Marans Thread - breed discussion & pictures are welcome!

[lebentier]

Quote:
X2 but I don't know much about them either. Have you posted these on the wheaten thread?

ooh, i didn't know there was a wheaten thread. i will look for it, thanks!

 

[birdygirl123]

HAHAHA sounds like a deal!

Quote:
I'd be glad to help make em'...Good Night!

 

[birdygirl123]

HAHAHA sounds like a deal!

Quote:
I'd be glad to help make em'...Good Night!

 

[math ace]

I see some moderator editting in ya'lls future!

So, speaking of babies, those dang roos of mine have been crowing since 5:30 this morning and have not stopped yet.

They each have distinctive crows and the main crower is my BIg Delaware roo who has no women. He is still in his 30 day quarantine period.
Man he whines non-stop every morning for HOURS and HOURS.

I am not impressed with the younger roo's romancing. He has injured two of my delware hens combs already. Blood running down their face.
I am thinking these two boys are going to switch places. . . The more mature one in quarntine . .. . He does a great one wing dance. I think he will be much nicer to the ladies. I think Mr. Rough can spend some growing up time in the bachelor pad # 2. MAYBE, Big Boy will STOP THE DANG CROWING when he has some ladies to keep him busy

I have to be getting close to the end of that 30 day period

 

[Debbi]

Morning all

Lisa how many roos do you have? No hose this morning?

I love listening to my 5 boys in the morning. Actually, only 4 crow. Poor little Bump, who was a shrink wrapped baby born on Christmas day, has never uttered a word. I was watching him and his hatchmate, Blue Butt, walking around the yard yesterday. They are always together, and when they walk, Bump is always a step or two beyond, then all of a sudden he jumps in the air to catch up to his buddy. Made me think of the movie "Rainman"!

One more roo to learn to crow yet, and JR is 7 weeks old today. Can't wait to hear how he crows.

Dang! Looks like I missed the Royal wedding!

 

[Keara]

So I thought you all said these Marans were not broody!!! My darkest BCM layer, Nicky, plucked a brood patch and is now sitting on 2 wooden eggs! I guess I will have to give her somebody else’s eggs to hatch. I had been collecting her eggs to send to Math/Lisa; broodies can be so inconsiderate

.

 

[Debbi]

I've got a younger pullet that may be thinking about going broody too. Went in the coop to find her in the little "introduction pen" inside the main coop, and she was sitting on two eggs, and trying to get just the right position. Gees, with my hatching skills, that may be a good thing!

 

[VillageChicken]

Speaking of broodies. Y'all who use 'em, how long do they usually care for the chicks if you leave them? Chicks I've left with my broodies seem to be growing more slowly.

 

[Keara]

Quote:
This is my first Marans broody, so my experiance over the years is with other breeds. I have had bantie hens who kept the chicks with them for 10+ wks before they started to lay again, and then I had a barred Rock who abandoned the chicks after 3 weeks and the bantie rooster took over the care of the chicks. My feeling with the standard size birds is it is an individual chicken thing, and maybe not a breed thing. The one constant I have experianced is that I can not break a broody. I tend to give them eggs to hatch, or let them be broody for a week and then give her day old chicks to rear. Also I might take the chicks away after a few weeks so she will get back to laying.

 

[pinkchick]

Quote:
Hi VC!

If I am lucky enough to get a broody who wants to stick with it then most times I will let her raise the babies as long as she wants to. I have found (when I have been lucky enough to get a broody) that sometimes they don't get it out of their system if the babies are taken away too early. Example...I had a broody who didn't hatch out any eggs, she sat and sat, but none of the eggs hatched. I had some new chicks in the brooder so I stuffed 5 under her, I took the babies away at 3-4 weeks of age and you know that bird went straight back to being broody again.

I tried to break her of it but it wasn't happening, I let her sit on eggs again and that time was different, she hatched out 3 chicks and was happy as could be. I let her raise those babies until they were 6 weeks old. She never went broody again whilst I owner her, but she was an AWESOME momma, and yes this particular bird was a BCM.

They will care for them as long as they need to unless they just aren't cut out to be parent material.

I LOVE BROODIES.....but once upon a time I used to think they were a colossal waste of time....now if I ever get one I can't help but run out and look in on them as often as I can.