Marans Thread - breed discussion & pictures are welcome!

[Christie Rhae]

No mess cull method...basically it is just dislocating the head from the spine. Bird is held in your arms like you are carrying them. Thumb goes at the base of the skull, so that the palm of your hand and fingers are sticking out over the top of the head, wrap fingers under and around beak. Grasping firmly, gently and steadily pull slightly downward and outward so that the thumb is aiding in pushing the head away from the neck, pull head away from the neck until you feel the dislocation. Trust me you will feel it disconnect. This is basically the same method some use for culling rabbits and also very similar to the broomstick method but with the broom stick method I found if I got over zealous that messes can happen. I use this method with chicks as well. No mess and done fast.

Have a photo to upload with this....NO ITS NOT THE KIND OF PHOTO YOU ARE THINKING EITHER, but the site is not letting me load it...site keeps freezing up.

Will try loading photo in another post.

Ok so it is just like culling budgerigars. I feel like I should be able to do this. I watched some videos yesterday about butchering and preparing chicken. I think I will have no problem doing most of that. It is the actually taking away a life with my bare hands...that I just have never done. Gives me goose bumps. But I CAN do it. I am 43 years old for pete's sake... mother of a small mob...business owner...chicken rancher (lol)... giving myself a pep talk.

I am sure after you have done it a few times it becomes less shocking...feeling those little bones separate. ACK!!! goose bumps again...

 

[BarnGoddess01]

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Glad I could help!! (But freely admitting - not sure I understand AT ALL!!!!

)

 

[BarnGoddess01]

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Dang!

I'm glad I have an Amish couple available that will take care of the "mess" for me for $2 a bird.

 

[flgardengirl]

We just use one of those orange traffic cones from home depot nailed upside down from a post. You put the bird upside down into the cone and cut the arteries on both sides of the neck. We have a 5 gal bucket under the bird to catch any blood. Not too messy and the bird cant really flop around. It is very quick. I dont do the killing dh does and I clean the bird.

 

[BarnGoddess01]

Barb~ What are you confused about? Is it how the E^R / E^R and E/E are written? Some use E^R and some use ER..is that it?

From my preliminary reading, I thought Birchen based (ER) chicks should have all black chick down with maybe a hint of red/brown. Black Coppers are black and yellow chicks. Yet Black Coppers are supposed to be ER. E based chicks can be black and yellow. Thus, I'm confused!

My new book JUST arrived from Holland: Genetics of Chicken Colours - LOADED with current info and pictures! I fully intend to get un-confused!!!!!

 

[BarnGoddess01]

I ordered this book. http://www.chickencolours.com/pagina3.html
After I get it I am SURE I will be a pro...or more confused. lol

You won't be sorry when it arrives, Christie!!!! FABULOUS book - loaded with very descriptive, clear pictures. Mine just arrived so I haven't dug into yet but I am looking forward to it. Clearly, it is FULL of information.

 

[Hens and Roos]

Finally got another chance to edit and now can add a few more pictures of my group of Marans chicks hatched 11-12-2011.

Things have been crazy around our house lately- trying to get work items done for the end of the month and then last week we had to put our Irish Setter down- she was having health issues to start with but just went down hill and didn't leave us with any other choice. To add to that my mom is in the hospital- she wasn't feeling good and upon going in the tests that were run showed a brain aneursym- she is doing better, they are continuing to monitor her but let me tell you the 1st 2days this week were extremely stressful and scary. They have her starting PT and we will see what day they will let her go home- my dad has been going back and forth everyday and my sister is close enough to go everyday too-so she fills in more details after she leaves the hospital.

Pink here is a shot showing the 2 girls we ended up with! Both splashes...



Here is another cockeral from the group- have to go back out and look at his comb again as 1 of the 3 Blues has a wave in the front part.


I have a couple more pictures but can't tell from the pictures which band color they are, so I will have to go and look. Please feel free to give my opinions- this is the group that I am not sure what direction I will be taking with them.

 

[Hens and Roos]

You won't be sorry when it arrives, Christie!!!! FABULOUS book - loaded with very descriptive, clear pictures. Mine just arrived so I haven't dug into yet but I am looking forward to it. Clearly, it is FULL of information.

you will need to fill us in on how you like the book. Is it hard cover or paperback?

 

[Christie Rhae]

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Here is an excerpt from the email I got for order info.


"Books are available from the SCNA,
soft cover, continental US - $130, foreign $140, includes shipping
paypal [email protected], able to ship immediately, upon receipt of payment"

 

[DMRippy]

Just gonna have to put my big girl panties on.
Especially after the mess I made last week.
I was hiding the blood from DH, so outside was not an option.
I did it in the bathroom, easiest room to clean.
Well, the first one, no problem.
The second one tried to jump out of the garbage can (with no head on) and there was blood EVERYWHERE.
Of course, if I didn't try to comfort the head, while it is looking at me like "what the....?"
And tell him he was a good boy, and I was sorry.
Oh well, that's why I call myself Stoopid.