Marans Thread - breed discussion & pictures are welcome!

[gilavina]

Quote:
I'll try to PM you a write up of how I handle keeping track of who is who when I get a chance today. I'm just bundling up to go out and do chores finally.... yes...I'm having a bit of a lazy day today

 

[Debbi]

Wow Cadeau!

The only thing you didn't ask is, "are we there yet??"

Just kidding, they are all good questions. I'll let Pink and Vicki field this one, I've got to go outside!

 

[Cadeau]

LOL Debbi - I get these "think storms" and ask all kinds of complex questions!
The learning curve is SO steep with these guys!

Right now, I'm taking a bit of Snowbird's tact and culling everything even a little weird.
Then letting them grow and culling again.

Looking at my birds, I think I'm finally in a position to actually start "breeding"
All my bought birds are grown and laying (if it wasn't so cold!)

My first generation is growing up now, but i want to make a PLAN and try to do it right!

and I need LOTS of help b/c Marans are waayyy harder than the other breeds I've worked with...many more factors, many more major needs b/c they don't breed true...

AND I'm still developing an eye, though I'm starting to see "the shape" in the youngsters!

and I need a GREAT ROO!
I have 3 almost year old cockerels, but they're still not exactly what I want...I don't think??

I see my hens and just LOVE a lot of them!
I want the roos to be the same!!


As for the "calm of the laying pen" my quiet place is to go to my grow out pens.
I just love sitting and talking to the babies - watching them live their little lives!!
They're SO sweet and talkative - just LOVE it!

 

[pinkchick]

Quote:
I like his copper coloring, like the looks of his size and like his breast width. Not sure about the tail.....does he actually have the appendage there? I would think that he should have atleast shown some new feather growth in the tail by now. I can't recall it ever taking that long for feathers to come back in and I've had a few roos come home missing some to if not all of their tail feathers a time or two.


What is stopping you from doing some test mating?


Also, do you have a closer and a bit clearer photo of the said splash girl? I have not seen a Splash get this white. This brings me to something I have been meaning to post in response to the Splash to Splash matings and if they wash out or get even lighter with each successive generation..........I have lost crispness in lacing with my continued splash to blue matings that produced blue offspring and the blue got pretty light tool, well lighter than I care for in my birds. I also suffered a loss in egg color and hackle color. I started crossing back to Black Coppers and the crisp dark lacing returned to its former glory. Some egg color came back, but not fully and working on getting that initial egg color back took longer than I thought it would. Hackle color, or lack of, in the females has been the biggest hurdle......I can get some good colored copper around the head or right behind the ears, or a really nice colored copper feather or 2 or 4

, but for the most part...no copper and very dark, very dark.

 

[pinkchick]

Quote:
Chicken!

 

[SD_Paulo]

Quote:
WELCOME ABOARD the Marans express thread! ! !

 

[Hens and Roos]

Quote:
I know it has to be the same as the full blown looking one that I posted photos of.....just wondering if it is a sign of something different.....like it can express in variations and if it expresses in variations what does this mean genetically? Would this be an indicator that it may be polygenic?

Heck I don't know anymore.........I am getting very tired of seeing them and I am getting very tired of the comb being the first thing I look at on them anymore...I would like to look at them and say "Oh that one is growing out very nicely and love the color on that other one?"
Not " Well wouldya looky there, it's another one of them F*$#G@! - _ _ _ _ - blankety blank blank combs!"

Absolutely! This is why I have so many different kinds here! From pretty Carnation like JR's (did I just say that out loud??

), to the Tree Trunk version on Muttley, they are all variations of the same thing. That's my story, and I'm stickin' to it!

Maybe it is similar to side sprig genetics which are polygenetic -2 different dominant genes must be present for side sprigs to be expressed so for example: if you have AaBb, AABb, AaBB and AABB all expressing sprigs maybe each pairing expresses to a different degree and therefore if this is what is happening with the carnation combs, it could possible explain the different variations that we are all seeing. IMHO

 

[gilavina]

Quote:
I like his copper coloring, like the looks of his size and like his breast width. Not sure about the tail.....does he actually have the appendage there? I would think that he should have atleast shown some new feather growth in the tail by now. I can't recall it ever taking that long for feathers to come back in and I've had a few roos come home missing some to if not all of their tail feathers a time or two.


What is stopping you from doing some test mating?


Also, do you have a closer and a bit clearer photo of the said splash girl? I have not seen a Splash get this white. This brings me to something I have been meaning to post in response to the Splash to Splash matings and if they wash out or get even lighter with each successive generation..........I have lost crispness in lacing with my continued splash to blue matings that produced blue offspring and the blue got pretty light tool, well lighter than I care for in my birds. I also suffered a loss in egg color and hackle color. I started crossing back to Black Coppers and the crisp dark lacing returned to its former glory. Some egg color came back, but not fully and working on getting that initial egg color back took longer than I thought it would. Hackle color, or lack of, in the females has been the biggest hurdle......I can get some good colored copper around the head or right behind the ears, or a really nice colored copper feather or 2 or 4

, but for the most part...no copper and very dark, very dark.

I wonder if a slightly over colored or richly colored boy like Gigantor might help to bring the copper in. I think the crossing the too light birds back to the blacks was a good move for the lacing and etc, but wonder if the copper just needs a boost with a more coppered boy?

 

[SD_Paulo]

Quote:

You know me so well!

Hey Vicki...were you able to get that article sent off to Math Ace?

Sure did...I forwarded it to her not long after she asked for it. She said she'd read it today. I still need to go back and do a complete read through. Hopefully with the decent night of sleep I got, it will soak in much easier!

Vicki ~

I dont mean to pry. Is this article pertaining to Marans? It sounds, from past post, like its a through article that one could learn something from. If its not personal could I look it as I am interested in doing the best I can for the breed with the birds I have.

BTW - I also shot you a PM a few days ago? No love.....

Cheers,

 

[gilavina]

Quote:
Sure did...I forwarded it to her not long after she asked for it. She said she'd read it today. I still need to go back and do a complete read through. Hopefully with the decent night of sleep I got, it will soak in much easier!

Vicki ~

I dont mean to pry. Is this article pertaining to Marans? It sounds, from past post, like its a through article that one could learn something from. If its not personal could I look it as I am interested in doing the best I can for the breed with the birds I have.

BTW - I also shot you a PM a few days ago? No love.....

Cheers,

Crap!! I must have missed the PM. I had family in town staying with us and it was NOT a good time for quite a few reasons, I apologize! I'll go look for it as I have a few other PMs I haven't checked either and need to return. The article Kim sent me wasn't specific to Marans, but if you want to give it a read I can forward it to you. Just PM me your email address as its an attached file in my personal email.