Marans Thread - breed discussion & pictures are welcome!

[Debbi]

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Hello! I'm not a Cuckoo breeder, but seems like the tail should be barred? not white. Legs should be a whiteish/gray and feathered on the outside and on the outer toes. Like Lisa said, the standard for most of the varieties of Marans aren't done yet, so check out the French Marans site here: http://marans-club.perso.neuf.fr/accueila.htm#LA%20MARANS

You can also visit the MCCUsa site. This is the parent club representing the breed to the APA in this country, and all SOPs will eventually, come from here: http://www.maransusa.org/

Hope this helps?

 

[Debbi]

WHAT A GLORIOUS DAY!!!

Got the garden spot tilled, tilled the chicken run, cleaned and disinfected all feeders and waterers, watched the chooks play outside in the yard, drank a few beers, then chilled! It got up to 87 here today, and I was really glad the wind was blowing 40+ mph!!

The chooks were not happy when I started tilling the run! They all took off for parts unknown

Found them all sitting on my front porch with the cats!

Tried to herd them back to the backyard, but they weren't going for it. Tried food to bribe them, OH NO! Then it occured to me to try herding them in the other direction...ding, ding, ding, we have a winner! Silly chickens

They were quite pleased when they got into the run and found all kinds of gooey grubs to dine on!

Twas a good day for all around. Rain coming in tonight...wish I'd had more energy to mow the grass, but it will still be there when it dries up again.

 

[Debbi]

Here's a pic of "the boys", or the Storm Troopers as they are known here

That's Roy on the left; and my avatar, Clyde on the right. Pardon the two loose (I wish they'd fall out already!) sickle feathers on Clyde. I so want to yank them out. They are like a child's loose tooth that just won't let go!

They are both such sweet boys, thank you Tannis!

Pictured today at 7 1/2 months (30 weeks)

 

[math ace]

DEBBI ,

WHAT a TOTALLY SWEET picture. I am glad to see that it is possible to raise your roos together. I have 4 mature boys and am keeping them separate - - -2 delawares and 2 BCM. I am CHICKEN to put them together and have them hurt each other. . .

I do have three young cockerels that I am raising together and will hopefully be ok together.

 

[The Point]

Debbi, They are a handsome pair!! Thank you for continuing to share them with me.

 

[Debbi]

Thank you Tannis, I love them both! Gentle giants with me...now if I could just convince them to be a tad more gentle with the girls

They are, shall we say, very amourous!

Lisa, these two are so close, they are rarely more than 3 feet away from each other, ever! Pip is in with them too, but he gets NO women! Poor Pip only gets the plastic coffee can for a mate!

Poor guy, no wonder he's mad at me! They all get along well

 

[flgardengirl]

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Are those roosters or bouncers? They are looking really good

 

[VillageChicken]

edited because of a weird double post.

 

[VillageChicken]

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I just made a bachelor pad for my roos since the girls were starting to get threadbare. I just threw in there a Barred Rock, Orpington, Australorp and a 5 month old BC roo. The dynamics were so weird. The Barred Roo is the oldest and has always maintained his harem, though he tries to steal a shag from a girl that's not his own if one of the other roos isn't looking. But he's scared of the Australorp roo, who is, in turn scared of the Orpington roo (a big fluffy sweetheart), who himself is afraid of the Barred Rock roo. Sort of a self maintaining triangle. Everyone has someone to boss and someone to run away from. The BC roo is just a but(t)head, and isn't nice to the flock I had him with, so his brother got full rule of that roost and he's sorted himself out among the 3 kingpins in the bachelor pad. None of the three is very mean or aggressive, so he's been fine, just can't find anyone to be mean to now. They all get out for conjugal visits with their prospective girls, who come and visit through the fence (it's so funny!) but at least they're not repeatedly grabbing their girls throughout the day. My poor BC hens (the ones that aren't broody) look like they have strawberries on their backs from the bare skin on each wing that has gotten sun. Can chickens get sunburn?

The poor Orpington Roo has had all his girls taken by the other roos, just a tiny EE is loyal to him. But I had to put her in with the Araucanas because a BC hen was plucking her. The Orp stays right by the pen when he's out, and she sits for him at the edge of their run. He even tries to mount through the fence. So I take her out and she immediately runs over and they do their thing. But just once a day, so her feathers can regrow! It's like a soap opera out there! Hard not to feel sorry for the nice guys, who never get the girl.

 

[Bravo]

Debbi, they are beautiful!