Marans Thread - breed discussion & pictures are welcome!

[Oakieridge]

Double that, I was using Cuckoo Marans hens with Rhode Island Red cock as well as Barred Rock hens and if I didn't mark the ones that came from the Cuckoo mothers, I wouldn't have been able to tell which was which.

Thanks, I am looking forward to seeing the little ones that hatch from this mating. I don't have any extra cukoo hens right now or I would try it now. But I only saved 3 for breeding this year and lost one in Feb. and one of the other two went broody on me, grrrr. Let me tell you she was a sweet broody until about day 12 and then she turned into something else, lol. She is feirce about thos eggs she has, haha. So I am down to just one cuckoo hen with my rooster. It is a good thing he is a gentleman and doesn't over breed her. This year instead of selling the extra girls I will keep them for breeding with the RIR.

 

[desertmarcy]

I am seriously in need of help in determining which birds of my black copper Marans to cull. I hatched out a lot--I have about 125 black and 30 blue copper chicks on the ground!! OMG what was I thinking. Well, I know what I was thinking--that the birds I have need improvement, so I thought I'd hatch a lot so I'd have a lot to choose from. 4 out of 5 of my hens are solid black, improvement #1 needed. The 5th has only a little copper on hackles. The egg color needs improvement, big #2. Cock is pretty nice--I'd like to see his tail set lower and he has a thumbprint comb. And I'd like to see his hackle feathers more mahogany, not so brassy. So these are the things I wanted to work on, but really! I do not have the money to feed all these birds to the age where I can see what is what and the space for them--can't free range here, too many bobcats and hawks. Right now I have the ones that look male in one pen, females in another pen, and an outside brooder that has the younger ones, but it is too crowded and I am getting a lot of picking. So--here are a few questions, please experts out there, I need to thin numbers down soon.

1. Other than culling at hatch for obvious problems, how old (ideally and realistically) should I raise the birds before deciding? I understand they change quite a bit.
2. I have some mossy pullets. Are these a definite cull or sell as dark egg layer now, or will this go away/change?


3. Several of the pullets have white tipped feathers, especially on their breast. Cull or sell as above, or will this go away/change?


4. How long to wait to see if their foot color changes to gray/slate? Most of my chicks were hatching with yellow/pale feet/legs, but I see that most change to what they should be. (I see one of the mossy pullets in the first pic does not have solid slate feet).
5. How long before I know the pullets will stay solid black? How long does it take for the copper color to come in if it is going to? It seems like the ones that have some copper are also mossy.
6. What about those feathers on the middle toe? A lot of my chicks had this, and I didn't cull since I had what I thought were more important issues to deal with. If I culled for that alone, I'd be able to cut down numbers very fast. Some of them have just a few, others more.
7. And what about the color on this blue copper (don't know if it is a pullet or cockerel yet):

8. And lastly, is it usual to have so many culls with this breed? I know they are a work in progress, but I didn't expect quite this much of a job. Frankly, it is very discouraging, plus they naturally are much more flighty and "don't touch me" attitude than other breeds I have, which I don't like. Plus I didn't have any problems with picking with my other chicks until the Marans went out there (to the outside brooder). Insight on this? Please, give it to me straight what to do and what to look for, I am sure I am missing some things that I should be on the lookout for.

I was hoping to raise the extra cockerels to good size for butcher since we did that last year and they were very good. I think I butchered at 5 months, but not sure now. What age do you all recommend? I am sorry this is so long, but I have some issues here that need worked out yesterday.

 

[gilavina]

lol! I always read the posts on my iphone just sometimes get too busy to post. Don't worry, I am always watching.

Ok here are some pics of my kiddos...

This is Mister "I like to crow like a big boy". My youngest crower ever!! lol Blue copper


Little group shot... I love the few that are eyeballing me while the rest are busy scratching. The one down in front looking at the camera is one of the few pullets in the bunch!



And out of the blue coppers a blue cuckoo popped up.




And here is a cockerel who is almost 4 months old from a different breeder. He is the only cockerel from this group that I have kept to let him grow. But I do not like the angle of his tail and am curious about the color of his legs. See next pic.



Here is the bottom of his foot. Is that yellow I see?

hey Christie, do you have a close up pic of that blue copper boy's neck? I can't tell if its the pic or if he's getting light coloring on the neck?

 

[Christie Rhae]

Here is the neck of boy #1


and #2 don't know why the pic will not rotate.



So by light do you mean Birchen?

 

[gilavina]

Here is the neck of boy #1


and #2 don't know why the pic will not rotate.



So by light do you mean Birchen?

heck yes ma'am! you got yourself a birchen....maybe the only one down your way me thinks!!

 

[gilavina]

hey christie....keep that little blue cuckoo lady and pair them up and work with them. I can help ya with what to select in offspring if you have a hankering for the birchens!

 

[DMRippy]

Well you either lucked out or got the shaft on that order

so do tell which is it?

Maybe she sent you everything she had so you could start some trends over there and make a mint $$$$$$ How much was the Black Copper Roo again... the ones I practically give away???????

 

[TinTennessee]

Well you either lucked out or got the shaft on that order   so do tell which is it?    Maybe she sent you everything she had so you could start some trends over there and make a mint $$$$$$  How much was the Black Copper Roo again... the ones I practically give away???????

 

Wait a minute, you did GIVE me the blue copper roo. Or am I just special?
Another question, if I breed my blue copper roo to my barred rocks. I would get sex links. But what color would the pullets be / the cockrels be ? May not be the best place to ask, with all the special breeding ya'll are doing. I'm not ready for selective breeding just yet .

 

[Christie Rhae]

*hushed tone* I love birchens... Lol!
I just decided to stick to black and blue coppers first cuz I was trying to be good.
Yes I want to know how to improve them!
I got them from Stephanie at chestnut ridge farms. She told me they were project birds and sent them in my box of BCM. I love the idea of projects cuz there is no poultry showing going on over here so the project is the reward itself for me.

But I see gold in the neck. Isn't it supposed to be silver? Is it not homozygous for silver yet? That's why some yellow is showing?
Tell me everything! Lol

 

[DMRippy]

Quote:
I will GIVE my baby roos away. If I grow them up they will cost you some money, cuz I saw something in them I wanted to watch

You are special too

Yes you will get sex links. Ok you got blue barred and reg barred with your Blue Copper roo you will get 25% each blue and black pullets and 25% each blue barred roos and Black Barred roos from the reg rocks. The blue rocks.... You will get, someone tell me the percents I can't remember

, I think you will get colors wise 50% blue, 25% black and 25% splash.... of those the barred ones will be roos about 50% of the whole hatch.

Did you find anything out about chickens? or are you just going to live with the don't ask don't tell thing?