Marans Thread - breed discussion & pictures are welcome!

[BarnGoddess01]

Quote:
I had an APA judge tell me that running around in dewy grass can cause a clean legged bird to develop "stubs". He always checks for it when judging. Perhaps this is what's going on?

That is the craziest thing I have ever heard a judge say! The only way clean legged birds develop stubs is from something in it's background and that something could be from many years ago. I don't doubt that he looks there first as that is an easy way to make sure that you don't spend a lot of time looking at a bird that will be DQ'd.

I can think of no reason why moisture would cause stubs, unless you guys have some strange dew up there. It would be much more likely that the chicken would grow stubs after drinking Mt Dew.

Walt

I think it actually may have been a little more scientific in that the moisture changes the skin and exposes stubs where they might not be so obvious on dry legs? Actually, it was more feet than legs. It was around the toes he was checking. And he was quite serious.

Maybe we Canadians do have some funky dew????

Or maybe I need to retune my listening ears???

 

[BarnGoddess01]

ok folks, so I have 2 BCMs laying now for a week - 3 eggs from 1, 2 from the other. Laying every other day so far. One more Blue Copper yet to get fired up.

3 smaller ones to the right are Ruth's, 2 larger ones on the left are from Bobbi. Bobbi's first was that ginormous speckled thing! And man, did she make a fuss.

Bobbi's egg from today

 

[Wynette]

Beautious eggs, Goddess! I hope they get a bit more satiny in appearance like Ruth's 2nd from the end. We see lots of matte finish ones, but they truly should have a more satiny appearance. That speckly one is just gorgeous! GO LADIES, GO! And CONGRATS!

 

[flgardengirl]

Thanks for all your input on the newly developing feathered shank situation. It must just be his background since his sister has it but it sure is odd that it wasn't there before. In fact, I was wishing one of my GCM roos had feathered shanks so I could breed him to the girl with the stubs and perhaps get some feathered shank babies.

We do get a heavy dewfall here in the mornings and all my birds get some free range time on a rotating basis (different pens, different days etc.) I don't think we have any Rogaine in our dew here lol. Kidding aside though, that's really interesting about the dew thing - I hadn't ever heard of that.


Pretty eggs Barn Goddess!! You have a nice color combination going there. I just loving opening a carton of our own eggs and seeing all the colors..its like Easter every day LOL!

 

[Chinchilla2]

Quote:
Definitely explains why I got size 14s, only mine are the spiral ones

instead of the flat numbered Bandette brand since I couldn't find any of the Bandettes in a #14. The DH says I got 'em because I wanted the girls to wear bracelets.

I don't even think I could get a #9 on the 6 week olds anymore.

 

[Mountain Mel 22]

Quote:
I've gotten eggs like the lower one in this post..pretty cool, aren't they?

 

[rancher hicks]

So now I have to follow this thread too, oh my.

I have Birchens. Who here has them and what can you tell me other than what is on the GF site?

Are they fast or slow to mature? Are they easy to deal with? My cuckoos were not friendly at all.

 

[BarnGoddess01]

Question for the gene folks: do we know how many genes are involved with leg feathering? I ask because there is "sparse" and there is "SPARSE" (among others.) On my girls you can count the leg feathers - that is SPARSE, I figure. But Marans aren't supposed to be overburdened with leg feathers. They are supposed to be sparse. No feathers on the middle toe. And then comes the question of stubs/fuzz. If there is fuzz present, does that mean they have some of the feathering genes?

I would SO like to understand more about how this all works ....

 

[SD_Paulo]

Quote:
Very pretty eggs BR! ! ! I like the speckeled effect.....

 

[fowlman01]

Quote:
That is the craziest thing I have ever heard a judge say! The only way clean legged birds develop stubs is from something in it's background and that something could be from many years ago. I don't doubt that he looks there first as that is an easy way to make sure that you don't spend a lot of time looking at a bird that will be DQ'd.

I can think of no reason why moisture would cause stubs, unless you guys have some strange dew up there. It would be much more likely that the chicken would grow stubs after drinking Mt Dew.

Walt

I think it actually may have been a little more scientific in that the moisture changes the skin and exposes stubs where they might not be so obvious on dry legs? Actually, it was more feet than legs. It was around the toes he was checking. And he was quite serious.

Maybe we Canadians do have some funky dew????

Or maybe I need to retune my listening ears???

Hopefully that comment didn't come from Troy or Paul. In any event I don't know what he was trying to say. You might have funky dew up there, but generally dew only makes things wet.

Walt