Marans Thread - breed discussion & pictures are welcome!

[seabreeze]

Thanks for the explanation Illia. It looks like they would be quite impaired attempting to run or even walk. What are vulture hocks? I've seen a line drawing pointing them out as a fault but the arrow was right on the hock point so I couldn't really tell.

Also, your copper wheaten Marans....sorry I called him a blue copper but what are the distinctive differences between the two? Is it that wing triangle or more? (learning here!)

Thanks!

 

[Illia]

Wing Triangle and color - Blue Wheatens should have a good bright, almost light orange in the hackle and saddle. Blue Coppers should be coppery, almost reddish colored. And then of course there's the females

Female Blue Wheatens are a gorgeous Wheaten color with blue tails and primary feathers. Female Blue Coppers are just simply blue with some optional orangey red on the neck.


Vulture hocks are excessive long, stiff feathers around the hocks that make the bird appear to have another pair of drooping wings. They're a DQ in shows except in certain breeds like Sultans. They are usually an indication of too much leg feathering.

 

[jeremy]

We just "delivered" the Marans chick who was stuck in it's shell.

Somehow it had almost turned itself completely upside down from where it had pipped, it's head was inbetween it's legs. I feel if we hadn't opened up the egg shell it would not have been able to break free and died in the shell.

We removed the top half of the shell, as if the chick had zipped it's way free, I put it back into the incubator still in the bottom half in hopes that it will be able to pull itself free. It was cheeping and kicking the entire time we were opening the shell, so it still has some fight in it I think.

I don't think I'll get to bed tonight until the little one has completely freed itself from it's egg, we'll see...

 

[jeremy]

This is my baby Blue Copper, I need to figure out a cute-sey girl name for her, because she just has to be a pullet.

 

[sweeterdeeter42]

Quote:
Yep, they were kind of functional. I collected a huge car-load of Black Copper roosters from a lady, several different lines and sources, and among them were a decent handful of males from one line who all had either bent toes, webbed feet, deformed toes, or just plain HUGE legs and too much leg feathering. The male who's feet those were even had vulture hocks. On a Marans, wow! It was a first ever for me.

The fused webbing did give the boys a sort of disability, but they still could walk, talk, eat, drink, etc. Their balance was fair to poor though, and some could not run worth a penny. They're all thankfully in the freezer now.

What causes these kinds of defects?

 

[Mountain Mel]

Quote:
Maybe...(oh, I just can't help myself here...

.) "Penny"? Kinda' like Henny Penny? I'm thinking Penny, Copper..c'mon people...help me out here

... Lincoln would be a boys name (Duh!) Maybe Bluebonnet?

Lets hear some suggestions, folks

 

[Mountain Mel]

Quote:
Personally I don't find that too funny, as I KNOW of web-footed Marans. . .

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5292/5460556174_a4f028a278.jpg

Those feet look like they would have been painful, but all seriousness aside, the only place that I know of that gets more rain than Cowliz County (where Pinkchick & I live) is Forks, Washington. I have heard that loggers up there have webbed feet, also!

It would stand to reason that if any chickens were going to develop webbed feet, they would be in Forks.

 

[Ivywoods]

Quote:
Personally I don't find that too funny, as I KNOW of web-footed Marans. . .

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5292/5460556174_a4f028a278.jpg

Those feet look like they would have been painful, but all seriousness aside, the only place that I know of that gets more rain than Cowliz County (where Pinkchick & I live) is Forks, Washington. I have heard that loggers up there have webbed feet, also!

It would stand to reason that if any chickens were going to develop webbed feet, they would be in Forks.

Have you checked between your toes lately, Mel?

 

[math ace]

Quote:
We use to get mega rain in Florida. Last 5 years or so, we have been in a drought position in the Northern art of the state.

We are suppose to get rain today! I think most of us will be happy over it. I KNOW my garden will be delighted.

 

[sewandgrow]

Quote:
You are lucky he stops at 11. My 5 crow all day long. If I need to end a phone conversation that has gone on to long, I just walk out to the chicken coop

That's funny Tannis.!!! I agree with you that Mel is lucky though. I can step out my door anytime all day long & I have roosters crowing. Sometimes it sounds like dueling crowing............and it seems endless. There are times that it can be a blessing to be hard of hearing.....LOL