Marans Thread - breed discussion & pictures are welcome!

[pinkchick]

Math~

I'm not positive of the exact age of the juvenile molt but if memory serves me correctly I believe that it is somewhere around 12-14 weeks??????? DON!!!!!!!!!!!!! Would you clarify please?

Having a second thought here......thinking that the juvenile molt may even be a little younger than 12 weeks.........and Don don't they really go through 2 juvenile molts before they get their adult feathers?

 

[Mahonri]

Well, I'm learning.

Wish I knew of a way to sneak some Wheaten Marans eggs into my carry on when I come back from Europe in Jan. of 2012.

I had a friend that put four eggs from Spain in with a sandwich, carrotts and celery sticks.

The sack lunch was x-rayed but he hatched all four eggs out when he got home

 

[n.smithurmond]

Quote:
Thanks for this! That was my thinking when I decided to approach this but I started second guessing a bit because it can get overwhelming. I'd decided to go ahead anyway and just have fun with it, but it's good to see that even on a smaller scale/longer timeframe you can still make a serious attempt at improvement.

 

[pinkchick]

n.smithurmond :

Quote:
Thanks for this! That was my thinking when I decided to approach this but I started second guessing a bit because it can get overwhelming. I'd decided to go ahead anyway and just have fun with it, but it's good to see that even on a smaller scale/longer timeframe you can still make a serious attempt at improvement.

Morning!

It's totally cool to work with what we have....that is how I started out. Yes it can be overwhelming at times but the fun far out weighs that for me. Having fun with our birds really is a very important factor.

 

[n.smithurmond]

Good morning to you too, Pink!

 

[Debbi]

Good morning to all!

Yes, having fun with the chooks is my first priority! It is pretty warm this morning, 57, at least for November, so I had my coffee on the deck watching my little flock. I find them so amusing with their different little personalities.


Pink ~ If I remember, my older birds first juvie molt was at about 13 weeks, the coop and run looked like a pillow fight had ensued! Pip is just now 15 weeks, and he is starting his first juvie molt. The others are just 10 weeks, and so far the only thing they have lost or colored in is their primaries.

 

[BevDavis]

Quote:
Thanks Bev. . .

I have a couple of hens that have non or very sparse feathering and I was hoping to use a more heavier feathered roo to improve the chicks feathering.

Any idea how "sparse" sparse is ? ?

I have been looking for the EXACT description of the proposed leg / shank/ foot coloring for the proposed standards for BCM's.
All I can find is that "Yellow is a DQ". . . .

Thanks for any help you can provide

Hi

Here is the general standard

Disqualifications (approved 7/26/10)
Yellow on shanks or toes. White ear lobes. Pearl or black eyes. Absence of feathers on shanks. (See General Disqualifications and Cutting for Defects.)

Standard Weights (approved 6/11/10)
Cock….…..8 lbs Hen……6 1/2 lbs
Cockerel….7lbs Pullet…..5 1/2 lbs

Shape—Male (approved 6/11/10)
COMB: Single, moderately large, straight, upright, evenly serrated with five points; the blade not touching the neck.
BEAK: Long, stout and well curved.
FACE: Smooth, skin fine and soft in texture.
EYES: Large and prominent.
WATTLES: Medium in size, oval, skin fine in texture.
EAR-LOBES: Average in size, long.
HEAD: Moderate in size, slightly flattened on top, and long.
NECK: Moderately long and full, arched. Hackle abundant, flowing well over the shoulders.
BACK: Wide at the shoulders, long, flat, slightly tilted to the rear. Slightly more inclined than that of the female.
Saddle feathers -- abundant, saddle large and slightly raised.
TAIL: Full, rather short, carried at an angle of 45 degrees above horizontal.
Main tail feathers -- broad and overlapping, shorter than average.
Sickles -- shorter than average.
WINGS: Short, held close to the body, carriage nearly horizontal.
Primaries and secondaries -- broad and overlapping in natural order when wing is folded.
BREAST: Strong, broad, and full. Well rounded when viewed from both the front and side.
BODY AND FLUFF: Body -- deep, long and broad, especially through the shoulders which are carried high. Overall, rectangular in shape.
Fluff -- medium in length.
LEGS and TOES: Legs set well apart and straight when viewed from the front.
Lower thighs -- strong and well feathered.
Shanks -- medium length, stout, and straight; lightly feathered down the outer sides.
Toes -- four long and well-separated toes on each foot. Outer toes lightly feathered, middle toes free from feathers.
PLUMAGE: Moderately tight and smooth textured.

Shape—Female (approved 7/09/10)

COMB: Single, smaller than that of the male; straight and upright, evenly serrated with five points, and fine in texture. No female in or near production with the rear portion of the comb lopped should be discriminated against.
BEAK: Long, stout and well curved.
FACE: Smooth, skin fine and soft in texture.
EYES: Large and prominent.
WATTLES: Medium in size, oval.
EAR-LOBES: Average in size, long.
HEAD: Moderate in size, slightly flattened on top, and long.
BACK: Wide at the shoulders, long, flat, and slightly tilted to the rear. Slightly less inclined that that of the male.
NECK: Moderately long and full, arched.
TAIL: Full, rather short, carried at an angle of 45 degrees above horizontal.
Main tail feathers -- broad and overlapping, shorter than average.
WINGS: Short, held close to the body, carriage nearly horizontal.
Primaries and secondaries -- broad and overlapping in natural order when wing is folded.
BREAST: Strong, broad, and full. Well rounded when viewed from both the front and side.
BODY AND FLUFF: Body -- deep, long and broad, especially through the shoulders which are carried high. Should be more rounded than the male.
Fluff -- medium in length.
LEGS AND TOES: Legs set well apart, straight when viewed from the front.
Lower Thighs -- strong and well feathered.
Shanks -- medium length, stout, and straight; lightly feathered down the outer sides.
Toes -- four long and well-separated toes on each foot. Outer toes lightly feathered, middle toes free from feathers..
PLUMAGE: Moderately tight and smooth textured.

