Marans Thread - breed discussion & pictures are welcome!

[flgardengirl]

haha...no shooting at Lisa from me at all... I appreciate that she took photos! That's pretty funny tho that people were demanding explanation about why some bird placed the way they did from you for posting pics. I never would have thought it.

How's the birchen plans going Lenette? Gonna start hatching from them soon?

Hi Vicki. I only posted that because more people read these threads than are actually posters and most of the ones who were sending pms etc were not even the regular posters LOL!

Yes planning to hatch birchens, golden cuckoos, bcms (only the darkest of the darkest egg layers are going in this pen) and maybe a few of the darkest laying bl copper females, pure blacks, and the 2 project Marans pens. We have been busy redoing our garden fencing...making it larger and taller. The chickens aren't the problem but the turkeys are the bad ones picking peppers off the bushes and teaching the chickens how to jump up and do it LOL. They have raided my fruit trees as well.

 

[Debbi]

I appreciate the photos you uploaded Math Ace, the good the bad the ugly..no matter. I know how much trouble it is trying to get those birds in a cage to pose just right and getting in through the crowds to even get a shot. Then you have to go through them and upload them all LOL. Not fun! I am happy you are posting them for us.

Remember folks, Lisa is just the messenger..don't shoot her for the bad birds! ROTFL!!! Last year after the BCM qualifying meet in Newnan a lot of people emailed and pm'd me asking me why such and such bird won with such obvious faults etc. Some people were even kinda nasty to me...I'm like, "How would I know? I just took and posted the pics!"

Nope, no shooting Lisa here!!

I appreciate the pics as well. Hard to fathom why people would get nasty towards you for taking the pics?? I just want to know...where was your Sharpie, Lisa?? Geees, I still can't believe how that still irks me!

 

[Christie Rhae]

Didn't a wheaten marans take best in show? Is that the term? Lol never been to a show. But I thought I read that on the yahoo group. I would like to see a pic of that guy.

 

[gilavina]

Hi Vicki. I only posted that because more people read these threads than are actually posters and most of the ones who were sending pms etc were not even the regular posters LOL!

Yes planning to hatch birchens, golden cuckoos, bcms (only the darkest of the darkest egg layers are going in this pen) and maybe a few of the darkest laying bl copper females, pure blacks, and the 2 project Marans pens. We have been busy redoing our garden fencing...making it larger and taller. The chickens aren't the problem but the turkeys are the bad ones picking peppers off the bushes and teaching the chickens how to jump up and do it LOL. They have raided my fruit trees as well.

Haha....crazy turkey turds! I bet Sassy is right in the mix as well eh? Way too funny. I'll have to see how it goes this season with my birds and the garden. Last year I had a few fence jumpers that would devour tomatoes like pros, but I am determined that's not gonna happen again this year!

 

[flgardengirl]

Oh geez,Debbie, I didn't even notice that they were still writing Maran instead of Marans lol!! When will they ever learn? Next time we go to a show we should take the biggest sharpie ever- like this one haha !! http://www.ryman.co.uk/0930119002/Sharpie-Magnum-Marker-Pen-Permanent-Chisel-Tip/Product

Vicki, Sadly Sassie is locked up in the breeding pen with her sister that she hates lol. They have exactly the same sassy personalities and are super jealous of each other and can't stand each other. I hate to see what will happen if I let one of them hatch their own chicks.
Poor Cocoa is in there with them and she is so laid back and mellow. She is twice their size but they are mean to her.
I think the turkeys were missing Sassy and they would hang outside her pen and 'chirp chirp chirp' for her to come out and run around with them. I really need to get them a Tom. Maybe, then, they will forget about being gasta girls with Sassy!
The blue birchen roo thinks he is a big stud now in there with all the girls. He somehow chipped the end of the top of his beak fighting with other roos before I put him in there so he looks funny now.

How are your breeding pens shaping up? What all are you breeding this spring?

 

[math ace]

I think it is important that we see what is being showed at the shows.... Just knowing who is winning is not enough .
I love it when the Poultry press post pics of the winning birds.

I know when I am shopping for a breeder, I want stock that is going to improve my own breeding program. If all the birds are being compared to each other .... that doesn't necessarily guarantee that the winners have what it takes to better my program.

I, also, had a epiphany while I was at the show.... We hold ourselves to such a high standard on this forum that I was concerned that I would NEVER have anything that I could take to a show and not be laughed out the door. After being to a few shows, I have realized that the competition is NOT years ahead of me... That I could show and be taken seriously....

I hope all that doesn't come off as bragging. My birds are not super stars my any measure, but I am seeing that I am not as bad off as I thought I was either. I am thinking that in the process of learning the SOP and holding rigidly to the standard, we may end up holding ourselves back from some other opportunities.

