Marans Thread - breed discussion & pictures are welcome!

[MichenerFarm]

That pic is HUGE! I'm sorry- I'm still learning how to work the BYC forum

 

[Illia]

Quote:
Vulture hocks is having stiff, long feathering on the hocks instead of just normal fluffy feathering.


Vulture hocks, no vulture hocks. NOT MY BIRDS.

 

[marquisella]

It is just a feathering issue. Some breeds like Sultans are supposed to have them.

It comes with heavy leg & foot feathering. It is a dQ in breeds that are not supposed to have them. It is a thicker, longish feather that runs down towards the back of the foot from the hock area. When the adult feathers come in, it is more noticeable. Because I see a lot of feathers pointing down from that cockerels hock area, it looks like vulture hocks in chicks. The feathers are softer in chicks.
Its a recessive gene and both parents have to have it. It can be a problem in Cochins, they actually mention it in their standard, or descriptions of foot feathering in most sources describing the Cochin standard.
If you go to feathersite and look at the Sultans, you can see how it looks.

How that gene got into Marans, I don't know, but I have seen it first hand.

I was going to post on the Marans sop thread & ask Don. I've seen him say he saw it in a photo of Marans on here somewhere, or another site.

I'm starting to worry that it will become a problem as people breed for more foot feathering, and don't recognize it, just think it is good feathering.


Quote:

Sue, I've seen mention of "vulture hock" before (and on the Heritage Fowl thread) but I confess, I Googled and found no images so I still have no idea what it actually is.

is it actually a hock issue, or a feathering issue? Your post makes it sound like a feathering issue, but am wondering if the vulture hock goes hand in hand with this featheirng issue? I confess that I don't see anything in the pics, except that the shank feathering is too heavy (NO disrespect, Farm_Maven!)

 

[Dearsrock]

Morning,
Finally got some half way decent pics of my roos. All hatched end of February. Roo 1 and 2 BC, Roo 3 wheaten. And yes, there is some white fluff near the tail on Roo 1

They may all be dinner, but I'd like to get some feedback before I make any decisions. Many thanks!

Renee
S CA

Roo1 & 3

Roo 3 wheaten

Roo 2

Roo 1

 

[DMRippy]

Quote:
Sue, I've seen mention of "vulture hock" before (and on the Heritage Fowl thread) but I confess, I Googled and found no images so I still have no idea what it actually is.

is it actually a hock issue, or a feathering issue? Your post makes it sound like a feathering issue, but am wondering if the vulture hock goes hand in hand with this featheirng issue? I confess that I don't see anything in the pics, except that the shank feathering is too heavy (NO disrespect, Farm_Maven!)


My Marans were the ones viciously attacked with VULTURE HOCKS and to clarify NONE of my birds have them!!! I removed all my picture for fear of further attack from Don. I will just have to pick and chose my birds based on MY opinions and if that dose not improve the breed you can thank Don for running a newbie off this thread.

 

[marquisella]

Quote:

My Marans were the ones viciously attacked with VULTURE HOCKS and to clarify NONE of my birds have them!!! I removed all my picture for fear of further attack from Don. I will just have to pick and chose my birds based on MY opinions and if that dose not improve the breed you can thank Don for running a newbie off this thread.

I hope my post didn't come off as vicious. I posted with the intention of educating and I was hoping it was just a bad angle issue with the photo.
I've seen many posts and photos that people have put on here and other sites where they are showing very over feathered birds and bragging out it. Vulture hocks come with extreem feathering so we need to know how to recognize it. I don't always read posts here every day, and I think by the time I saw Don's post, the pictures were gone so I can't comment to that.

 

[DMRippy]

Quote:
My Marans were the ones viciously attacked with VULTURE HOCKS and to clarify NONE of my birds have them!!! I removed all my picture for fear of further attack from Don. I will just have to pick and chose my birds based on MY opinions and if that dose not improve the breed you can thank Don for running a newbie off this thread.

I hope my post didn't come off as vicious. I posted with the intention of educating and I was hoping it was just a bad angle issue with the photo.
I've seen many posts and photos that people have put on here and other sites where they are showing very over feathered birds and bragging out it. Vulture hocks come with extreem feathering so we need to know how to recognize it. I don't always read posts here every day, and I think by the time I saw Don's post, the pictures were gone so I can't comment to that.

I didn't feel that way about your post. But I have never seen them on this thread. Some of my birds do have heavily feathered legs, just not vulture hocks. I like them that way and I am not showing. They were breed for egg color and that is why I got them, they are just turning into good looking birds too

 

[Wynette]

Sue, so in the pics that Illia posted - that first example - almost looks to me like the tips of the wing primaries sticking straight back, but you can definitely see the wing above it...am I seeing this correctly?

DMRippy - I'm sorry that you felt attacked...some folks are just not as good with communication as others. I'm glad to see you back posting, though!

 

[pinkchick]

DM~ You must stick around....you have a certain roo that I would love to watch continue to grow.

 

[Illia]

Quote:
Yep, vulture hocks are a good "mockery" of a second pair of wings