Marans Thread - breed discussion & pictures are welcome!

[snowbird]

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Just like to let you know the best looking Marans male I have ever seen type wise was showed right here on BYC and was a Gold Cuckoo from Harris5. If you ever want some good G. Cuckoo contact Her. Don

 

[pinkchick]

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Well said Don and I agree 100%, but let me add this also...to come to the defense of some sellers that may honestly not know that their birds are mixed either. They too can be taken or sold something that they were told was pure as well and so on and so on, perhaps even the person from whom they got them from is unaware as well, one never knows.
Also, I would think that there is always a possibility of recessives popping up and possibly someone didn't know it may have been undesirable traits and bred the birds, thus possibly increasing a recessive fault or trait and its probabilities many fold.
I don't know, I'm not an expert, but just thought that maybe someone should speak on behalf of those who honestly don't know that maybe their birds are mixed and they are selling them. I honestly believe that a good number of folks do tell prespective buyers that they have projects going on...heck I have even had good breeders tell me when someone accidentally hopped the fences and to expect something askew (I been made aware, so I sell or I cull) and they send more eggs.....things happen, but sometimes folks just don't know they happen, and truly not knowing and intent are 2 different things and I do believe that there are folks that perhaps know and just sell them anyway..................................................................moving on.

This is just my opinion and not meant to offend anyone in any way.

 

[HenThymes]

I would love to see some pictures of good quality golds.

I was really looking forward to having a couple of beautiful "golden girls" running around the yard.

 

[snowbird]

Hi Kim, I do believe if you buy eggs or chicks and plan on selling eggs or chicks you first thing to do is do a test hatch to see what is going to be there, I agree that most if not all of the Marans in the USA have been bred to out of breed fowl to make different colors. All I am saying is if you have made these crosses tell the buyer up front and let them make up their mind if they still want them. I do hope that most realize that the Marans have always been mixed with others.

I know that if I buy junk eggs from someone that is mixed I will tell everyone that ask where they came from. I see some high dollar eggs selling that I know are garbage because I bought from the same person and culled all offspring.

Post is directed at no one. Don

 

[pinkchick]

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Yes.....agreed again! Being upfront is the best policy...just saying that it can go all ways and we will just never know. We just need to do our homework and test hatch like you say. The fact that folks can come here to BYC and glean some of this info is awesome.....makes us all aware or even more aware then some of us may have been and gives us all more information and education to help the next person who comes along with questions too.

 

[Ivywoods]

I have found in my limited experience that if you buy most hatchery stock, you may end up with what you want, but I never have had the quality of bird that I get when I purchase from a very reputable breeder.

I used to go to small animal swap meets. (haven't been to one in at least 4 years) Mainly I went to sell my extra hatchlings. ONE TIME there was a guy selling a couple trios of bantams. They were outstanding. I spotted them from WAY across the parking lot. I told my hubby to go get a trio for me. He came back and said the one trio was a special order that he brought up to meet the buyer. The other trio was still for sale so we bought them. We showed them later that year, beating everything, including the "first choice" trio that he sold.

My "breeder" birds not only are better in conformation but have been healthier from the start with fewer (or no) flaws such as bent toes and other weird birth defects.

Another problem I have run into is people are not very fond of someone telling them their birds are not what they say they are. Often it is ignorance, and they are selling them as such because that is what they were told they were. They immediately jump to the defensive, even when approached diplomatically. They steadfastly hold their ground rather than listen and learn.

Okay, I'm off my soapbox. I think I'll go gather some eggs.

 

[pinkchick]

Another problem I have run into is people are not very fond of someone telling them their birds are not what they say they are. Often it is ignorance, and they are selling them as such because that is what they were told they were. They immediately jump to the defensive, even when approached diplomatically. They steadfastly hold their ground rather than listen and learn.

Yes..that happens too, but we can't control that either, we can just hope that even though they may have taken offense that later on after they have had some time to regroup and think about it ......that maybe, just maybe a seed was planted. We never know where that seed may take them.

 

[Mountain Mel]

Ahhhh.....all the critters are fed and watered, but dang -- it's still Monday morning and it's raining like the dickens here!
I have a question for anyone who cares to respond...I bring my chicken waterers into the house where I scrub and clean them once a week. Is this often enough?

What do others do?

I know that as a kid on the farm we never did that. If anything, we would just kinda hose them out with a garden hose. Dad always said that chickens didn't matter -- that they can drink or eat pretty much anything.

My feeling is that if I wouldn't want to drink or eat out of it, I don't want my animals to either...I'm that way about my dog, my cows, my chickens, and to a certain extent -- my pigs. How do others feel about this?

 

[snowbird]

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Mel, I use a 16-1 bleach mixture on all of my waterers at least once a week. I wash them with soapy water and rinse and then dip in the bleach mixture. Don

 

[Mountain Mel]

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Mel, I use a 16-1 bleach mixture on all of my waterers at least once a week. I wash them with soapy water and rinse and then dip in the bleach mixture. Don

Sanitizer....I didn't think of that.

I need to put a large, deep sink in my shop so that I can better do this...
Thanks for the input, Don.