I know there have been times in the past when I have considered throwing the towel in because I didn't think I would ever get where I needed to be.... Now, I am thinking that I am not that far off from a lot of others... Does all this make sense?

 

[math ace]

Didn't a wheaten marans take best in show? Is that the term? Lol never been to a show. But I thought I read that on the yahoo group. I would like to see a pic of that guy.

You won't get it from me... My camera died before I got to the wheatens

 

[gilavina]

Oh geez,Debbie, I didn't even notice that they were still writing Maran instead of Marans lol!! When will they ever learn? Next time we go to a show we should take the biggest sharpie ever- like this one haha !! http://www.ryman.co.uk/0930119002/Sharpie-Magnum-Marker-Pen-Permanent-Chisel-Tip/Product

Vicki, Sadly Sassie is locked up in the breeding pen with her sister that she hates lol. They have exactly the same sassy personalities and are super jealous of each other and can't stand each other. I hate to see what will happen if I let one of them hatch their own chicks.
Poor Cocoa is in there with them and she is so laid back and mellow. She is twice their size but they are mean to her.
I think the turkeys were missing Sassy and they would hang outside her pen and 'chirp chirp chirp' for her to come out and run around with them. I really need to get them a Tom. Maybe, then, they will forget about being gasta girls with Sassy!
The blue birchen roo thinks he is a big stud now in there with all the girls. He somehow chipped the end of the top of his beak fighting with other roos before I put him in there so he looks funny now.

How are your breeding pens shaping up? What all are you breeding this spring?

haha...Poor Sassy...thats kind of funny that your birchen girls are so jealous of each other!
And even tho the turkeys are turds, poor turkeys for being lonely...they do need a man me thinks!

My breeding pens as far as the physical pens I have to work with now are doing ok...still have some more moving to do and have some extra girls going to a friend before too long so that will give me more space. I need to build more pens, but with all the rain, they are going to have to wait, cause if a bobcat were to come in right now to help me level the ground, I would end up with nothing but a giant mudpit.

So, it will be small amount of egg collecting until I can get more things sorted, so we'll see how fast it gets done

What i'm working on breeding this spring varies. I have my Marans, which are silver cuckoo, blue cuckoo project, blue birchen, black birchen, blue copper, splash copper, and black copper.
Then I have bantam columbian wyandottes and in large fowl wyandottes I have columbians, slw, b/b/s, and am going to be working on a project with the silver penciled I have left. It will be a long road, but I'll get there. I also am going to be working on olive eggers. And lastly, I have light, coronation and lavender birchen sussex....and then there is my dad's bantam wyandottes which i will be working with too. Full season for me this year. I think it is going to be a make it or break it season for a couple of my pens. Trying to decide whether or not I will continue with what I have or if I will look for more supplemental stock or not. In some of my breeds and colors I have 2 to 3 breeding pens per color variety.

 

[gilavina]

I think it is important that we see what is being showed at the shows.... Just knowing who is winning is not enough .
I love it when the Poultry press post pics of the winning birds.

I know when I am shopping for a breeder, I want stock that is going to improve my own breeding program. If all the birds are being compared to each other .... that doesn't necessarily guarantee that the winners have what it takes to better my program.

I, also, had a epiphany while I was at the show.... We hold ourselves to such a high standard on this forum that I was concerned that I would NEVER have anything that I could take to a show and not be laughed out the door. After being to a few shows, I have realized that the competition is NOT years ahead of me... That I could show and be taken seriously....

I hope all that doesn't come off as bragging. My birds are not super stars my any measure, but I am seeing that I am not as bad off as I thought I was either. I am thinking that in the process of learning the SOP and holding rigidly to the standard, we may end up holding ourselves back from some other opportunities.

I know there have been times in the past when I have considered throwing the towel in because I didn't think I would ever get where I needed to be.... Now, I am thinking that I am not that far off from a lot of others... Does all this make sense?

you are making total sense Lisa and I think you are in a good place. It is about balancing the two viewpoints I think. I often am very hard on myself and my progress and it is really beneficial to see what others are working on and even more essential to see what other people have for stock and not going blindly by winning records or reputation or etc. Only you know what you need to add to your stock to help improve them, just like I know what I need for mine or what direction I'm breeding for. This is why it is important to stick to the standard, but also give room for growth like you mentioned. Not all breeder birds are pretty enough to show, and think that sometimes birds that would make a great breeder are tossed out because they don't meet the SOP perfectly. Its a step at a time thing and a learning curve for sure. That's why I appreciate this forum and people willing to work together.

 

[BarnGoddess01]

Quote:

I can assure you, that was not the case. I was at the qualifying show and saw the birds with my own eyes. Unfortunately, Debbi, the quality of Marans at that show was NO different than the birds presented at Newnan.