Marans Thread - breed discussion & pictures are welcome!

[gilavina]

Now that is a gorgeous Birchen... and thanks to Pink for sending me the info....

Thanks. I'm still working on them, but am making progress and love seeing people tackling them head on and facing the issues they have and trying to improve them. I've posted quite a few pics over the last year and almost a half I've been on the thread. I'm still especially in love with my black birchen gals...they make my heart melt!

 

[zooweemama]

I have decided to stick with the Marans breed for chickens on our farm. (small farm) We think we have all hens currently (breeder said she tried to give me all girls. so nice of her!). Regarding a rooster- should I get a couple more chicks (one if I can) that she suspects maybe a rooster now? Or wait until Spring when I add on more chicks and just keep one of the males at that time? I was not just thinking of breeding but also a little protection for my 6 little ladies. Thanks!

 

[gilavina]

I have some nice pullets, but this was my best hope for a roo, the others I culled earlier do to more gold bleed through. I do have some eggs on the way soon... Hopefully I can get a very nice Cockerel out of them.

if you don't have luck and want to work on him, I can try to help ya. Just let me know. I've got eggs coming from the same place you do I believe and am hoping we all end up with good hatches!

 

[Cadeau]

I suppose...who knows. Just never really had things easy or handed to me. Always had to work hard for things, which certainly gives some steeliness....maybe that's why I'm not the cuddliest person haha

I just tell it like it is, even when people don't want to hear it.

Same here! I tell it like it is - people either like me or don't...whichever is fine with me!!

If I get some time between working on the hay, I'll try for some pics of the blue band boy and the free ranger boy!

Vicki =- if you get a second - can you tell me what is "intriguing" about each of the 3 boys?
I'm dying to know!

 

[gilavina]

Same here! I tell it like it is - people either like me or don't...whichever is fine with me!!

If I get some time between working on the hay, I'll try for some pics of the blue band boy and the free ranger boy!

Vicki =- if you get a second - can you tell me what is "intriguing" about each of the 3 boys?
I'm dying to know!

well....they are black and have two legs.......hahaha

Just giving ya grief. I'll have to go back to look at them again. I hit my head today while I was doing chores and have had a headache all day, so I'll need to examine the photos and will probably PM you. I owe Donna an email too.

 

[Bangarang64]

Are marans an especially docile breed? I just got some chicks (blue copper and black copper) and they are so calm. <3

I've had my chicks for exactly one week now and I can tell you that they are so docile I thought they were sick! I've gotten used to their calm attitude and we enjoy our little 3 week old rooster who just wants to perch on a knee.

 

[rsarns]

if you don't have luck and want to work on him, I can try to help ya. Just let me know. I've got eggs coming from the same place you do I believe and am hoping we all end up with good hatches!

Hoping the same. So you do not think he is a lost cause? Worse case scenario is he will go into my layer pen, and I have my OE's and EE's in there... may be a nice addition towards OE's as he came from a very dark egg.

 

[gilavina]

Hoping the same. So you do not think he is a lost cause? Worse case scenario is he will go into my layer pen, and I have my OE's and EE's in there... may be a nice addition towards OE's as he came from a very dark egg.

I'd say, he would be my last choice, but if you had absolutely nothing to work with, there is a way to work with him if you have true silver girls. I'm not gonna lie, its tons of culling and careful selecting. Hopefully you won't have to use him and will get a lovely boy to work with from those eggs. I know I'm already crossing my fingers, and thinking about them non stop!

 

[rsarns]

I am thinking he will move in with my OE and EE's... Just need to cross my fingers like you and hope a nice one hatches out of these eggs... I have been excited ever since I ordered them. I guess I can concentrate on my AM's for now... kept a very nice Black cockerel out of my last batch. I have 2 wheaten cockerels that I have hopes for also... still pretty young but looking good so far.

 

[gilavina]

ok...there was talk the other day about how some cockerels can be butt ugly and super awkward looking when they are young. Both my best boys were like that. Here is a shot of Big Boy when he was a youngun' Definitely not the prettiest boy in the land.



here he is just a few months later. Totally different now, eh?