Marans Thread - breed discussion & pictures are welcome!

[gilavina]

It looks like the rain is going to stay away today, so just perhaps I can get a few pics of my chicks i'm growing out. Its been a muddy sloshy mess outside for a few days. I've been keeping myself busy cleaning out winter pens and rearranging birds into breeding pens in the barn. I also have the last of my seedlings to plant...I'm thinking its going to be a busy busy day! Oh...and I have eggs going into the hatcher today! I'm excited!

 

[gilavina]

Oh...Debbi and Ivy...did either of you get any snow the other day? It was downright disgusting. I'm just glad that the temps are warm enough it melted very quickly.

 

[Hens and Roos]

Here are a couple pictures of the 3 babies hached out from eggs Pink sent us. The little black chick is getting around much better. The pictures are not the greatest as they weren't to interested in have pictures taken!

We had a bit of snow yesterday afternoon but nothing stayed and now the weather is saying we could get up to an inch of snow later tonight. My Dad brought up some started potato plants and our garden area isn't dried out yet to work it up

 

[gilavina]

Quote:
Those are adorable!
You said your dad brought some started potato plants? Are they just regular potatoes? Or sweet potatoes? How does he start them? I've always just cut the eyes out and let them dry for a few days then plant them in the ground...I love learning new ways of doing things!

 

[aghiowa]

Hi folks! I posted over on the What Breed or Gender is This board, but I thought I'd get the opinions of people intimately familiar with marans. I hatched out one black copper marans on Feb 19th. What gender do you think it is? It is currently just about 2 months old. I am hoping pullet, as we are not allowed roosters here in town. Also, my daughter is just starting in 4H and will be showing chickens at the fair this year. IF this one turns out to be a pullet, what can we look for to see if she's a nice-looking one?

Thanks for indulging my ignorance.

Now:

At 5 weeks old:

Earlier still:

Angela

 

[Harris5]

I got some pictures yesterday of my Golden Cuckoo chicks. Yes...they are UGLY right now. Check out the feathered legs on this guy!

And a she...

I have a small handful of chicks to work with....a dozen or so. My MIL's dogs broke in to my GCM pen and murdered ALL of them!

The dogs are gone (it was their FIFTH offense)...the MIL is still around.

This is in memory of them...I LOVED this guy.

 

[berkeleysprings]

g sorry about the dog attackpeople should keep there pets under control , were i am located i have alot ofwoods , and a few neighbors , but i do carry most ofthe tima a kimber45 , but id hate to shoot a dog or something in the dog family , there just doing what dogs do , we never had aa problem except with racoons



Quote:

 

[Harris5]

Quote:

As mad as it made me, I felt bad for the dogs. I feel it was my MIL's fault for not working with them or keeping them contained properly. My husband and FIL had the dogs re-homed. The MIL still feels like they 'were just chickens.'

 

[Hens and Roos]

Quote:
Those are adorable!
You said your dad brought some started potato plants? Are they just regular potatoes? Or sweet potatoes? How does he start them? I've always just cut the eyes out and let them dry for a few days then plant them in the ground...I love learning new ways of doing things!

He had some red and golden potatoes that started sprouting on them, so he cut them up so each piece had an eye and put them in little yougart cups to start them. One plant is up about 4-5 inches.

How long should we leave the splint on the chicks legs or should we plan on changing them again?

 

[gilavina]

Quote:
Those are adorable!
You said your dad brought some started potato plants? Are they just regular potatoes? Or sweet potatoes? How does he start them? I've always just cut the eyes out and let them dry for a few days then plant them in the ground...I love learning new ways of doing things!

He had some red and golden potatoes that started sprouting on them, so he cut them up so each piece had an eye and put them in little yougart cups to start them. One plant is up about 4-5 inches.

How long should we leave the splint on the chicks legs or should we plan on changing them again?

how long have you had those splints on? When I talked to kim about the way she showed both us with that vet wrap she said she has left them on as long a week. I left some on for two or three days and took them off to see and the chicks did fantastic after that with out them. One I left for a whole week...it was a much bigger chick, so I wonder if the weight of the chick had anything to do with how long it needs to be left? I guess if it was me, I'd take the wrap off...and let the chick wander around a bit if its been a few days and see how it does. if its lookin still kinda iffy...then I'd reapply a new wrap and let it go for another couple of days.