Marans Thread - breed discussion & pictures are welcome!

[pinkchick]

Quote:
Those hens look black to me my friend, they are definately not splash, but, that said....it is possible that they are VERY VERY DARK blue that presents almost black. If they were a very very dark blue then they could throw splash babies from being crossed to the splash roo. To find out if they (the black hens) are truly blue or black...you can test mate them to a genetically black bird and if any of the offspring come out blue then you have VERY dark hens that appear black, but are blue. This is what I had to do with my Bill... I test mated him to a Barred Rock hen and got blue babies.
Do you have a photo of the chicks that are feathering out that look splash to you? A photo from day old or there about, and a photo of now showing how they are feathering out?

Hope all is well....how's those chicklets doing that you hatched from me? I bet they are getting BIG.

 

[Debbi]

Quote:
Hi Susie,

Still alive here thankfully! We had more storms last night after 1am, and I slept through them!

I think my mind and body just shut down and refused to take any more stress. Awoke to my Quaker parakeets screaming in the dark, just enough to open my eyes to see the power had gone out. Thankfully, it came right back on, so the brooder chick didn't get chilled and neither did the eggs in the bator. Went right back to sleep. More severe stuff coming today between noon and five, and this time it is targeted for my area...oh joy.

I know what you mean about having to watch a funnel cloud or twister. They are extremely fascinating to me too, yet at the same time they terrify me. I watched a huge funnel cloud form out of my north window in March, when the Fort by me got hit. Between the flashes of lightning, I could see it get closer and closer to me with each flash, yet I couldn't tear myself away! Last flash of lightning, and it was gone. The thought occured to me that maybe it was right OVER my house!

Talk about a chicken without a head, I didn't know where to go, there is NO place to go here. Luckily, it didn't touch down, but the storm went on forever. Feels like PTSD is setting in, as my body just starts vibrating with the first clap of thunder. If we can get through this day, we will have a break in the weather for a few days. Spent the good part of yesterday checking out storm shelters. Seems the best built and best priced is all the way over in Carthage, and they also do search & rescue, so they are in Joplin right now. It's so wet here now, I doubt they could dig a hole without it caving in anyway. So for now, it all boils down to a lot of praying!

Has anyone heard from KathyinMO??

 

[Raven1]

Ok Kim here are a couple of shots that have the splash babies hope you can pick them out

I do not have current pics but will do some tonight.
If the hens are a DARK blue that would explain it but how did I get them out of a splash X splash mating?

 

[flgardengirl]

Quote:
Those hens look black to me my friend, they are definately not splash, but, that said....it is possible that they are VERY VERY DARK blue that presents almost black. If they were a very very dark blue then they could throw splash babies from being crossed to the splash roo. To find out if they (the black hens) are truly blue or black...you can test mate them to a genetically black bird and if any of the offspring come out blue then you have VERY dark hens that appear black, but are blue. This is what I had to do with my Bill... I test mated him to a Barred Rock hen and got blue babies.
Do you have a photo of the chicks that are feathering out that look splash to you? A photo from day old or there about, and a photo of now showing how they are feathering out?

Hope all is well....how's those chicklets doing that you hatched from me? I bet they are getting BIG.

I also think the dark hens in the photo look black. I have noticed that the almost black roosters I get (that are actually super dark blues) and dark dark blue hens don't usually have that shiny beatle green shine (highlight) in the feathers that the black coppers and some of the true blacks get, especially in the females. That makes me wonder if they are really black not blue hens. I would test mate also.

