Marans Thread - breed discussion & pictures are welcome!

[DMRippy]

Quote: I think..... It might be TIME! You have our support!

We are here if you need us.

 

[gilavina]

Vicki, don't get disheartened yet. I have had Marans not show any sign of life at all until day 25! I give them all 25 days now..unless they start to stink! We're rootin' for ya!!

I'm thinking I'm gonna take them out....There is a faint odor again....telling me that there are more bad eggs. I also think I'm going to have to cull the little one since he doesn't seem to be absorbing the yolk properly. I'm just bummed, but had a sinking feeling the other day about it. I have pretty good instincts, so I've been preparing myself the last couple of days.

 

[Hens and Roos]

I'm thinking I'm gonna take them out....There is a faint odor again....telling me that there are more bad eggs. I also think I'm going to have to cull the little one since he doesn't seem to be absorbing the yolk properly. I'm just bummed, but had a sinking feeling the other day about it. I have pretty good instincts, so I've been preparing myself the last couple of days.

sorry to hear that

 

[DMRippy]

Quote:

 

[Debbi]

Oh, I know all too well the "sinking" feeling. Maybe it's just a few stinkers smelling up the whole lot? This darned humidity does strange things to hatches here, and I can imagine your humidity is no better. Hang in there, we all have our fingers crossed for you. Hope the little one makes it too!

 

[Arielle]

I use a light from Brinsea that is made for eggs. It is crazy bright but still the best I hope for when candling marans eggs is to see a dark blob.

So I must tell someone... I butchered 4 cockerels yesterday. I did it totally myself.... I had never killed something like that before.
Last time we butchered cockerels my husband did the actual deed and I processed. This time he literally could not do it. He hated doing it before and got all upset yesterday because he didn't want to kill a chicken, he said it was my project so I should do it. lol.. poor guy. He had nightmares over it last time. You would think by looking at him that he is a big tough guy who could handle it but nope...a softie.

My heart was racing... I had the bird hanging upside down with a bucket under him and holding onto his head kinda stretching his neck to show the skin.... I stood there with the knife...... and stood there....talking to myself "you can do this you can do this" finally I just did it...made that slice and held onto that poor bird while he flapped. Whew....that was very intense.

These 4 boys were a lot harder to pluck than the older birds I did the first time. I guess cuz they had so many new feathers coming it. I had to get small pliers to pull some of the short pin feathers. But they are soaking in salt water in the fridge now. I am going to let them cure for a few days and maybe this time I can actually eat one. We tried to eat one the same day we butchered last time. The carnage was just too fresh in my mind and I had not let the meat cure... I couldn't eat it.

My husband can't understand why I don't just let them loose. I have released some older hens on a piece of property we own a few miles away. I have so many breeding plans I cannot just let all those culls loose. I feel like if I am going to seriously breed chickens I have to be able to process my culls. I do plan to try to sell or give away extras but roosters are not easy to find homes for.

I know you all can understand...thanks for listening. I am afraid to tell most people I know, they will think I have lost my mind totally.

DH won't do mine either. I have had to euthanize an injured creature and DH would help with that, but not butchering to eat. He would rather pay to have the work done. He stops for turtles and mama ducks and ducklings trying to cross the road. Softie.

Thanks for the moral support guys!

I think I will learn how to skin them. But I am seriously thinking of getting a plucker. I wondered how well they worked. Plucking them just killed my neck and fingers. I think my index finger on my right hand is actually bruised. lol! Gutting them only took moments.

My fingers hurt for a week after plucking 6 geese. THe last chicken I euthanized, I started to pluck and quit and just skinned it. SKinning it was not that easy either and I was using a scalpel. Bruised fingers really hurt.

 

[Debbi]

DH won't do mine either. I have had to euthanize an injured creature and DH would help with that, but not butchering to eat. He would rather pay to have the work done. He stops for turtles and mama ducks and ducklings trying to cross the road. Softie.



My fingers hurt for a week after plucking 6 geese. THe last chicken I euthanized, I started to pluck and quit and just skinned it. SKinning it was not that easy either and I was using a scalpel. Bruised fingers really hurt.

I stop for turtles and duckies too! Once on my mail route, I came upon two turtles breeding right in front of the box I was about to deliver to. I tooted the horn, that does not impress a turtle in rut, so I waited, and waited, AND waited. Yup, they are slow at that too!

I knew a bunch of teenagers lived on that road, and school was letting out, so I escorted the pair to the front lawn. They never missed a beat, I delivered the mail, and everyone was safe and happy!

 

[Arielle]

Quote:

 

[Cadeau]

DH won't do mine either. I have had to euthanize an injured creature and DH would help with that, but not butchering to eat. He would rather pay to have the work done. He stops for turtles and mama ducks and ducklings trying to cross the road. Softie.



My fingers hurt for a week after plucking 6 geese. THe last chicken I euthanized, I started to pluck and quit and just skinned it. SKinning it was not that easy either and I was using a scalpel. Bruised fingers really hurt.

Ouch!
I'm lazy and pay the little old lady down the way $3/bird!!

SO thought he'd save $$ and do them himself - spent all of New Year's Day butchering 40ish cockerels, and then breaking them down to freeze and came home filthy and totally disgusted! Needless to say, the birds now go to the little lady!

 

[Arielle]

WHatever works and gets them in the freezer!