Marans Thread - breed discussion & pictures are welcome!

[Ivywoods]

Harmony- I don't have any idea who might be able to help you, but it sure looks like you are on the right track with your whites.

Good luck!

Mel- Those deer out there aren't doing anything to help keep my coop dry! I'd much rather be out hunting that trying to shovel wet, frozen poop!

I saw this question posted on another thread, and the poster was ignored or glossed over. I have the same question. My marans hens and my RIR hens have lost the feathers on their backs, just ahead of their tails. There are no roos in with them. My BJG's, BO's and leghorns do not have this problem, so it makes me think it's probably not an insect problem.

Anyone have any good ideas or advice on this?

 

[Mountain Mel]

Quote:
I have never experienced the feather loss problem that you seem to be having.
Maybe you could come up with some kind of inexpensive raised floor using pallets and some type of covering to deal with your wet floor issues. Around here a lot of stores will give you real good pallets for free. If you get them from one of these "Minute Lube" type car-care places they are super-strong as they stack full drums of oil on them. Just a thought....

 

[sewandgrow]

Quote:
Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, my goodness. Help me please......Now I am afraid I am going to fall in love with those baby splashes!!!!!!!!!!!!1

 

[math ace]

Quote:
Very nice man, too. I have spoken to him via email several times. Don't be afraid to contact him

He has a web page called

www.landoftobe.com

 

[math ace]

Quote:
The other poster must of be "glossed over" because I know none of us would of ignored her / him. I know I missed it. . . .

So, I agree with the insect idea and suggest you look closely at the vent area and shanks. Any time I have seen insects, this is where they like to hang out. It it is mites - - - they hop off the bird and then back on later. They like dark areas in the coop.

Let us know what you find out AND
SORRY to the poster we missed

 

[HarmonyOaks]

Responses to the questions...

Pink, I have had the Whites since 1998... so I suppose I have had them for about 13 years of subsequent "generations"-- keep in mind it was a case of the Ming vase in the cardboard box. For the longest time they were "just pets" passed on from a dear friend-- I literally got them because I was the one with land to keep them and prior poultry experience. Egg color received a boost about 4 years ago with the introduction of a single recessive mutant black copper cockerel. With the darker colored eggs, I did end up with some serious headaches to fix. I saw more than a smattering of smudged feathers, I got some grey legs, and I got some really high tail sets... ugh. I am pretty much back to uniformity in color and only occassionally see a grey leg. 2011 will be the year for serious culls on tails and combs. I recently acquired some third and fourth generation double mutants, and I am eager to see how they play out. This go around, the flocks are going to be kept separate, and more one on one breeding so I do not slide backwards, I hope that I can bring in a little new blood and keep this flock moving forward. While doing some research I happened upon a reference for using a Silver Birchen to darken eggs. A little more digging and I found a reference and a progressive arguement for using Silver Birchens on the MCF. And that pretty much brings me to where I am now.

Maybe I should place a wanted ad for a fine French country gentlemen with a lovely flock of white heritage chickens... might have a little more success than waiting for an outstanding Silver Birchen someone is willing to part with...

Ivy, have you taken a hard look for mites or lice... you might need a magnifying lens.... but given the lack of roos and the centralized location to feather loss, and that it is in front of the tail and not the tail itsself, I am thinking bugs.

Karen (sewandgrow)- You just curb them splash tendencies, Missy! You will have ample opportunity to dabble in Splashes with your new Blue Andes!

 

[Ivywoods]

Thanks for the info. I wondered about mites, but since it affected some breeds and not others in the same pen I thought maybe that wasn't the case. I'll have to head out there with a flashlight one of these days... hopefully when it's not quite so cold and take a peek.

In the meantime I will order some D.E. I ran out.

If it is mites, any suggestions for treatment other than D.E? These are my layers and I need to be mindful of egg consumption.

 

[Mountain Mel]

Good Morning, Folks;
It's Superbowl Sunday! Go Green Bay!!!!
I just woke from the most horrible dream. I dreamt that someone had made off with my favorite St Croix spinning rod and Okuma reel. I was very happy to wake up & realize that it was only a dream, but I was still mad when I woke up.How crazy is that? I had better go back to bed for an hour and then go tend to my "critters".

 

[pinkchick]

Morning Everyone!


I know this isn't really the place to post, but it is Marans related and in the effort of saving time PM'ing everyone that is one my waiting list for MARANS eggs that is experiencing the weather east of me from the Rockies over......do any of you really want me to ship eggs in this weather? I think that we should hold off a little longer until the temps come back up. It has been brought to my attention that there may be a hold up in the Kansas area with shipping and eggs getting stuck there for a couple of days before moving on due to the weather. I can ship eggs to those out here on the West Coast with out worry, but shipping with the weather over there really worries me right now. Trust me I know some of you have been waiting a long time for eggs and I know waiting a little longer is going to be nerve wracking, but do we stand on the safer side or do we throw caution to the wind and try? What say you all?

 

[Debbi]

I say wait a bit. Better hatching chances, less frustration all around