Marans Thread - breed discussion & pictures are welcome!

[Debbi]

Quote:
Geebs ~ You are of course, correct, you can't control the world. Education prior to purchase is the ideal, but if the education isn't there or utilized, it just goes on. Once there is a standard, then let the buyer beware. Hopefully, there will be enough decent birds to make the standard! Don't worry, be happy,

Now I'll have that song stuck in my head allll day!

 

[Illia]

To me, I would only truly complain about someone's "Marans" if they did not lay a #4 or better and their birds met either a disqualification or just simply do not meet any fraction of the standard.

For example - If your bird is gold flecked and black, skinny, squirrel tailed, and has a side spring in its floppy comb, but you're still selling eggs at the normally high price - That is unacceptable in my opinion.

Yes, I think it is just fine for people to breed strictly for egg color, but there needs to be at least a "half way" meet to the standard, otherwise it isn't a breed anymore. It's just a chocolate egg layer, and can be thrown in with all the other dark egg layers. I'm all for pretty eggs and people who don't care about show qualities, but that doesn't mean we should throw the standard out the window. Otherwise, again, we would not have a breed.

 

[geebs]

3 years ago there was soooo little information out there... Now it is everywhere... anyone can access it... If you are buying silky showstock.. ya know not to go to Wilco for it.. if ya know what I am saying... Odd of getting showstock out of just the average Joe's backyard of any breed is a lucky stroke at best.. this breed is no different.... It just has a little more versatility... more things to like and for us perfectionist a GREAT outlet... allway striving never achieving and almost alway on the verge of greatness... The very spirit of humans that is applauded in my mind is his ability to imagine and strive for greatness... is it not the journey that makes the ride..not the destination... Enjoy the scenery... If all of had great looking birds in the backyard what would be do with ourselves once the bragging was over???? LOL

Re: Marans Thread - breed discussion & pictures are welcome!To me, I would only truly complain about someone's "Marans" if they did not lay a #4 or better and their birds met either a disqualification or just simply do not meet any fraction of the standard.

For example - If your bird is gold flecked and black, skinny, squirrel tailed, and has a side spring in its floppy comb, but you're still selling eggs at the normally high price - That is unacceptable in my opinion.

Yes I agree Illia but it would still be juicy and marans like in the pot!!! LOL​

 

[Debbi]

Quote:
Man, you are deep this morning!! That kind of reminds me of my high prey driven dog. His ultimate goal, is to actually CATCH one of those butterfly shadows! He's not after the butterfly or bird, just the shadow of it!

Sounds familiar! I'm outta here! Busy day, and off to vote!! Don't forget to vote all!

 

[geebs]

Debbi... you have no idea... It is raining here agian... I am in the deep end of the pool... LOL HAVE A GREAT DAY... and remember to enjoy the scenery!!!

Love the butterfly analogy... We should all strive to catch butterfly shadows... Soooo cool... always moving forward yet going nowhere and delighted with the ability to try... Good words friend.

 

[ruth]

Thanks for all of the great posts. I appreciate that my post was not looked at as "trouble causing" but more to spark the debate......

I've released all of my birds for the winter and come Spring I'm still not certain which path I will take. At this point, it looks like it may be two separate paths. I can pick out a good hen and a good roo and try to breed one-on-one for the "Blue Ribbon Special" for those who want APA birds.

I can also take the really great dark egg layers, regardless of their mossiness, or white feather somewhere, or brown vent fuzz, or yellowish legs - and breed those for people who don't care about all that and just want what, on appearance, is a nice looking, large bird that lays a chocolate egg. And, I can tell you from my experience, that's 99% of my customers. They tell me, point blank, they do NOT care about APA and will never show - so is it so wrong to sell to those people???? Yes, they can turn around and try and make a buck and sell to others who say the same thing but, as was posted, if you're interested in showing any animal, you'd best do your homework first, and even more importantly, if you are hoping to win a blue ribbon in that animal show you'd better be willing to pay really BIG bucks from a top breeder for an animal from a long line of show winning pedigree.

As a poor analogy - my two German Shepherds would probably get laughed out of a show ring (really have no idea because I've never read the "standards" on any animal I own) BUT....my two GSDs sleep, eat, live with and protect all of my free ranging chickens, ducks, peacocks, geese, gunieas, and goats. We are surrounded by thousands of acres of woods and every predator known to man and my animals live cage free. To me, that's worth more than any blue ribbon.

 

[halo]

I see no issue at all in culling/killing a lot of birds in order to keep what you would consider the best birds. Arent Marans considered dual purpose? If not, they should be; my birds are really good sized. Whether you keep your birds for your egg layers, try to produce birds that equate to the Standard, or raise birds and put the excess (culls) in the freezer, no one is wrong.

 

[snowbird]

I see a lot of comments , but am still looking for that good Black Copper Marans male, lets see one. I hope the Marans go into the APA in Feb. also as we will have something to breed for in a standard.

Just a small correction, I have other breeds of show fowl that you do not have to cull 90 % to get a few good show birds.

Will say this I have seen a lot of Marans and do not believe there are very many good male birds out there. I will continue to cull until I can raise a few in the future. I have a very high percentage of culls and they are something that should not be bred. If we keep breeding culls we will never have good Marans.

 

[ruth]

Quote:
Of course no one is "wrong" - that's my whole point. Not everyone should have to be breeding for show winning birds. It's OK to just raise them for the nice, fatty meat and the dark chocolate eggs and the fact that they are pretty to look at ...... well, if you can get past that awful, ugly, hideous, lone white feather in the wing.

 

[snowbird]

Quote:
Of course no one is "wrong" - that's my whole point. Not everyone should have to be breeding for show winning birds. It's OK to just raise them for the nice, fatty meat and the dark chocolate eggs and the fact that they are pretty to look at ...... well, if you can get past that awful, ugly, hideous, lone white feather in the wing.

Ruth, You can still show that Marans with the white feather or dark eye or web feet or straw colored hackle.