Marans Thread - breed discussion & pictures are welcome!

[gilavina]

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Ammmmeeeennnn! I say that all the time it seems these days.

thanks to you and Marquisella for the info on your floppy comb experiences by the way. Gonna have to make some decisions here quickly

 

[berkeleysprings]

i havent gone back to read about what people said about floppy combs but my davis whaeten roo started out with a floppy combe but after he got around 10 months old it stiffened up were many said it wouldnt happen so if the roo is younger than say a year wait and c but thats just my experance

 

[gilavina]

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thanks....looks like it I'll have to decide whether I think the bird is good enough to give it grow out time to see if it corrects itself before I completely cull perhaps?

 

[DMRippy]

Speaking of combs, when do the girls start getting combs? My FBCM are 10 weeks old and one of my girls started getting a redder and bigger comb and waddles and i noticed another starting to grow too. They are not being roos in disguise are they? They can't I already have 6 roos out of 12!

 

[Debbi]

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Just with my own experience here, the pullets combs don't start turning red until they are coming up on point of lay. Here it varies from 17 - 24 weeks. Hate to say it, but if indeed you are seeing RED (not pink), combs and wattles at 10 weeks, they are most likely boys.

Best thing is to post some pics...we love pics!

 

[DMRippy]

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Just with my own experience here, the pullets combs don't start turning red until they are coming up on point of lay. Here it varies from 17 - 24 weeks. Hate to say it, but if indeed you are seeing RED (not pink), combs and wattles at 10 weeks, they are most likely boys.

Best thing is to post some pics...we love pics!

Tomorrow! I need some pullets!!!!!

 

[smarsh2]

Do maran roosters tend to be mean? I had 12 chicks from a mostly maran flock with a father whose genetics are a mystery; he was very nicely orange barred with a single black tail feather. About half the chicks have a few feathers on their legs. All 8 roos have been quite aggresive, prior to their demise and consumption. They were very mean to each other and would gang up on the old hens during free range time. They didn't act sexually aggresive, just mean. I have a single roo left, a rather nice looking cuckoo. He was the bottom of the pecking order so lasted longer, but he has become just as crazy and appears to be mentally lacking too. He has the weirdest stride, runs about as random as the flight of a butterfly, and is constantly make this alarm screeching sound.

anyway, I just wondered if the aggresiveness was a genetic make up of the maran or, as I suspect by the look of the 4 pullets, there might be some game in their blood. Even one of the pullets will chase and attack my foot like most pet roosters do, and has even done the mating dance of thing on my hand when I am holding her.

scott

 

[Debbi]

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It can depend on the breeding and the raising, but there are bad apples in every breed. I only have Marans and Silkies, but the Silkies are still in the brooder, so...Anyway, out of the 8 roos I have that are of sexual maturity: 2 are bat scat mean, as in people aggressive, they are fine with the flock. 2 are the most calm, gentle and sweet roosters I've ever seen. In fact, they take turns taking care of the younger chicks and live in their pen with them at night. 3 of the boys are so far people friendly, but they are hellaticious on my girls! I chalk that up to them being teenagers. And one was born deformed is could care less what goes on with people or chickens, just feed me! He will occaisionally make a move on the women, but he isn't too quick.

I have two more roo chicks that were sired by the calm boys, and so far, they are very friendly like their father. So there it is. Would love to see pics if you have them.

 

[smarsh2]

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I will try to post tomorrow night some pics. I will have to get my wife to download the pictures, I am old school or at least old.

 

[pinkchick]

Don~ I am thinking of breeding my Blue Copper boy, Lil' Bill to all of my girls that look like this Black Copper and the bigger Blue Copper gal in the second photo. What do you think this will do for adding color to the females as you spoke about before?

Debbi & Raven~ The larger blue gal in the photo is the one that just started laying and is the older sister to your Bill girls. The other blue gal in this photo is a pure Davis bird......she is the same age as Bill's daughter......look at the size difference and look at how much longer the Davis bird has to go before she starts laying....see her comb? Funny how different each bird can be. Ohhh almost forgot....can you barely see the copper on Bill's girl? She has some copper but it is very dark. This is what your girls are like aren't they?