Marans Thread - breed discussion & pictures are welcome!

[jeremy]

My Splash Marans pullet, Dolly. The lighting is a bit weird in this picture but you get the idea. She's around 6 months old and hasn't given me an egg yet.

 

[math ace]

Quote:
Watch for really red faces - wattle and combs.
My telltale sign that it will be less than 2 weeks before I get eggs is the SQUAT. If they start squatting for you, it is time.
I would not let mine free range for a week or two AFTER They start laying. Once they KNOW where they are suppose to lay their eggs, they will cross their legs and try to WAIT to lay them in that spot.

I let my girls out and can go back and they will be waiting by the coop door WAITING for their chance to get inside and lay their egg.

 

[math ace]

Quote:
PHOTOBUCKET.... any one can search it....

type in
smiley jumping,
smiliey good morning
smiley angry
smiley dancing
. . . . etc.

Copy and past the image code into your text. PIECE of CAKE!

 

[Ivywoods]

Quote:
PHOTOBUCKET.... any one can search it....

type in
smiley jumping,
smiliey good morning
smiley angry
smiley dancing
. . . . etc.

Copy and past the image code into your text. PIECE of CAKE!

Thank you! I will give it a try. I've seen such cute smileys on here, and I wondered where the heck they came from. That one with the tantrum was a classic!

 

[math ace]

Broody behavior..... Let's talk about it for a moment, PLEASE.

I have a hen who went broody last year and is trying to do it again this year.
Last year, I gave her eggs that only had a week or so left on incubation time.
She killed the first two chicks as they hatched and the third survived.
She ended up raising the one chick.... but after the first week she really was not a good momma.
She wanted to return to the flock and kick her chick to the curb!

I wrote that experience off to first time momma learning curve.
Now, I am wondering if she has what it takes to be a good broody and momma.
Yesterday, she was setting on two eggs.... The nests to her left and right had eggs in them too.
While I was feeding up, I put all the eggs ( except the ones she was sitting on) into one nesting box.
At the end of chore time, I went back to collect my batch of eggs....
She had left her two eggs and was now sitting on the dozen of eggs I had separated for collection.

Since she is nest hopping like that ..... is she dedicated enough to broody some eggs?
This is her fourth day of broodiness......
I took away her eggs the first day or two. Then I caught her trying to hatch the heat lamp light bulbs that I store in
an empty nesting box. I felt sorry for her and that is why I gave her the couple of eggs.

Do they bond with their clutch of eggs or will the continue to steal others eggs or nest hop for bigger clutches?

 

[ChickenLord]

Quote:
Watch for really red faces - wattle and combs.
My telltale sign that it will be less than 2 weeks before I get eggs is the SQUAT. If they start squatting for you, it is time.
I would not let mine free range for a week or two AFTER They start laying. Once they KNOW where they are suppose to lay their eggs, they will cross their legs and try to WAIT to lay them in that spot.

I let my girls out and can go back and they will be waiting by the coop door WAITING for their chance to get inside and lay their egg.

I'll be on the lookout for it. Yesterday, I tried to reach down to pet a few of them, but none squatted or spread out their wings. :-( As for our free range time, we have an agreement, they stay out of the trees - I don't squirt them with water
During free range time, the pen door is open and they come and go from it freely. Thing I still need to keep them penned up until they lay? I'll check their oyster shell for signs of snacking too.

 

[SanctusPullus]

I tried this as a separate post yesterday but got no responses, so I'm trying here! I bought a few Maran chicks, both Cuckoo but one a feather-legged variety, and aside from some distinctly different markings on the head and face, they are both bare-legged after nine days. I know most feather-legged birds develop their legs feathers very quickly (my Wyandotte and Brahmas had leg feathers after a few days), does the Maran develop later or did I overpay for a normal Cuckoo Maran?

 

[Ivywoods]

All of my black copper marans had feathered legs upon hatching. Yours may just be a clean leg variety.

 

[Debbi]

Good morning all

SanctusPullus ~ Welcome to the Marans thread! I don't have Cuckoos, but with my black copper chicks, if they aren't born with shank feathers, they aren't going to have any as they get older. Some have been born with yellow fluff for shank feathers, and these usually shed off and they end up with none as well. The ones born with lots of dark fluff on their legs are the ones that end up with nice shank feathers. Cuckoos pretty much started off in this country as clean legged, so they are still out there. Even though both parents may have feathered shanks, there is still no guarantee that the chicks will, but you have a much better chance. Hope that helps, that's how it goes around here.

Math Ace ~ I have yet to see any of my pullets or hens squat, either for me or any roo! I must have a bunch of independant ladies; "if you want me, you'll have to catch me!"

Pink ~ Olivia is in the run today along with Charlotte. Last night getting them all ready for bed, the boys started chasing her around, and this morning, her usually very black comb and wattles are RED!!

May have another new layer today or tomorrow!!

Jeremy ~ Pretty Splash girl there!! I need some SPLASH in my life!!

 

[SanctusPullus]

Yeah, I was hoping that wasn't the case. She came from a separate full brooder marked "feathered legged Cuckoo Maran" and cost 4x the price of the standard Cuckoo Maran...