Marans Thread - breed discussion & pictures are welcome!

[geebs]

A proper producing hen lay only 30 eggs less than a wyandotte under good conditions.. My BHB's lay even at 3 years old 4 eggs a week... That is why I like them.. they are really hardie... Not as affected... My Davis birds laid real good too... They put out 5-6 a week at top production and just under that during the lulls.. still with good color...

I find them to be fickle... nest has to be right... etc.. otherwise they get some pretty bad behavior... like no egg laying... or eating them.

 

[Organics North]

Quote:
Sooo,
Any pics of that just right nest??

I mine seem to like the double long box 12x24 with the red "curtain" covering half the box.. They do not like the big low 14x14 box, but some times use the corner 12x12 box. (A peaceful place without a long waiting line..)
ON

 

[math ace]

Quote:
Sooo,
Any pics of that just right nest??

I mine seem to like the double long box 12x24 with the red "curtain" covering half the box.. They do not like the big low 14x14 box, but some times use the corner 12x12 box. (A peaceful place without a long waiting line..)
ON

My girls like the box that already has the most eggs in it ! ! ! Put two golf balls in one box and one in the rest - - - then watch. They will follow the box with the most golf balls.

 

[Cowgirlgrace]

Quote:

Had to laugh too. If we started a fire in the wood stove at 60 degrees we would be sweating to death. I live in Western WA. We have snow today and in the 20's. Now it's time for a fire!

 

[berkeleysprings]

nice egg ,,,, round to !
Quote:

 

[geebs]

ya... in the spring they like to nest under my porch... the trick is to not change thier schedule and their ranks to much.. They like a dark "cave" and they don't share well.... They will eat their eggs if they are not happy with things.. They will actually quit eating thier eggs, I have found... once everything is to thier liking.. Weird.. If I would have culled my egg eaters I would have lost some of my best producers... I don't remeber who told me this but she is on ths forum...It was great advice and it rings true... I keep about 8 hens with one roo and make sure that the hens have enough holes (in the dirt that they dig) to accomodate thier friendships.. some of them don't always like each other and they won't lay with them or they will eat their own egg so another wont sit on it or whatever their thinking is.. I have two hens that are fast friends and they only share and lay with each other... if you force them to share with someone they don't like they will really make a mess of things.. I opt for as natural as I can and still own them..LOL... Each person has to evaluate the nuances of their own flock and do what works best for the individuals in that flock.. some of them will nest in straw better (though I hate straw) I will provide it for those individuals... some will lay in the mud if they keep getting booted.. If you see this behavior.. The hen is likely low ranking and needs another spot... a safe one or she can resort to egg eating. Stressed birds can't lay very well... so accomidating thier "feelings" or preferrences pays dividendends in the egg basket... Just they way i do things.. Anyone else may do their own thing.... I don't think ya all need a pic of my front porch do ya.. LOL. I think the color of marans eggs are really interesting and designed to "hide"... if you don't foster their need to hide them..they will eat them so no one finds the nest... Just one theory here.

I love the curtain Idea... that is a good one!!! Mine really like to hide in the bushes with big leaves and Hide the nest.. They don't like me to know where they are... So I am careful not to "see" until they are done... The problem is... the rooster tells... ha ha.. He gets very protective at laying time and stands guard.. So I watch him.. lol.

Where is everbody today??? Working perhaps...??? It is close to the holiday so perhaps some are making deviled eggs

 

[math ace]

The chicks are almost 3 weeks old and some intense fighting has started.
There is some chest butting, head raised, feather flapping, AND back of the neck biting !

What the #$%@ is going on? ? ? I've never seen this behavior out of chicks so young.
Of course, I normally have pullets . . . . not straight run chicks.

Is this normal ? ? ?
Should I separate some of the fighters or let it run its course?
I think there are 3 - 4 marans that are pretty insistant with the challenges.

The chicks are in the swimming pool at night so that I can keep it heated in the house. The go outside during the day time in a large play area. I've seen some of this behavior in the open play area, so I am not sure if it is due to crowdiness in the pool at night.
They will be in their coop / run area by this weekend. So, any over crowded issues will be resolved by then.

I never saw this out of my last batch of chicks - - - just as many in the same size space. I only had one roo then.

 

[whidbey]

Quote:
Math
Are they fighting so much that you see picking or blood? If not I personally wouldn't worry about them, They are just establishing the pecking order, Mine do that all the time. I have Blue/Splash Marans and Lavender Orpingtons that do the fighting daily, I haven't any problems with them yet,

Mine have done the pecking order thing since they were about 2wks old and are about 3 mo now, The Marans are by far the biggest bully though

 

[fowled-out]

Me and my wife are planning our 10th anniversary trip and guess what? She wants to go to Paris! WOOHOO this give me the chance to go see some Marans! It's set in April to May or 2011! YEEHAW!

 

[math ace]

Quote:
I stopped it as soon as they started pinning each other behind the neck. The chest bumps, stare downs, etc did not concern me, but the pinning behind the neck did. That was rougher behavior than I am use to seeing in chicks being raised together.

So, you think it will be OK to put them back together ? ??

I pulled one of the trouble fighters out and put him (yes I think it is a roo) in the dog kennel with a couple of chicks that I think are pullets. I figured I would leave them separated for tonight and put them back together tomorrow when I can watch and make sure they aren't killing each other.

My last batch of marans were great. They never started the fight, but did not back down from it either. I had leghorns, EE, and marans together in that batch. With that group, I never saw anything this aggressive.