Marans Thread - breed discussion & pictures are welcome!

[Illia]

Quote:
It would in the beginning, and that's why I mean someone experienced. Your F2 birds will be very varied, but some of them will be proper Blue Wheatens. Of those, you may get some with too much black or red, but that's when hatching a large amount and severe culling comes into effect.

 

[fowlman01]

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Yes, it is wise. Always get more eggs.

When I started with Black Coppers, I purchased over 16 eggs from 3 different sources and still I don't think I have enough to work with.

Also, you should think about putting some blue genes into there, too.

I honestly want to switch my program strictly to Blue Wheatens (which of course involves normal Wheatens though) come this spring.

Here's my main man crowing.

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1107/5138759832_86bc5a81d1_z.jpg

Also on that note, I'd LOVE criticism on him! Serious stuff. I know he's got red popping up in a few feathers where it shouldn't be, and he needs to gain some weight, and I'd love to increase the amount of feathering on his feet, plus his comb isn't the perfect comb. . . Oh, and his waddles are more round than oval. And his tail's sickles seem rather tall/long. I honestly do plan on replacing him once I get some good/better offspring from his breeding.

Anyone else's thoughts? And, I have three pullets he's with currently. One has a LOT of "light cream" and her back is more pale than the other two, plus she's heavier in body-type and has a perfectly straight comb. The second has a patch of dark, almost burnt umber coloring in her back, but her body type is very full and nice. Her comb is slightly tilting at the blade. The third I'm just using until she will be replaced, as her chest is darker, her comb is really tall and leans to one side towards the back, and her tail is quite tall and thin.

Pics of the three:

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4124/5084371501_dc79df1d53_z.jpg

The one I'm replacing next year is on the right, the lighter more perfect one in middle, the one with the dark patch on the left.

I'm thinking of keeping the offspring from the one in the middle, as I'm thinking the fact that she's got a lighter chest and less darker coloring on her back, it will fix my cockerel's red in his chest?

A crowing rooster is pretty hard to judge, but he looks like he may be shallow. Needs more depth under him.

I like the hens a lot. They appear to have very good bodies. The shade of Wheaten females is pretty hard to have exactly alike. It just never seems to happen in LF.


Walt.

 

[Mahonri]

Hi all.

Well I just purchased a 5 mo. old roo from an individual who hatched him out of eggs from a breeder here on BYC.

What do you all think?

How long 'til you think he'll be fertile?

 

[Illia]

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Non-crowing.

Perched

Exposing his white underfluff in the tail base, which makes him look ugly . . .

 

[flgardengirl]

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I have had some brown breasted males , but never anything like this one. I am pretty sure I know where he came from.

Yes he is pretty bad. I hope by posting my very worst bird, others will not feel shy on posting any of thiers lol, none can be worse than Agent Orange.

ETA: Check out his orange and black tiger-striped shanks LOL

 

[ruth]

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He's fertile.

 

[ruth]

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Non-crowing.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4153/5138209633_bc01d12287_z.jpg

Perched

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4128/5146539339_9d11b6f5ae_z.jpg

Exposing his white underfluff in the tail base, which makes him look ugly . . .

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4108/5129629513_5ce2e4f237_z.jpg

I just LOVE him. Wish I had some like him.

 

[Mahonri]

So Monique... do you like the way he looks?

He was supposed to have come out of a VERY dark egg.

 

[ruth]

Quote:
I personally like the way they ALL look. If you notice, I've never critiqued anyone's bird. Is he one of mine???

 

[Mahonri]

No, he's not yours, but he came out of an egg from a breeder here on BYC.