Marans Thread - breed discussion & pictures are welcome!

[syble]

I wonder if I can get some guesses on sexes?



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The 1 copper, pullet?



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pair of blues?



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pair of splashes?



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splash pullet?



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splash pullet?



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black cockerel?



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2 pullets? they did that squatting thing my older hens do for the roo when i picked them up for the photo



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black pullet?

I see 3 roos in the photos, but in person it seams like many more roos... what do you experts think? Now if i'm planning on breeding to the proposed standard, would it just be smarter for me to work with the feather legged birds only? or would starting with a bigger breeding group be better?
Thanks
Sib

 

[marquisella]

I put an auction for eggs up at : https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=502688

BlacK Copper or blue Copper Marans or both. Winners choice.

 

[wolftracks]

I have a thread out asking about this, but no help yet.

I'm frantic!

What would cause egg color to fade over just a coupld of days???

I don't know what to do.

Could it be something I gave as treats before and haven't?

Something I've given them?

Everything is the same as usual, but I have pale eggs. I mean pale! I usually get 5s and 6s and when they cooperate I have two hens that will lay a 7 or 8, but I can't find my chart to see if these are even on it.

I have swaps to do and the past two days, I have these pale eggs.

This is my other thread.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=502639

OMG someone tell me what this could be, because I'm about to cry.

 

[berkeleysprings]

are they smokey looking ?
Quote:

 

[wolftracks]

It's not bloom, it's egg color.

I don't understand this. I haven't given them anything different, but they haven't had BOSS in 2 weeks.

 

[marquisella]

Quote:
I've experienced that a change in temperature can affect the egg color. Darker eggs in cold weather than in hot.

 

[wolftracks]

hmmm funny though, because this week was no where close to the last two.

I didn't have this problem last summer.

I'm stumped.

I know some people add certain things to the diet to help with color, but I have no idea what any of those are.

I want my dark pretty eggs back.

 

[Cadeau]

Can everyone please give me opinions on these 3 cockerels?
They are all @4mths old, all have feathered legs, some more than others, all have eyes that are changing to a gorgeous orange, no saddle feathers yet.

#1 low man on the totem pole - easy going, friendly

Geebs this guy has a wave in the front of his comb - if you want the pic just let me know!

#2 the boss - pretty shy and hard to get a pic of
This guy sometimes carries his tail to the side - is this a DQ then?

#3 stays out of trouble - a little stretched out b/c he was scared of the camera
This guy has a nice amount of "flames" on his chest, but I couldn't catch a pic

This was about a month ago (@3mths old) - couldn't get a front pic tonight

Thanks!!

 

[Debbi]

Quote:
First off, how long have they been laying? Have the temperatures been flucuating a lot lately? Has it been extremely wet lately? Any added stressors? Any illness? Are you feeding enough protein? My eldest pullets have been laying since Nov., and the color has pretty much stayed the same, 5-6+, but there are days when I get a bloomy egg or just some plain lighter ones. The bloomy is coming from an older pullet, the lighter and often times funny spotted eggs are coming from one of my two younger pullets. Could it be from new layers? Mine all started out light, gradually building up to the darker color.

 

[geebs]

Wolftracks Check for parasites.... (stress is the answer to your question) It can be in the way of parasites, fright, food change, temp change.

What I would do is add Tumeric to my feed immediatly and cinnamon (till it has a nice strong flavor/color) and DE.

I would let them forage for a day or so on grass and return them to their pen with fresh straw and that should encourage a lay.... Make sure they are kept cool... high temps...it is just a given.

At the swap take what you have and broken egg shells of the ones that you have in the frig... Explain the issue... Take anything good that you get from the changes I suggested. The extra yard time on grass and the boost of nutrition from the system cleanse will likely clean out the pipes... You may choose to keep them on that spice regiment permanently as it is such a good deal for them...