Marans Thread - breed discussion & pictures are welcome!

[Debbi]

Thanks Kathy & Pink. They have vitamins in their water right now, but I may just give this one a drop of some B complex too. Little sucker has already taken the darned thing off twice! This time I really pinched it (the vet wrap, not the chick!) and twisted it. She is hopping mad now!

LOVE that egg Pink! That's my favorite color too. Love the shape too, wish mine were more rounded.

 

[aurorarose25]

I found a breeder that will sell me some golden cuckoo marans both clean legged and feathered. Should I go with it or don't even bother?

Any suggestions or comments.. The breeder is hija on ebay...

 

[Lotsapaints]

It's always up up you who to buy from......I will not be selling any eggs until next spring as mine are in the real project stage trying to achieve feathered shanks and darker eggs....what color are her eggs? I would always try to get the darkest eggs since Goldens will be a project. Rockin Paints has very nice Goldens too but I think you have to wait for hers right now they have feathered shanks and dark eggs so would be less work as she's already put 3 years into them.

 

[Ivywoods]

Debbi when I had a chick with splayed legs recently I put a terrycloth towel (rag) down in the bottom of the plastic tub I used for a brooder. It worked almost immediately. His legs didn't slide out from under him at all. I didn't have to make a splint.

I go to farm auctions once in a while. Sometimes they will have a whole box of towels or rags that they sell for a dollor or two. I pick those up as needed. That way I don't have to worry about washing it when they are done with it in the brooder. I just toss it out.

Pink-That's my favorite color of egg, too! How nice.

My broody hen has one chick hatched!

There are 3 or 4 eggs left under her. I would like to leave the chicks with her. I love watching a mother hen tend her chicks. The problem is my barn cats. I'm afraid they will.... well, you know!

I have stock tanks with wire covers that I use for brooders but I'm just not sure she would be happy in there. I want to leave her on her nest until she is finished with her hatch. Guess I'm just going to have to figure out a way to encloser her that doesn't upset her and allows her room to scratch around without letting the cats in to the chicks.

Another nice thing about this chick that the broody hatched is that it came from a GREAT DARK EGG!

 

[Debbi]

Good morning all, hope you had a nice 4th!

Yes Susie, I usually use the rubber-like shelf liner that I can clean and reuse. Thought I had some more left after I threw out a bunch, (I only reuse them about twice each), and when I went to the store, they were out of it! Some hateful persons had to line their shelves no doubt!

Got to go to town today to buy more chook feed, so will pick some up today. The little brace is still on, and the little guy is running around with the rest of the little crazies like nothing is wrong. Congrats on your broody hatch!! I can't wait to see some moms and babies around here!

Got to sit on my deck last night and watch the neighborhood fireworks battle. Seems there are some folks to my west, and some to my east that kind of try to outdo each other. They started pretty early, I thought, I guess just the ground type noise-makers, and the chooks were all freezing in place and looking around, puzzled. The noise stirred a Vulture roost into moving into the woods, never seen that before. There must've been 20 of them, flying low and irradically. I guess they found a more quiet place to roost for the night. They usually roost in a big Sycamore tree about 300 yards from my backyard. They are quite amusing to watch as they settle in for the night, lots of squabbling and wing flapping.

We had a nice thunder storm the other day, and a really good rain. The chooks were all out in the yard standing there just getting drenched to the bone. Must've felt really good on that hot day. Funny thing is, when I put the hose on top of their run and turned it on a fine misty spray, they'd have nothing to do with the water! Silly birds...

 

[Ivywoods]

From my deck I watched the Robinson, KS fireworks. It was a great display. Such a big display from such a small town. It is definitely a community with pride. The display lasted 45 minutes! My son watched a display in a MUCH larger town and that one only lasted 13 minutes. Different priorities, I guess.

I have another problem now....my huge BCM rooster, Goliath. I took him away from the hens since I was done hatching for a while. He is so rough on the hens. They look like a bunch of naked necks with bare backs. He is in a wire cage now and must be depressed or something. He is not eating and not drinking. I thought yesterday he looked like he was dehydrated... sunken eyes. He sleeps a lot. I just don't know where to put him without putting him in with some hens. I'm afraid if I put him in with just one or two he will run them to death. I'm going to have to figure out something. I don't want to loose him and I'm afraid I will if I leave him in that cage. Maybe I can put him in with a goat. We shall see.

 

[berkeleysprings]

did u ever cook any ground hog ?
Quote:

 

[AyeUpChuck]

Man! Do y'all normally have issues with pasty butt? I have this one little BCM chick I just hatched out and I can't seem to keep his little butt clean! He was SUPER backed up yesterday. I got so busy I didn't even notice until he started peeping like crazy. Glad I didn't loose him/her. Anyway electrolytes and warm water bath. He has almost no butt fluff left but it still keeps a clinging. Should I use something else?? They have unfiltered ACV in their waterer. Any advice would be SUPER fab!

 

[Raven1]

AYE- clean its butt well and then put a dab of vasoline over the area and see if that helps it should

 

[AyeUpChuck]

Quote:
Thanks! Will try that out!