Marans Thread - breed discussion & pictures are welcome!

[pinkchick]

Quote:
Debbi, I have a room full of the sportsmans and here is what I do. 40-45 until last three days 55-60. Also I had never heard of lock down until coming on BYC and have been using the sportsman 35-40 year or around there. I open the incubator anytime I feel like and do whatever I would like. My eggs all hatch at about the same time frame. Shipped eggs will take a little longer though.

Ditto to what Don said......with the exception of using a sportsman for 35-40 years and not knowing what lockdown was. I've only had mine almost 6mos. Love it and open it anytime I want to just like Don.

 

[pinkchick]

geebs~

Very happy to hear the chicklets made it to you.

 

[math ace]

Quote:
I think this got lost in the busyness of the thread! Always so much to catch up on haha. Any thoughts anyone?
thanks
sib

I have a hen with NO leg feathering and another hen with LIGHT leg feathering. I paired them up with my Heavily feathered roo.
I got 4 pullets - - one with no feathering, two with light feathering, and one with good feathering. ..

If I was making decisions based on feathering alone, I would be extremely disappointed.
However, all 4 pullets are looking better in color, size, and shape than the mothers.
Now, I am waiting for egg color before I decide who will get used for the next generation of chicks.

Long and short of my results. .. If you use hens with little or no leg feathering then MOST of what you are likely to hatch will be featherless or lightly feathered leg shanks.
You will produce a small percentage of chicks with the right feathering. If you use only those chicks for the F2 generation, then you should have your issue resolved or greatly reduced . . ..

 

[pinkchick]

Quote:
Sib~ This boy is going to have a very nice comb upon maturity....I'd put money down on that.

 

[pinkchick]

Quote:
I think this got lost in the busyness of the thread! Always so much to catch up on haha. Any thoughts anyone?
thanks
sib

I have a hen with NO leg feathering and another hen with LIGHT leg feathering. I paired them up with my Heavily feathered roo.
I got 4 pullets - - one with no feathering, two with light feathering, and one with good feathering. ..

If I was making decisions based on feathering alone, I would be extremely disappointed.
However, all 4 pullets are looking better in color, size, and shape than the mothers.
Now, I am waiting for egg color before I decide who will get used for the next generation of chicks.

Long and short of my results. .. If you use hens with little or no leg feathering then MOST of what you are likely to hatch will be featherless or lightly feathered leg shanks.
You will produce a small percentage of chicks with the right feathering. If you use only those chicks for the F2 generation, then you should have your issue resolved or greatly reduced . . ..

I agree with Math about being extremely disappointed if I was making decision based on leg feathering alone.

I have a clean legged rooster that I use intentionally for breeding......yes I battle with some clean legged chicks and some sparsely feather legged chicks.....I have and will breed the clean legged chicks back into my project breeding program if they will lend good qualities to the next generation of offspring. I try to use the sparsely feather legged offspring if I can but if the clean legged one is exceptional I WILL USE IT, but I try to breed the clean legged or very sparsely feather legged birds back to a good feather legged bird to increase the leg feathering next go around. No reason not to monkey around with a clean leg bird if it is TOO good of a bird not to use. It may take a little more time to reach the goal your are looking for but with out building the barn first....there is really no use trying to pick out paint colors......and in my mind the feather legged thing is something that does not add to the stability of the structure...but is rather cosmetic and can be worked on after you know the building is reliable.

 

[Debbi]

Good morning all

Wow we were a tad racy last night!

Now the sun is up, the debauchery button here has been turned off!

Hope no one was offended?

Thanks Don and Pink. New bator purchase will be in my near future!

As for shank feathering, my 3 week olds are as follows: 2 with decent feathering, one sparsely feathered, one with zip. Out of the 5 pullets that could be the Moms, 2 have sparse feathering, 3 have zip. The one little chick hatched the other night, Solo, has shank/toe feathering. I'd almost wager he/she is a Clyde baby! I do wonder though, about the spot on top of his head??? Cuckoo??? I'll have to get some pics later today. Is it possible to get Cuckoo sports from a BCM x BCM breeding??

 

[pinkchick]

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Yep...my roosters names are Bill, Steve Martin, Dale Ernhart (cuz his band is #88

) , Gnarles Barkley, Odin and Lil' Bill cuz I can't come up with something better for him yet, when he does his first stupid act I will likely come up with a better name for him.

OMGosh....I forgot about my lughead Barnevelder roo...Ugg, he got his name because he is the biggest lug I've ever seen. Dooo---doot-du---du...which way did he go? which way did he go?

 

[Debbi]

Quote:
Yep...my roosters names are Bill, Steve Martin, Dale Ernhart (cuz his band is #88

) , Gnarles Barkley, Odin and Lil' Bill cuz I can't come up with something better for him yet, when he does his first stupid act I will likely come up with a better name for him.

Heh heh heh, like the "pet" names I have for Pip and Blue Butt??

I won't go there!

 

[pinkchick]

Quote:
Steve~ They look great! Is that Splash a Bill boy? Where's the blues?

Are you going to share Wellie photos over in the Wellie thread too? I am really liking those Wellie girls coloration (slightly darker and richer browns and the birds). Happy Chooks would love to see them...she likes this coloration as well.

 

[snowbird]

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Debbi, All my sportsmans are the 1202 but I converted them to the electronic thermostat. At present I use one incubator for each hatch, just level the trays and turn off the turner. In the past I have used the more than one hatch but left the humidity at 55-60 and see no difference in the hatch. I use a small water pan and do not like the 5 gallon bucket with a float water pan. I have had the floats stick and not let the water come in to the small pan. I just fill the small pan by hand each day. I run mine at 100 degree and keep a check last two days at hatch to make sure the heat doesn't go too high. The heat of the chicks will sometimes cause a spike in the temp.