Marans Thread - breed discussion & pictures are welcome!

[sewandgrow]

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Nice setup you have there. How are your hatches? What method are you using? Do you have a hygrometer? As to your rooster I am semi-new myself & need fullview side shots to see the things I am learning to look for better, but I amsure others with more knowledge will chime in for you. If you are enjoying what you are doing you are on the right track....LOL

 

[sewandgrow]

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I am seeing some BIG and PINK COMBs - - - you are expecting some cockerels - - - RIGHT ? ?

A variety pack is nice . . . . Makes it easier to tell everyone apart.

I got some leghorns my first time out AND had to zip tie their legs to tell them apart.

I still have those girls. .. . they lay when no one else is laying. HOWEVER, without the leg bands, I stil can not tell them apart.

Lisa, you & your roosters. I swear you have roosters on the brain that's why you hatch out so many.....LOL You're right of course & my untrained eye passed right over the combs while I was busy looking at all the Blue....LOL. I have been trying to learn to sex the young ones but am worried that if I learn too well I will feel quilty when I sell some knowing they are cockerels.......Everyone always wants pullets of course at least my ignorance allows me to sell straight run quilt free instead of getting stuck with all the leftover roosters......LOL

 

[sewandgrow]

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WOW! BAD to the BONE is not an understatement. NICE JOB!

I am gonna show that bad boy to my Dh

He keeps talking the talk about making one for me!

I have a set of plans around here somewhere that I bought off Ebay that makes an incubator out of an old refrigerator. There is one for a side by side too on line. My husband was willing to do it but I chickened out & got the Brinsea instead. I was so disappointed in bad hatches from styros with no RH control that I wanted a better chance at less disappointment. The more experience I get with it the more I think the homemade ones can be made to work just as well. I love the Brinsea. I think learning what you need & tweaking your own til you get it is the key & I love the thought of using old junk to make a great reusable item, specially one that gives you chicks.......LOL

 

[sewandgrow]

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FANTASTIC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! GOOD FOR YOU! I wish all new comers could have such great luck & be encourages to go on. I'm a hatchaholic.Maybe you could hatch for others to be able to have the fun of hatching for yourself & keep your wife happy about no more chicks too.....LOL. I am the wife & I think my poor husband has just thrown in the towel.....LOL

 

[Debbi]

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Hey Spitman NICE job on the bator!! Wish there was someone around here that talented! You could quit your job tomorrow and do nothing but make those for folks on here

I went to see an older Sportsman 1202 the other day. Solid door, didn't like that. Covered in chicken poop, mud dauber nests, dirt, grime, and other stuff. Asked them on the phone if it worked, they said yes, but when I got there they wouldn't plug it in?? Hmmm, and the best part; they only wanted $400.00 for it!

Needless to say, it didn't come home with me...

 

[Debbi]

Oh dandy! Just heard on the news that a large poultry farm in Polk county, MO. has tested positive for bird flu, and that all surrounding flocks within 6 miles will be tested! Luckily, that's quite a distance from me, but I know others on BYC are probably out that way? You may want to be wary of buying chicks/birds or eggs from this area till the tests come back from Iowa? Wonder how you would find out the results? Ag dept. web site maybe??

http://www.ky3.com/news/ky3-polk-county-avian-flu-quarantine-20110331,0,3436696.story

If you have dial-up like I do, this site takes FOREVER to load!!

 

[pinkchick]

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That's AWESOME! Congratulations!

 

[Raven1]

Thank you Kim for the color mixes I thought I knew what produced what but just needed the reminder. Your grandchicks are growing like little weeds hope its nice this weekend I would love for them to see grass for a couple of hours.
That is a beautiful bator! I have a dresser I was thinking of converting that gave me hope that it would work.

 

[Keara]

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That's AWESOME! Congratulations!

thanks Pink,

The blues are so cute, almost silver colored. I can't wait to watch them grow!

 

[pinkchick]

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Raven~ You are very welcome and I am soooo happy to hear that all the babies out there are doing great for everyone! I'm tickled PINK!!!

As for the Color breeding thing I didn't mess up after looking at my cheat sheet....so unless someone else sees it and says I made a mistake..you're good to go my friend!

I'm so stinking eggcited because I have a hatch going on right now and as of this morning I have FINALLY and successfully hatched one egg from everyone of my girls!!!!!!!!! Including a little Splash baby from my Charmin and Gnarles.

I was having a very hard time getting some of the Black Copper gals' eggs to hatch...but not this time. I am doing the happy dance even though it's still raining when they had said today would be dry. I'm ignoring Mel's link to the satellite picture of rain for days and telling myself that it's a beautiful sunny day. Mel...DON'T SHOW ME THAT STUFF!!!!!!