Marans Thread - breed discussion & pictures are welcome!

[Debbi]

I will, thanks.

My fear is always dropping the egg, thus holding onto it harder and crushing it!

These eggs are so much smaller than the monsters I'm used to!

 

[loprettaerin]

Ok I have a question?

I have been doing few test hatches with my marans. I have a blue roo with 4 black hens. With this combination I should only be getting blue and black chicks Correct? The reason Im asking is because one hen is throughing me some weird color looking chicks. I have another set due this coming weekend. She also lays lighter which is why I have only been the one hatching hers. Her chicks are coming out maybe splash looking and they have white/pink legs. All other chicks from the other hens are coming out normally blue or black with slate to black shanks.

Im not sure if this is a recessive gene that her and the roo carry when mated together or what is going on with them two together. I did take some pictures but not the best at taking them so they are really not good example. Not sure if these chicks are splash or some other color from a reciessive gene. I'll post a picture in a minute of them, but they are still not fully fluffy yet still drying. 3 off her eggs have hatched so far one chick died so dont have picture of it and 2 are still doing good both similar but one has bit more blue down in it. I plan on keeping a few of them and let them feather out to see what they may end up looking like.

Any ideas what they could be? other what reciessives gene's may be lurking in background.

Im still really new and very stumpid by this. Maybe there just really light blues with wrong leg color. I have no clue

The one in the back

I will take some more pictures when they are dryer and fluffy. But hoping this will give a better idea at what Im looking at.

 

[loprettaerin]

Quote:
I guess no one is on today or I just stumpid many. Thats ok Im stumpided too. I know they are not crossed since they have been in seperate breeding pens for some time know.

 

[Raven1]

Could your hen be a dark dark blue that could give you splash I am not great with genetics but someone will tell you what to do to find out. I think mate her to a black and see if you get any blue?

 

[loprettaerin]

Quote:
Honestly the hens do not look blue or even dark dark blue. My roo is a very dark dark blue on top and lighter from his chest going to under belly. I do think mating her to a black roo would be a good idea to see what pops out. Will be intresting when they feather out to see if they are true splash or if there is some hidden genes in the mix also. This will be interesting to say the least. Im sure more will chime in, the little one that past had more brown looking down with dark blue striping. Will see what pops out of her eggs next few times and then will look for a black roo,I dont have one that is old enough yet. I know some one locally that has a black copper roo but I know, I would have to hide if from my dh if I got him just as a test roo. lol Thank fully he can not tell roos from hens when they are young. I have several youngserts running around just waiting to pick the best ones to keep.

 

[AyeUpChuck]

Quote:
Bummer Ivy! But

for the other babies!

I just candled a eggs that will go into lockdown on Wednesday. They were a test batch of eggs as the bator, an LG, was a lend and I wanted to make sure that I had it sussed before I put "good" eggs in it. I feel like most of those aren't viable. 20 were shipped and most had detached aircells, infertility etc. A dozen I got from a friend who has some really lovely lowriders

Just a fun mixed dozen of Marans - one of which is that little birchen egg

I think I'll have about 6-8 from the shipped and so far it looks like at least 10 of the 12 marans will be viable. again

I have three other bators going as well. Two of which have eggs that are at about day 10 and I just candled those and I'm EXTREMELY pleased with how many of those are developing as they're all shipped. REALLY excited for the next few weeks!!!!!

Hope everyone had a great weekend!

 

[Wynette]

Quote:
Hiya - I'm not much help with your question, but did want to mention that it's not the best idea to get them out of the bator until they're all dried off...I'm sure you only got them out for a couple seconds to get pics, but just wanted to mention it, just in case.

 

[ChicksterJo]

My marans being bad with the Red Stars...digging up and ripping off leaves. I am not sure if her color will get lighter? It seems that the feathers near her tail are coming in a bit lighter.

 

[dldolan]

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Thanks, everyone! (Roger, hard to lurk here with a new baby, huh?!? Yes, the names seemed to fit the two pullets!) I am pleased about the Splash girls, and the egg color looks nice... My BCM hen is hysterical! Here legs are so, so dark, though. Is that the norm? Hackles not copper enough-- seemed like it to me, too. But it sounds like that is a typical issue?

Here is Eva sitting on the nest yesterday before she made her first egg. Comb OK?

Both girls with Lil' Joe, whom you have seen before, I think:

 

[Debbi]

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I agree with Raven, bet one of your hens is a dark blue. Check the underfluff on her neck and base of the tail that may appear more grey than black. Breed her to a black roo, if she's black, you'll get 100% black; if she's dark blue, you'll get 50% black & 50% blue.