Marans Thread - breed discussion & pictures are welcome!

[DMRippy]

THe little CM and pale yellow chick are both improving. CM as a full crop and can pull legs under enough to run rather than drag herself around. Still needs help with water.

Little yellow one waddles noticeably less.

I think I'm winning.

I continue to keep all chicks on equine cotton wraps or bare wood floors. I'm afraid to put them back on shavings.

I think the big flake would be fine. I buy that. I use some from a saw mill the guy down the road has, but I only use it in the BIG birds pens. It is kinda medium size not tiny. But way to small for chicks. I will not even use it in the grow out pens. I use it mostly for nest material... they just kick that out all over the place.

Cleaned a breeding pen today... going to move 15 pullets out there tomorrow after I tag them. I have several Olive Eggers some Super Blue Egg Laying EE and several more Marans. I am really excited to see the color on these girls. VERY red copper. May not be right but it is there

I set my last hatch yesterday... I will only hatch special projects in the fall. I think I have my replacement flock.

When do you guy usually sell your birds in the summer or fall? What I am really asking is there a better market in the summer or fall?

 

[Debbi]

Well, gotta hand it to the broodies, this chick has already hatched! Less than an hour, and literally exploded out of it's shell! With all the odd weather and humidity fluxes we've had, it amazes me how strong these chicks are! I have a new love and respect for the broody hen!!!

 

[Arielle]

Well, gotta hand it to the broodies, this chick has already hatched! Less than an hour, and literally exploded out of it's shell! With all the odd weather and humidity fluxes we've had, it amazes me how strong these chicks are! I have a new love and respect for the broody hen!!!

Hatching with a broody seems to be totally different than an incubator.

 

[DMRippy]

Quote: If I keep having broodies... I might let them hatch my special project eggs.

 

[Debbi]

I think the big flake would be fine. I buy that. I use some from a saw mill the guy down the road has, but I only use it in the BIG birds pens. It is kinda medium size not tiny. But way to small for chicks. I will not even use it in the grow out pens. I use it mostly for nest material... they just kick that out all over the place.

Cleaned a breeding pen today... going to move 15 pullets out there tomorrow after I tag them. I have several Olive Eggers some Super Blue Egg Laying EE and several more Marans. I am really excited to see the color on these girls. VERY red copper. May not be right but it is there

I set my last hatch yesterday... I will only hatch special projects in the fall. I think I have my replacement flock.

When do you guy usually sell your birds in the summer or fall? What I am really asking is there a better market in the summer or fall?

Can't speak for anywhere else, but here in MO, they sell best right about NOW! Come fall, folks around here are worrying about wintering over extra birds, so the market falls off dramatically. I can so relate to that too!

 

[Debbi]

If I keep having broodies... I might let them hatch my special project eggs.

Boy howdy! This chick makes my bator incubated chicks seem ill in comparison! This one is up and running!

And it's going outside in the morning!!!

 

[gilavina]

Hey Debbi, at the bottom of the previous page I got a few pics to load finally. Granted, they are not the best shots cause I didn't have a containment area set up, hadn't thought that far ahead haha

 

[DMRippy]

Quote: That is what I was thinking....

I don't want to sell my layers till the new ones are laying

Hurry up girls.....

 

[gilavina]

That is what I was thinking....

I don't want to sell my layers till the new ones are laying

Hurry up girls.....

Gotta agree with Debbi...prime selling time here is from about mid April to about Mid July. After that, everyone's thinking ahead for winter.

 

[Debbi]

Hey Vicki, the boys are looking good! That last little guy's legs look like he is part turkey! What a chunker he is! The first Blue is nice, nice long back. Tail break looks a bit sharp, but that could be the way he is standing? All in all, they look very promising!