Marans Thread - breed discussion & pictures are welcome!

[pinkchick]

Mornin' Pink!

Does the sibling to sibling breeding improve egg color any, or have you not tried that one? I need to improve my color, but it is down on my list of priorities for the time being.

Morning! Hey glad you got rid of the roos.....doesn't it feel good?

I have not tried sibling to sibling matings to increase egg color. I am going to try mating Lil' Bill to his only full blooded sister that I have here to see about increasing hackle color in the females so I guess that I would be able to tell you about the egg color....but that will be a while away yet. If it goes well then we could see if there is a difference in egg color by late fall.

 

[berkeleysprings]

Nope didn't bother to candle this time, my flashlight is not up to the task. I'll get what I get...   Hope the chicks don't blow away today! Gees, 50mph gusts here...


 

Hi ya Randy!  Is the word "Dimorphic"? As in sexually dimorphic?? I do not know the answer to the other question, but I do know some people breed one line specifically for roos, and another for hens. Wonder if ever the twain shall meet??

 

I thought there might be another word for that because die morphic usually referrs to sexx but i wasnt sure but it seems to me if they share a 50 percent of their genetics the hen would have to influnce the rooster

 

[mstricer]

Hello everyone back in August I won a 24 hour auction from Wynette and hatched out 5 and due to a hawk breech in run lost three. But still have a boy and girl. Well two days ago she graced me with her first eggs so I would like to share and hope Wynette gets to see. (remember its her first eggs so they are cute and small) This is Wendy. Sorry about the size I can't figure out download thing.

 

[Raven1]

Donna I am sorry about the middle toe feathers I usually cull for that (I have only seen it a couple of times) but maybe its a good thing since the girls are mostly clean legged. I did tell you they are project birds and yep I just don't have the time or room to work with them anymore. I don't think I have any Birchens I can work with either that is a real disappointment too! They are the most friendly birds I have, but all have the gold leakage. When will all breeders tell us the faults before we buy? I don't mind working with faults but it would be nice to know what you are getting into!!

I get to practice with the feathering thing now. The Cuckoos some have feathered legs most don't. So the silver cuckoo has some middle toe feathering and he is in (or will be in) with all my pullets to improve leg feathering. From those chicks I will cull all the clean legs and THEN maybe I can start culling for darker eggs. Or vice versa.... I may tag the ones from dark eggs too. This is a long road.... I see why you got rid of them Becky

Thanks

 

[pinkchick]

Hello everyone back in August I won a 24 hour auction from Wynette and hatched out 5 and due to a hawk breech in run lost three. But still have a boy and girl. Well two days ago she graced me with her first eggs so I would like to share and hope Wynette gets to see. (remember its her first eggs so they are cute and small) This is Wendy. Sorry about the size I can't figure out download thing.

Congratulations and both pullet and eggs are LOVELY!!!!!!!!

Now where's the photos of the rooster??????????

 

[DMRippy]

Donna I am sorry about the middle toe feathers I usually cull for that (I have only seen it a couple of times) but maybe its a good thing since the girls are mostly clean legged. I did tell you they are project birds and yep I just don't have the time or room to work with them anymore. I don't think I have any Birchens I can work with either that is a real disappointment too! They are the most friendly birds I have, but all have the gold leakage. When will all breeders tell us the faults before we buy? I don't mind working with faults but it would be nice to know what you are getting into!!

I am glad you didn't cull him, I need him! I know it was a project, I talked myself into it. BTW Some of my Blue Cuckoos in the bator are developing

They go into lockdown Friday I think.

They are pretty birds (birchens)! It is too bad to have your heart set on some birds and they don't turn out to be what you thought. Did you know someone on CL has Birchens out your way? Maybe you could go look at them and see what you are getting. The pic does not show any gold leaking but it is only from the front. Just a thought....

 

[mstricer]

Here is Wyatt

 

[mstricer]

This is a better picture of him.

 

[Wynette]

Hey, Michele! CONGRATS on the eggs! The pullet is lovely, although I'm not sure I would use that male for breeding - he appears to be clean-legged, and he has a bit too much copper in the breast. I do like a tiny bit of coppering in the breast of the males as I believe (MY OPINION) that it helps to improve the coppering in the hackles of the female offspring.

I LOVE the shank coloring (have you all been seeing our own Village Chicken's post about "slate over pink"?), he's got a nice angle to his back, and his tail looks to be the correct angle as well. Also, he appears to be a big boy! He MAY be a good choice to breed to a female with a longer back, overmelanised (too black/not enough copper in hackles) and heavily feathered shanks.

The eggs I'm just now seeing for my last fall hatches have been lovely, and darker than the parent stock came from, which has been a bit of a pleasant surprise!

Also - so sorry to hear about the hawk attack - RATS! And thanks so much for posting pics! You've done a wonderful job - they both look happy & very healthy!

 

[mstricer]

Thank you. I thought the same thing about the boy. Thank you for looking. Now to wait to see what I get with Nancy Gerry's chicks. All their legs are feathered. Only a week old. Guess I will get to see their feathering over the next few weeks.
Wynette how did you get that lovely egg in your avatar?