Marans Thread - breed discussion & pictures are welcome!

[pinkchick]

weirdness on the way to work today. There were two, probably 3 to 4 month old speckled sussex chickens dead in the middle of the road about a mile from home. I'm really about the only one for several miles all directions that has chickens, so it was really strange. Kind of left me pondering how in the heck they got there.

Poor birdies.

If I can get myself motivated, I might try to see about getting some update shots of younger birds. Just got back from inventorying the whole store with the owners, so I'm just exhausted at the moment.

That is strange. I get calls all the time from folks that live rurally telling me that they have found chickens along side the road, looking like they had been just dumped off and do I know anyone that can come catch them and give them a home.
It's about that time of year when folks realize that their little Easter chicks that were soooo cute in the feed store a few months ago........................ are crowing and they can't have them in the city, so they take them out to the long windy roads out in the country and abandon them.
Grrrr. Makes me mad.

 

[gilavina]

That is strange. I get calls all the time from folks that live rurally telling me that they have found chickens along side the road, looking like they had been just dumped off and do I know anyone that can come catch them and give them a home.
It's about that time of year when folks realize that their little Easter chicks that were soooo cute in the feed store a few months ago........................ are crowing and they can't have them in the city, so they take them out to the long windy roads out in the country and abandon them.
Grrrr. Makes me mad.

sure hope that wasn't the case with these little ones. I don't get people that do crap like that.

 

[DMRippy]

Do you guy remember about me asking when to sell chickens..... I put them on CL and no answers till this week.... I think maybe it was the heat. No one wanted to buy chickens and have them die. I have 2 people coming today, one for roos and one for pullets. The shop is going to feel empty today. Now I just need to get cleaning some pens that are empty

I need an empty pen... I have a broody that has been hording eggs in the coop, with all the poop

She needs to move ASAP. She has about 8-10 eggs that will be Olive Eggers. She is in my Marans pen.

 

[Cadeau]

Pink - your goatie sounds so fun!!

I'll work on a pic or two of the eyes - my camera has a hard time with the extreme closeups...unless they're totally still, they blur...

Like I said, I've had dark eyes b/c I had one dark eyed hen that I wanted the rest of her genetics, but no light eyes...

these kids are @2.5 to 3.5mths

 

[heath_elisha]

Look up the incubators anonymous thread--lots of addicts and long time hatchers there as well; if you have an LG or another model, look up that thread on BYC for tips on your particular incubator.

I track humidity, if only to make sure it is low enough. WItht he hot humid weather, the eggs have not been drying properly, so I moved a de humidifyier into the hatching room. 35% RH was not working for me. Now it is about 25%, that will work better.

You are in the same climate I am. What incubator are you using?

At this point......after shipping and broody walk off......I would totally leave them in the 'bator, get a hygro/thermometer and turn them 3 times a day. The less handling at this point, the better.

If one of those girls goes broody again chances are she will stay that way long enough for the 'bator to do it's job. If she is still sitting when they hatch you can give her chicks. Get in touch with me or any of us here in the thread several days before hatch is set and we can talk you through getting her ready and possibly moving her to her own space.

Chances are that 1st broody is still broody, if she gets in her spot again..give her a golf ball or something to sit on to tide her over.

Lots of good vibes coming your way!

Hi all! We have the Little Giant 9200 still air incubator from Tractor Supply.... yes, I know- not by choice. The hubby bought it for me and late yesterday afternoon he brought me home the egg turner- so no manual turning for me. And digital hygro/thermo is on it's way. These are some expensive eggs lol! Better hatch!!!!!!

And thank you for all the help. I looks so easy for a broody to just sit there and get it done. It is nature that we are messing with- who can perfect what is already perfect? I just hope I don't mess up

or the power or go out (with the storms predicted today) or have the heat go up unexpectedly... like I just noticed...... yeah.... just a little anxious lol. We do have ac's running in the house- so humidity feels a lot less inside the house. The room is about 78 in there... and really does not fluctuate too much. We'll see what comes of it! I feel like I am watching a pot of water boil- hurry up already!

 

[allmychickens]

Just by this photo and judging by comb appearance only, I would agree with Elisha and say this chick is male.

it is 3 weeks old
and stands really tall

 

[laughingclown]

That is strange. I get calls all the time from folks that live rurally telling me that they have found chickens along side the road, looking like they had been just dumped off and do I know anyone that can come catch them and give them a home.
It's about that time of year when folks realize that their little Easter chicks that were soooo cute in the feed store a few months ago........................ are crowing and they can't have them in the city, so they take them out to the long windy roads out in the country and abandon them.
Grrrr. Makes me mad.

Im not trying to start something but I would agree with you. I think its cruel. There was someone who visits here that said they dropped a bird/s off in a field. I would kill my chickens before I would do that! MO

 

[Johnn]

Are cuckoo marans a broody breed?

 

[desertmarcy]

Sorry for the repeats, but I'm going to post pics again of my remaining 6 Black Copper Marans cockerels for critique. I took new pics of them the other day when it was actually in the 70's---such a welcome break from the heat---so they weren't all hot and panting and holding their wings funny. Here is BCM cockerel #11. Don didn't like his tail carriage and comb before---honestly, I am not seeing the problem with his comb. His tail set is a bit high, but doesn't look completely like a squirrel tail to me. His wing carriage was off before, I think from the heat--I think it looks okay now. I like his color and overall size. I don't like his tail carriage and white foot feather(s).

 

[desertmarcy]

Here is BCM cockerel #12. Again I like his color and pretty much everything about him except the way his comb flops a bit. Is the comb a deal breaker for this guy? Is that bad enough to be a DQ? Also, would that comb be considered 3 or 4 points? Does the one small point in the front count?