggs.
But, when my husband found out I was spending $3 an egg (for my other breed)- he thought I had lost my mind!

Wait until he finds out how much I plan on paying next

 

[Debbi]

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Awww, hubby's first lesson in Chicken Math! You funny girl, thanks for the morning chuckle!!

 

[Happy Chooks]

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Awww, hubby's first lesson in Chicken Math! You funny girl, thanks for the morning chuckle!!

I was thinking the same thing!

 

[math ace]

Quote:

Math Ace, remember the discussion on feed some pages back...????

Many folks are running a solid 20% protein mix. I run a 17 to 20 percent mix plus the birds free range. Also when I am anxious for pullets to start laying and in winter.. I boost the protein a couple more percent for short periods of time maybe up to 24%.

How did I get an egg from a 21 week old pullet? Luck, maybe?.... Genetics, maybe? Environment, Maybe?

I strongly believe the biggest factor is diet! My birds are very healthy on their natural living food, chemical free, higher protein diet.

Food is fuel.. Put higher octane fuel in and get higher performance...

I am already feeding a high protein laying crumble that is 17% protein. . . . So, I am looking at a supplemental item to add to the feed.
I have a list of items available - - - but I was wondering what those is the know prefer to use to boost the protein even more.
I have no desire to mix my own food, but I will supplement a high quality store feed with another item . . .

Just wondering what the preferences were . . . .


OH and there is no such thing as a few pages back in this thread

a few pages back is only today's discussion

 

[Wynette]

chics in the sun - IMO, the pullet you showed is one of the nicest I've seen!

I wish I had 10 of her in my flock!

Debbi, you're cracking me up.....as usual!

Where is geebsie??

My girls were laying really well for me, but alas, a few are going into a super hard molt. The odd thing is that they all molted lightly in August - this is a SECOND molt, much harder than the first. Anyone else have that experience?

As far as protein, I use BOSS - I throw in about 1/2 a scoop just right out into the run every 3 days. I also give meat protein in the way of leftovers. Other than that, just good quality (commercial) feed (no organic around here, other than a mash form, and they waste way too much for me to use mash), a bit of free range, and good quality treats (such as dark greens - mustard, kale, squash, tomatoes, etc.).

 

[VioletBlueIvy]

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Thank you! Everyone on here has always been so good(thank you) about answering newbie questions. It's just me, I just dont even know what to ask. Also, I don't want to interrupt, not that anybody has ever made me feel like I am. AND I dont want to ask a question you already answered four pages ago that I missed and take up everyones time. Again nobody had ever made me feel that way here.


Oh BOY do I have questions, but I try to keep them to myself, and sometimes I get tha answer, sometimes not.

This is one I have been wondering about for a while, and I feel a little numb asking it, but here goes....
How do you count the points on the comb, each little nub even on the fat parts or just the long, well seperated ones?

I would like to know more about breeding blues. I understand that it involves the silver gene. How do you know who has that gene? I just saw something about splash carrying the gene, do all splash carry a silver gene? Do normal colored birds still carry the silver gene and you just need that extra silver gene in order for it to express? Then there is the birchen, I think I read on that french (greek) site that they just pop up occasionally in an otherwise normal wheaten flock? Maybe they meant the blue pops up in an otherwise normal birchen flock? Which would make the silver gene to just have to be floating around out there randomly expressing itself? Is the silver gene the key to all blue? How do you know it is not just dilution?
Whoa! I better stop now....sorry. I open the gates and whooosh!

Hi

We are all learning and making mistakes so you are among friends.

This is how to breed the blue gene

Blue x Blue will give you 25% Black (without the blue gene) 50% Blue (with one blue gene) 25% splash (with two blue genes).

Black x Blue will give you 50% Black and 50% Blue.

Black x Splash will give you 100% Blue.

Blue x Splash will give you 50% Blue and 50% Splash.

Splash x Splash will give you 100% Splash

No, all splash don't carry a silver gene, some don't even carry a silver or a gold gene. You would really need to know what genes the parents are carrying to know what the splash off spring are carrying.


Copper blues are carrying a gold gene so, if you breed a copper blue to a copper blue you will get 25% black copper. 50% copper blue and 25% copper splash. However, more than often the gold won't be showing on the female but might with the male. If it's a blue birchen crossed with a blue birchen then you will get 25% black birchen, 50% blue birchen and 25% splash birchen. I have never done this yet but don't think the silver will show.

Sometimes it's very hard to tell if a bird is a very dark blue or a black. A blue bird won't produce a black bird.

I hope you can understand this but if you can't just ask.


Bev

I think so, but if a blue bird wont produce a black bird than how do you get 25% Black from BlueXBlue? I must be missing something.....
And, is silver what produces the Birchen and gold what produces BCM? Or are there gold birchen and silver BCM's that I havent heard of? How does the silver express in a bcm? Am I even making sense?LOL!

 

[Debbi]

Looks like the left coast is sleeping in today??

Wynette, I wonder if the hot summer we had this year has anything to do with the molts. My big babies are STILL molting. No one is bald thankfully, but the coop and run look like a hawk attack took place! Big feathers, little feathers, fluff feathers! They've been doing this since August, what's up with that?? Everyone is eating well, they get their commercial feed (ya, no organics around here either!), BOSS, whole oats, grit, grass, cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, and meal worms on occaision. Going to start growing my own worms, they LOVE them!!

 

[fowlman01]

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Nice pullet!