Marans Thread - breed discussion & pictures are welcome!

[SD_Paulo]

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Jazmine~ its hard to tell at such a young age...besides all baby chicks are keepers. But seriously speaking, it depends on what you have to work with and what your goals are with your birds?

Did you mention if they were BCM's or ? I might have missed that?

If you only have 12 chicks then I would say they are all keepers, except for glaring issues (ie, defects, or combs) but even then you should let them grow out before you start to thin your flock. I dont have the vast expience other have on this thread so this is just my suggestion.

BTW~ the is another thread of Marans SOP that should help understand what to look for in your birds.

Good luck,

 

[3riverschick]

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Ok, I found the posts with pics of your birds, Cadeau.
#27666 12/30/2011 2:56 pm

#27669 12/30/2011 3:03 pm

#27670 12/30/2011 3:08 pm

#27671 12/30/2011 3:13 pm

Perhaps someone else can help. Black and blue just aren't my colors, sigh. I do
like the breed type in the black hen, tho. Very pretty silouette. I just don't know enough
about BC at this age to comment on the BC boy with the short tail, sorry.
Who else can help with counsel??
Happy New Year,
Karen

 

[math ace]

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haha I agree..I think this weather is throwing things off for sure! I really am excited about hatching from my individual pairings this year. I have been thinking about it quite a bit and how to most efficiently do that. I really do think this is going to be a good year despite the set backs!

WHOA! These girls need to wait until I have the breeding coops set up! I don't even have roosters in with a few of them....

I have a group of hens (without a rooster) who keep sliding up to the fence line to squawt for the rooster in the pen next door. LOL.
He was their original rooster and must still be their favorite

I had a different rooster in with them for a while. He had to chase them down to mate.

These girls just seem to have their own ideas.... They think they can select their own mate AND their own time to hatch AND their own eggs to sit on AND where to lay them!

SERIOUSLY, WHAT are these girls thinking? Didn't they get the memo that THEY ARE NOT IN CHARGE ? ?

 

[math ace]

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I just went to Home Depot yesterday to buy the materials for one of the two brooders that I need for this years Spring hatching....
OMG - - Talk about a heart attack. . . . Check out total ALMOST KILLED ME ON THE SPOT!

DH was right behind me in line. He handled it like a pro!

 

[math ace]

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Christie,

I merge my groups when the hens start squating.

If I have a group that is close - - only a couple of weeks apart in age, I will merge those much earlier especially if there are more younger ones than older ones.
I can merge these groups when they are a month old without any trouble.

I have had two or three or four or five grow out pens going all 2011. I did hatches ALL YEAR LONG! This sucked and I am not doing it again!
I was constantly culling and selling so that I could merge groups. The problems come in with the roosters. At one point, I had a bachelor pad so that I could merge the hens with another group....
I KNEW I wouldn't be able to merge the 7 cockerels with my older roos.... but the pullets merged just fine.

YOU KNOW when it is time to TAKE A BREAK when you start thinking about taking over the neighbor's yard for additional grow out space

 

[math ace]

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Chicks are impossible to tell anything about except for things like Carnation combs.
Their feathering is going to change as they grow. Plus there is absolutely no way to tell any thing about their shape at this point.
Chicks are just to be enjoyed.... The evaluating and culling comes later!

Watch your chicks with all the brown. You want to make sure the brown goes away when the real feathers start coming in...

 

[math ace]

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It might be easier for you, but not for me

I went back to Saturday, that was New Years Eve Day, and I didn't see them.
I didn't see any other photos either.... You are killing me here!

 

[math ace]

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Thanks Karen for finding these numbers

 

[math ace]

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Cadeau,

I remember these photos. Lots of folks chimed in with my exact thoughts - - MAN that is one BIG Blue !

Since, my hens were originally critized for being on the small size.... I will always appreciate and breed a big butt hen!

The Blue does seem to have a short back, so I would want to pair her up with a long back males. Your Blacks are the opposite...already have a longer back.


FOR FOLKS LOOKING for these pics they are on page 2767.

 

[math ace]

Well, I have hogged the forum long enough... Does any one else want to jump in?

I've got to go get the chores started!