 

[pinkchick]

Quote:
You lucky girl with the warmer weather.....it's fixin' to snow here. We should have snow on the ground sometime today. I love the snow!!! That means that Pink gets snowed in on her little bitty mountain and I don't have to go anywhere 'cept outside to play in the snow.

About the molt.....maybe I shouldn't second guess myself but I do and molting is something that I don't pay much attention to so the exact ages elude me.

 

[pinkchick]

Quote:
Thanks Bev. . .

I have a couple of hens that have non or very sparse feathering and I was hoping to use a more heavier feathered roo to improve the chicks feathering.

Any idea how "sparse" sparse is ? ?

I have been looking for the EXACT description of the proposed leg / shank/ foot coloring for the proposed standards for BCM's.
All I can find is that "Yellow is a DQ". . . .

Thanks for any help you can provide

Hi

Here is the general standard

Disqualifications (approved 7/26/10)
Yellow on shanks or toes. White ear lobes. Pearl or black eyes. Absence of feathers on shanks. (See General Disqualifications and Cutting for Defects.)

Standard Weights (approved 6/11/10)
Cock….…..8 lbs Hen……6 1/2 lbs
Cockerel….7lbs Pullet…..5 1/2 lbs

Shape—Male (approved 6/11/10)
COMB: Single, moderately large, straight, upright, evenly serrated with five points; the blade not touching the neck.
BEAK: Long, stout and well curved.
FACE: Smooth, skin fine and soft in texture.
EYES: Large and prominent.
WATTLES: Medium in size, oval, skin fine in texture.
EAR-LOBES: Average in size, long.
HEAD: Moderate in size, slightly flattened on top, and long.
NECK: Moderately long and full, arched. Hackle abundant, flowing well over the shoulders.
BACK: Wide at the shoulders, long, flat, slightly tilted to the rear. Slightly more inclined than that of the female.
Saddle feathers -- abundant, saddle large and slightly raised.
TAIL: Full, rather short, carried at an angle of 45 degrees above horizontal.
Main tail feathers -- broad and overlapping, shorter than average.
Sickles -- shorter than average.
WINGS: Short, held close to the body, carriage nearly horizontal.
Primaries and secondaries -- broad and overlapping in natural order when wing is folded.
BREAST: Strong, broad, and full. Well rounded when viewed from both the front and side.
BODY AND FLUFF: Body -- deep, long and broad, especially through the shoulders which are carried high. Overall, rectangular in shape.
Fluff -- medium in length.
LEGS and TOES: Legs set well apart and straight when viewed from the front.
Lower thighs -- strong and well feathered.
Shanks -- medium length, stout, and straight; lightly feathered down the outer sides.
Toes -- four long and well-separated toes on each foot. Outer toes lightly feathered, middle toes free from feathers.
PLUMAGE: Moderately tight and smooth textured.

Shape—Female (approved 7/09/10)

COMB: Single, smaller than that of the male; straight and upright, evenly serrated with five points, and fine in texture. No female in or near production with the rear portion of the comb lopped should be discriminated against.
BEAK: Long, stout and well curved.
FACE: Smooth, skin fine and soft in texture.
EYES: Large and prominent.
WATTLES: Medium in size, oval.
EAR-LOBES: Average in size, long.
HEAD: Moderate in size, slightly flattened on top, and long.
BACK: Wide at the shoulders, long, flat, and slightly tilted to the rear. Slightly less inclined that that of the male.
NECK: Moderately long and full, arched.
TAIL: Full, rather short, carried at an angle of 45 degrees above horizontal.
Main tail feathers -- broad and overlapping, shorter than average.
WINGS: Short, held close to the body, carriage nearly horizontal.
Primaries and secondaries -- broad and overlapping in natural order when wing is folded.
BREAST: Strong, broad, and full. Well rounded when viewed from both the front and side.
BODY AND FLUFF: Body -- deep, long and broad, especially through the shoulders which are carried high. Should be more rounded than the male.
Fluff -- medium in length.
LEGS AND TOES: Legs set well apart, straight when viewed from the front.
Lower Thighs -- strong and well feathered.
Shanks -- medium length, stout, and straight; lightly feathered down the outer sides.
Toes -- four long and well-separated toes on each foot. Outer toes lightly feathered, middle toes free from feathers..
PLUMAGE: Moderately tight and smooth textured.

Bev,
Do they absolutely positively HAVE TO HAVE feathers on their outer toe?

 

[Debbi]

Well, we won't be lucky for long with the warm weather. Thanksgiving Day highs are to be in the 30s with lows in the lower 20s! Our turn is coming, winter is on it's way..

I love the snow too, now if we can get snow instead of the ice, that will be fine!