Marans Thread - breed discussion & pictures are welcome!

[Debbi]

Before I moved here from CA., I was looking at a beautiful farm in Brainerd (sp?), MN. It was like 120 acres, lots of barns and outbuildings, and a gorgeous old, two story, Victorian farm house. Lots of water too, and they had it priced at, get this, $45,000.00!!!!

Mind you now, this was back in 1988, but still, what a price, especially since the CA cost of land was already so high. Yeh, glad I didn't bite. I checked the local weather records for there, and no way was I living with an -30+ temps for a good part of the year!

 

[gilavina]

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haha weather is a major factor in finding a place. I dont know that I could own a farm in that amount of cold, but brainerd is a beautiful area up there. Sounds like that was a great place! Too bad it wasn't a bit further south.

 

[pinkchick]

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How? I don't know what Silver Ermine is but the Columbians are just Columbian, no Lavender.

There is a Marans out there that looks like the Coronation Sussex and the hackle barring or lacing whatever it is is light blue or a lavender color, I believe they called them Ermine or Silver Marans. I was just asking because of using the blue or the lavender from them because they are Marans instead of having to outcross them to another breed. I am no expert and truly have no clue, was just was having a think out loud moment.

 

[pinkchick]

Vicki~
I honestly don't have a clue what I pay for the bulk seasonings....my mom picks them up for me when she goes shopping in the big city. Our small town isn't to accomodating for folks who are gluten free, so she goes to Portland to get her flours and spices. Mom just hands me the bags and I usually just hand her whatever money I have in my pocket. She never tells me the exact amount because she says that requires thinking and math.

 

[gilavina]

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haha that's hilarious. the place my friend told me about sells pound packages and in some cases 5 pound packages of cinnamon, tumeric, garlic, cayenne and a bunch of others. The cinnamon is $8.60 a pound, tumeric $9.90...and etc. I didn't think that was too bad...what do you think?

 

[gilavina]

well got my show line up set...got the entry forms and the check made out to go in the mail when I go to work. 10 birds made the list, but will have to watch them to see how they continue to do feather wise with this cold weather coming in. If they don't hold out it is possible one or two will have to be scratched. They are not perfect birds, but are good and don't usually take my first string of birds to shows...don't like the risk of someone snagging my best breeder...heard too many stories about that happening. I am taking 3 Marans...1 black and 2 blue pullets...they are nice and hopefully will stay in good feather. I want to see what they say about their body type and etc. Their eye color is not that really brilliant color...its more a medium color, but I know that and it is more just to get a nice outside perspective on them. The other birds are not anywhere near being in feather for showing, but there is always next spring.

 

[Debbi]

Gees, that's an awful thought, having to worry about your best birds being stolen?? Think I'd have to try putting a sign on the cages, something like:

"WARNING! These birds have been implanted with a GPS tracking chip! Thieves WILL be caught and prosecuted!!"

That might make someone think twice??

 

[Mountain Mel 22]

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That's funny! It reminds me of the joke about the watermelon farmer who - in an effort to keep folks from stealing his melons - put a sign on the fence that read "One of these melons has been injected with poison. You figure out which one." The next day someone had written on his sign...."Now there are 2"...

 

[Debbi]

 

[Bravo]

So cute!! Love the pic of her snuggled with her bear! It is amazing what we do for these little birdies, isn't it?

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Aww that's such a cute story. My best hen, Cheepa, (the one who lays eggs like my avatar) almost didn't make it as a chick either. She was really really tiny and weak and couldn't stand. In retrospect, I think my bator temps were running way too low and I didn't realize it at the time. Anyhow, I hand fed her and she had to be separtated from the others until she got stronger. Once she caught up she was a little pistol and very healthy. She still isn't a really huge hen but very pretty and my darkest layer. Thank goodness she made it.

Here she is with her little bear. She loved that darn bear so much that I had to put it in with her when I moved her in with the other chicks. THen she would stand on the bear's lap and attack any other chick that would get near it LOL!
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b134/sultry_jasmine_nights/Other Critters/Bear-1.gif