Marans Thread - breed discussion & pictures are welcome!

[gilavina]

Probably both as I expect the number of roosters to out number the number of hens. If I want to breed and hatch chicks, well . . . you get the picture. Need a destination for most of the birds.

As marans are dual purpose, I wondered how much emphasis is put on muscle development for eating purposes.

I think if you started focusing on that with the birds you have at home you should do well to have a nice bird for processing. The flavor on the Marans really can't be beat

 

[jebfarm]

wheaton marans are my favorite

 

[gilavina]

LOVELY!!!!!!!!

Thanks Kim! They are growing like weeds and are happy little things.

 

[pinkchick]

I don't have any pure WJ lines but supposedly one roo, and he won't breed, so can't tell you with any great certainty...BUT! An old adage.."Never say Never" comes to mind. I have people also tell me they have NEVER had any comb problems as well, then when the chicks hatch I got Carnation combs?? Take it with a grain, or a pound, of salt!

Yep! Yep!

I am talking from experience like Debbi....take it with a pound of salt!

I brought in some birds from a very reputable breeder by referral from very reputable source...........6 mos. later when they were old enough to breed, I jumped in with both feet soon to find out that the birds I brought in carried genetics for carnation combs, even though they did not show them.
Prior to that I did not have a comb problem........the long long road of weeding everything out was and still is very long and almost exhausting. So when someone tells you that they have never had a problem...they are either not aware of the problem due to lack of information or knowledge or they omitted something. Just my humble opinion.

 

[Oakieridge]

Our babies finished hatching about 6 last night. We now have 13 new chicks, 5 Blue Splash Marans, 5 Black Australorps, and 3 Golden Salmon Marans. They are so stinking cute. Especially the Blue Splash with their little feather legs. I can't wait to see how they all feather out and to see how many boys and girls we get. All were doing great in their brooder this morning when I left for work. Can't wait to get home tonight to get to know them all better.

 

[Keara]

I do what I can to work toward a bird that comes close to SOP, (I am dealing with middle toe feather and some yellow feet), but size is something I always select for. I eat all roosters that don't make the breeding cut, I want them to be as large as possible. After 1.5yrs I usually eat the goodlooking roosters too, if I have a good replacement.

Marans are the best tasting chicken in my opinion. They have silken, almost pork like, dark meat!

 

[pinkchick]

15 of the eggs that I took from the refridgerator went in to lockdown this morning! With what I can see they look to be doing great!!!!

Then I set more eggs

.... final count for all of them that I have been collecting from my birds, 43 Marans, 28 Barnevelders and fresh from the mail lady and Happy Chooks yesterday, 13 lovely Welsummer eggs.





DMRippy~
I have been wondering as I watch the one BCM chick that I kept of the 3 that hatched with short down. She (not 100% sure but thinking pullet) is just over 2 weeks old and is still very short downed on the back and looks almost bare with black stubble like a heavy 5 o'clock shadow.
Reminds me of my ever slow to mature Barnevelders. I am wondering if this may be linked to the slow feathering gene. I have not had slow feathering females in the Marans before and wondering if that is why I am having a hard time telling the sex of the BC's lately. I can sex the blues and splash accurately, but most recently not the blacks. The only thing I can say for the blacks is that primaries are still showing the natural traits that I watch for, but the other signs are not the same.
If this is the case and I have a slow feathering gene in one of my female breeders...I have some more weeding to do.

 

[pinkchick]

I'm not sure about putting the gold girl with the BCMs...I bet Don or Village Chicken might be able to give you the specifics on what the cross were to give you. I just have never tried it. I just use them as layers.

Agreed! I would not use the gold either with the Coppers. Just use the gold hackled Birchen for the layer pen and use the best silver hackled Birchens you have.

 

[DMRippy]

15 of the eggs that I took from the refridgerator went in to lockdown this morning! With what I can see they look to be doing great!!!!

Then I set more eggs

.... final count for all of them that I have been collecting from my birds, 43 Marans, 28 Barnevelders and fresh from the mail lady and Happy Chooks yesterday, 13 lovely Welsummer eggs.





DMRippy~
I have been wondering as I watch the one BCM chick that I kept of the 3 that hatched with short down. She (not 100% sure but thinking pullet) is just over 2 weeks old and is still very short downed on the back and looks almost bare with black stubble like a heavy 5 o'clock shadow.
Reminds me of my ever slow to mature Barnevelders. I am wondering if this may be linked to the slow feathering gene. I have not had slow feathering females in the Marans before and wondering if that is why I am having a hard time telling the sex of the BC's lately. I can sex the blues and splash accurately, but most recently not the blacks. The only thing I can say for the blacks is that primaries are still showing the natural traits that I watch for, but the other signs are not the same.
If this is the case and I have a slow feathering gene in one of my female breeders...I have some more weeding to do.

Great minds think alike

I am pretty sure that is what it is. I bought 2 Good Shepherd Barred Rock cockriles at Newnan and they are older maybe close to 2 months and still no feathers. Well not many anyway. they look alot like the little Black Copper. I have the Rocks in with my 2 month olds and they just stay under the light because they don't have feathers. Not sure what to really do with them. I am ready to move the Fully Feathered ones but I am afraid to put the smaller one in with the Barred Rocks. I have some that are about 5-6 weeks and some a month old. They maybe ok together but not sure... I have some pen cleaning before I can move anyone anyway we will see. I

I need to get you some pictures of your babies too.....

 

[BarnGoddess01]

To all. Is anyone selecting for meatiness?

I don't have enough birds to be selecting specifically for meatiness but I don't have any trouble culling my Marans. They are meatie and they are tasty. I also find them to be quick growing. I have a lot of bird in a Marans male by 16 weeks. They get big fast. I'm finding the ones I've kept have matured (finished?) a little later - especially the females - but they do put on weight fast in the beginning - if that makes any sense.