Marans Thread - breed discussion & pictures are welcome!

[sabella]

Took some pictures of my birds' leaky bits..

Hen

Sherman

blue flame markings on hackles

 

[geebs]

UG....

The written word is ambiguous... It sounded like you were mad at Debbi for pirating... I don't know who posted it but it has been there for a couple years... You can even go through quite a portion of it online...

 

[sabella]

Now I need some serious advice. While torturing er, photographing my blues one of my BCM began chasing the EEs. So I picked her up. I noticed white feathers.

She is #4, the one who is maturing slower than the others. They're in enough places that I don't think it's damage to the feathers. I also noticed some mossy areas and her fluff is brownish.

tail

back and wing

underside of tail

It would, of course, be the BCM with the nicest hackle color and head.

I'm not pleased right now.

 

[Wynette]

Sabella, I believe that would disqualify that gal, I'm sorry to say. She actually doens't have quite enough copper in her hackles, either. It needs to go all the way 'round, to the front of the neck, and I have a feeling it does not. I'm so sorry! I would personally not use her. However, if she is all you have...well....she's all you have.

 

[sabella]

I only have 3 Marans hens. They're all a bit over melanized, but that is good for Sherman who is very colorful. Looks like she's a candidate for the next chicken swap.

 

[geebs]

Sabella... I have to disagree with Wynette... I don't know how old your bird is but I can assume that since you said she is maturing slow that she is STILL growing... The black hasn't reached the tips yet and I say yet... Let her grow....It is quite possible and maybe even LIKELY that the black will cover both the white and the mousy color... That also explains good hackle color as the black is slow to cover the bird. If the white is there at maturity it is not a showbird...Still could lay some nice darkies for you.

 

[sabella]

I had planned on having a layer flock of EEs, olive eggers and Marans rejects, but I wasn't planning on starting it just yet!!

Should I call the breeder and let him know that she's got white?

She is only 20 weeks old.

 

[jeremy]

I agree with geebs and say give her some time to finish filling out, 20 weeks IMO is still very young.

 

[Wynette]

Most definitely, she's still very young.

I stand by my post. I have not "personally" seen one that the black covers white at the tips of the feathers such as this pullet is showing. Janice has said that she has. So...hang onto her!! Please prove me wrong - I would love that in this case!

Patience is a virtue, Rome wasn't built in a day, and all that jazz....there are many of us who have worked years with Marans and are still running into issues such as this. So please don't feel like you have "inferior" stock in any way!

 

[sabella]

Oh thank heaven. I'm not particularly attached to her but I'm attached to the number of Marans that I have.

Half the time I can't tell my two BCMs apart. I meant to tag this one while I still could tell them apart, but right when I found the zip ties her face molted overnight. (she kept her baby feathers on her face the longest) Every time I think I know that she's #4 I have no zip ties!