Marans Thread - breed discussion & pictures are welcome!

[Cadeau]

9 of the Birchen Babies from Rodney and the one with the pink band is my Birchen boys test baby. I put the Birchen chick with the leg issue down this morning, it just was not improving.

Awww!

 

[Cadeau]

Ha! Now it's working!! Let's see if I can post a pic...


YEAH!!!!!!!

Look at those street sweepers! So cute!

 

[Cadeau]

Hello all, I am humbly seeking help evaluating my young Black Copper Marans cockerels. I have five to a flock of eight girls and plan to only keep two or maybe three. They are starting to pick on each other and I've got people interested in buying my extras...if I can decide which ones are the extras! lol

I've gone over the standards and looked at pics, but as soon as I've made up my mind which of them is best I starting doubting myself! I raise silkies for show and keep guineas, but this is our first Marans flock. They were hatched by a breeder with a closed flock from Wade Jean lines on February 27th so are almost exactly four months old in these pics, which I took today. They are all lightly feathered down the shanks, in case you can't see that in the pic. Here are the pics of my five cockerels:

Cock 1 The boss boy--he's dominant:


Cock 2 Boss's sidekick:


Cock 3 Sorry for the bad pic, he's skittish and wouldn't hold still:


Cock 4


Cock 5 Wannabe boss:


Thank you so much for your help! And my chickens thank you, too! lol

I'm no expert, but I like #5!!


On an aside- can anyone tell me about the crease in the comb of #1?
I have a 3mth cockerel with a crease like that - what is it??
cull?

 

[Cadeau]

Whew...I spend a few days making hay and takes me a while to catch up!

One of these days, I'll get some pics to share - I'm really loving all the critiques going on - really helps me learn!!

 

[varanisblack]

OK I have a question,
Mary is getting Marans and White Face Black Spanish. We know the Spanish are flyers and require a covered pen and we have another 40X20 pen that is6 1/2' high uncovered with a coop in it,
We are currently useing it for her layers and my Sizzle but plan to move them to another and put the Marans in this one as we can divide it to keep the Davis and Jeane birds sepparated.
Are the Marans flyers and will we need to cover this pen and coop as well once the chicks get bigger?

 

[BarnGoddess01]

OK I have a question,
Mary is getting Marans and White Face Black Spanish. We know the Spanish are flyers and require a covered pen and we have another 40X20 pen that is6 1/2' high uncovered with a coop in it,
We are currently useing it for her layers and my Sizzle but plan to move them to another and put the Marans in this one as we can divide it to keep the Davis and Jeane birds sepparated.
Are the Marans flyers and will we need to cover this pen and coop as well once the chicks get bigger?

I absolutely have to cover my Ameraucana pens but so far, my Marans have not been flyers. Haven't had to cover those pens.

 

[gilavina]

So big and round for so young!

I just can't wait to see what they will look like in about 3 more years!

well....not these birds, but the generation after I meant! I'm wiped out after work tonight

 

[Keara]

What can folks tell me about split breast. I've seen a few critiques that point it out on young birds does anyone have a photo with full adult expression of the trait? I am worried I see it in a few of my young males (about 6wks old). Will get pictures this afternoon. I hear some outgrow it, but is it a sign they could carry forward the trait to their young? Do females get it or is it just males? Is it the way the feathers grow that causes it, the way the crop is anchored or, is it actually the breast bone and meat? I am worried as it seems to be my largest cockerels that show it!

 

[ChickChickChicky]

I just had to share... my first BCM egg!

 

[slick4591]

OK I have a question,
  Mary is getting Marans and White Face Black Spanish. We know the Spanish are flyers and require a covered pen and we have another 40X20 pen that is6 1/2' high uncovered with a coop in it,
We are currently useing it for her layers and my Sizzle but plan to move them to another and put the Marans in this one as we can divide it to keep the Davis and Jeane birds sepparated.
Are the Marans flyers and will we need to cover this pen and coop as well once the chicks get bigger?

I think you want to cover your pens not only to keep your birds in, but to keep the predator birds out.