Marans Thread - breed discussion & pictures are welcome!

[coq au vin]

does anybody have a Marans X RIR? Or photos of one?

 

[ruth]

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Thanks for sharing Wynette. I'm anxious to see if pairing up roos with too much red with hens with not enough and vice versa will yield any good results for me. Unfortunately, I'm going to have to wait till Spring since I turned everyone loose the other day.

It's funny, I thought they would go back to their own pens at night since they had been together all season but when I went to close everyone up, there were Polish, Welsummers, BCMs and Olive Eggers all in each others coops/pens. I guess all that time of looking through the wire dividers and thinking the "grass was greener" on the other side, or more like the "dirt was dirtier", they decided to "cross over". I felt a little sorry for the poor roos who obviously lost all control of their own flock but then again maybe they are enjoying the variety.

 

[pinkchick]

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I don't have any..........do you mind if I ask why this specific cross?

 

[coq au vin]

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I don't have any..........do you mind if I ask why this specific cross?

I've been lazy/lame at separating boys and girls and I was just curious...

 

[math ace]

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What is feather shafting?

 

[math ace]

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I guess as long as no one goes home alone - - it will all be good in chicken land

You might want to play an educational video for these hens that addresses the importance of keeping
a single partner in a today's world.

 

[coq au vin]

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What is feather shafting?

Check out the breast feathers, the red ones in particular. See how the shaft is very visible?

 

[flgardengirl]

Do you all think it is better to feed fish meal or real fish? My dh and I love to go fishing alot and usually would be able to give the chickens extra...

 

[fowlman01]

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The females look great. The tails appear to be fine. The males seem to carry their tails too high though.

Walt

Thanks Walt - I do have some roos that I worry have the infamous "squirrel" tail but I'm not sure. I've seen people call a tail that stands straight up a squirrel tail (I've got a few of those) but I've also read it's where the tail curls back over the body (like a squirrel, or maybe a Chow)????? Here's a pic of each of those same two roos in profile mode. I call them Jesse and James. Jesse has 5 points and too much red on breast. James has too many points but no red on chest. They were my first two BCM roos, before I bought their parent flock. I thought they had what Little Bear might have called the "just right" tails but I have so much to learn.......

Jesse and James at around 7 months:

http://i187.photobucket.com/albums/x204/chicklady/jesse1-1.jpg

http://i187.photobucket.com/albums/x204/chicklady/james1.jpg

This is much better. The tail should be at 45 degrees and not show a "break". It should go up to 45degrees without a noticeable angle.....more of a swoop if that makes sense.

Walt

 

[pinkchick]

Math~

I'm getting out my handy dandy pink highlighter for ya. Give me just a minute.