 

[Debbi]

Went to put the chooks back in the run last evening, and I notice Blue Butt is limping and looks to be in pain. First thought that came to mind was Bumblefoot, so I grab him to check him out. No swelling, no redness, no heat, no scab or cut on the bottom of his foot. He is obviously in pain, and hates to put weight on it. Wonder if it is the start of Bumble or if maybe he jumped down from somewhere and maybe bruised it?? If it does develop into Bumble, where do you give a chicken a shot, as in antibiotics? Thigh? Or are oral antibiotics more practical for a chicken? Will keep my eye on him to see what develops...another "oh joy" moment here

 

[flgardengirl]

Oh poor Blue Butt! I hope he gets better. I have roosters limping from time to time I think they try and spar with each other or other roos through the fence and pull a leg muscle or something when there is no apparent injury to the foot. One of my roos, Achilles, did that when he was young but the limp eventually went away.

 

[pinkchick]

Quote:
Hi Susie,

Still alive here thankfully! We had more storms last night after 1am, and I slept through them!

I think my mind and body just shut down and refused to take any more stress. Awoke to my Quaker parakeets screaming in the dark, just enough to open my eyes to see the power had gone out. Thankfully, it came right back on, so the brooder chick didn't get chilled and neither did the eggs in the bator. Went right back to sleep. More severe stuff coming today between noon and five, and this time it is targeted for my area...oh joy.

I know what you mean about having to watch a funnel cloud or twister. They are extremely fascinating to me too, yet at the same time they terrify me. I watched a huge funnel cloud form out of my north window in March, when the Fort by me got hit. Between the flashes of lightning, I could see it get closer and closer to me with each flash, yet I couldn't tear myself away! Last flash of lightning, and it was gone. The thought occured to me that maybe it was right OVER my house!

Talk about a chicken without a head, I didn't know where to go, there is NO place to go here. Luckily, it didn't touch down, but the storm went on forever. Feels like PTSD is setting in, as my body just starts vibrating with the first clap of thunder. If we can get through this day, we will have a break in the weather for a few days. Spent the good part of yesterday checking out storm shelters. Seems the best built and best priced is all the way over in Carthage, and they also do search & rescue, so they are in Joplin right now. It's so wet here now, I doubt they could dig a hole without it caving in anyway. So for now, it all boils down to a lot of praying!

Has anyone heard from KathyinMO??

I would be a complete idiodic basket case down there right now Debbi....fact I would probably be heavily sedated, I don't know how you do it. I am praying my bum off for everyone and their families in the path of these storms and the devistation left behind. Please stay safe my friend and stay away from the windows.

 

[Debbi]

I sure hope it's something like that. He's such a fata$$ that I was thinking he may have just landed on it wrong and bruised it. When he comes off the roost, it sounds like a wet bag of cement hitting the ground!

I did notice that he and Clyde got into it the other day for a brief period, so that may be feasible too. Thanks.

 

[Debbi]

Thanks Kim

prayers do help! Sedation is sounding good about now!

 

[pinkchick]

Quote:
Those hens look black to me my friend, they are definately not splash, but, that said....it is possible that they are VERY VERY DARK blue that presents almost black. If they were a very very dark blue then they could throw splash babies from being crossed to the splash roo. To find out if they (the black hens) are truly blue or black...you can test mate them to a genetically black bird and if any of the offspring come out blue then you have VERY dark hens that appear black, but are blue. This is what I had to do with my Bill... I test mated him to a Barred Rock hen and got blue babies.
Do you have a photo of the chicks that are feathering out that look splash to you? A photo from day old or there about, and a photo of now showing how they are feathering out?

Hope all is well....how's those chicklets doing that you hatched from me? I bet they are getting BIG.

I also think the dark hens in the photo look black. I have noticed that the almost black roosters I get (that are actually super dark blues) and dark dark blue hens don't usually have that shiny beatle green shine (highlight) in the feathers that the black coppers and some of the true blacks get, especially in the females. That makes me wonder if they are really black not blue hens. I would test mate also.

hmmmmm....my very dark blues do get some beetle sheen. Bill has some, especially on the places of his body that are the darkest, like his wing bow. I also have a splash roo that has one very dark blue tail feather that has that green beetle sheen to it and one of my Blue Copper hens has 3 or 4 random darker blue feathers that are so dark they have that same beetle sheen. Weird!