Marans Thread - breed discussion & pictures are welcome!

[Debbi]

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I respectfully disagree; look how far we've come with white underfeathers/tail feathers! You don't see those NEARLY as often as you used to! For sure, we're making progress!

Absolutely there has been progress made, with things like white feathers and clean shanked birds. Those faults are easy to see and weed out of the breeding program. Where the problem lies here, is you may never know you have a whole flock of carriers for these combs, until one day, you change something as in bringing in a new bird(s). Then you hatch out 100 birds, don't have a clue as to why they "look" different, and either breed them anyway, or pass them on as "Marans". This is where the research comes in, and this is why I brought this problem to light to begin with. Can't believe me and Kim are the only ones in the country with this problem, and from all the e-mails I have received, prooves I was right. It's just going to take time to straighten the whole thing out, and it probably won't come in my lifetime..

 

[stoopid]

You two aren't the only ones with the problem, you only admit to it.
Most of the others are selling their culls, at a profit...

 

[Chinchilla2]

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I've actually driven to Charm's house and seen her birds personally. While I cannot testify as to exactly where she got her original stock, I did not see any stupid combs and the vast majority of her Marans had at least decent feathering on the shanks. They were also big ol' babies when "Momma" headed out to the pens to show me around.

Now, that being said, I am just now getting started on Marans. While I do not have any BCMs, I do have a fairly decent looking Splash cockerel and a passel of smaller blue and splash babies coming up. Everyone has feathered shanks and outer toe, some a little denser than others. Even got two little ones that look like Stoopid's cutie, right down to the shank feathering.

I've also got one teenager who I plan on attacking sometime tomorrow and dragging his sleepy rump out there with that Canon camera I got him last year for Christmas to take some darn pictures that he has been promising to take for the last month or so because I wanna show 'em off to everyone for critiquing.

 

[Debbi]

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Well, I just say what's on my mind, hopefully tactfully, although tact has never been my strongsuit. I find it humorous, that some people reeeeaaaallly get offended if you make a critical remark about their chickens! C'mon folks, it's NOT like I just told you your baby was the ugliest thing I'd ever seen!

They are afterall, chickens, not children. This is the same kind of ethics I met up with when I showed and bred dogs. I will never be a big time chicken breeder. I may never show a chicken. I may never get a near perfect bird in my backyard. The thing is, when I get into a specific breed, I like to at least work for improvements. If I can't, then I'd at least like to feel like I left the breed at least as good as it was when I started. Better yet, I'd like to make some kind of improvements. I truley want to believe that it is a lack of knowledge abounding, rather than a "screwum" type of attitude. I still hold on to a glimmer of hope for my fellow man, and wish to give the benefit of the doubt.

 

[stoopid]

Another thing that perplexes me, is say, white feathers.
Isn't it normal for a chick to have white on the wing tips, but will moult it out as a juvenile?
How do you know how far to let it go before it is a cull?

 

[stoopid]

Use the word "breathtaking"

 

[Mountain Mel 22]

Quote:
I respectfully disagree; look how far we've come with white underfeathers/tail feathers! You don't see those NEARLY as often as you used to! For sure, we're making progress!

Absolutely there has been progress made, with things like white feathers and clean shanked birds. Those faults are easy to see and weed out of the breeding program. Where the problem lies here, is you may never know you have a whole flock of carriers for these combs, until one day, you change something as in bringing in a new bird(s). Then you hatch out 100 birds, don't have a clue as to why they "look" different, and either breed them anyway, or pass them on as "Marans". This is where the research comes in, and this is why I brought this problem to light to begin with. Can't believe me and Kim are the only ones in the country with this problem, and from all the e-mails I have received, prooves I was right. It's just going to take time to straighten the whole thing out, and it probably won't come in my lifetime..

IMHO...the best thing a person can do is to "Super Cull" and get rid of the problems, thereby developing your "own" flock. I look forward to the day when "Pink Flamingo Marans" are held with as high of respect as Bev Davis birds. When you buy eggs or birds from another flock, you only open up your "own" flock to any defect that they may carry. IMHO.

 

[Debbi]

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If the majority of it hasn't been molted by the adult molt, it will remain, for the most part. There are exceptions to this, I have one in Pip. I am finding now too, that a year is not long enough to truely judge a male. I was told the other day, that a roo won't be fully grown out and mature until he is two years old. I'm thinking now, this may be very true.

 

[CelticOaksFarm]

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Glad you asked that, I was feeding tonight and noticed some with white on their feathers and was going to come ask if it is a chick thing and will molt away.

 

[math ace]

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As a side note, putting a marans in with a delaware is also a good way to test and see if any yellow leg genes are waiting to show up. MAYBE everyone needs a few delawares around to help test for the carnation comb and yellow leg issues

If you need delaware eggs, I can hook you up!

HOWEVER, the delawares will cast their spell on you and you may never go back to the marans