Marans Thread - breed discussion & pictures are welcome!

[snowbird]

Marcy, The problem with Marans is we have no way of knowing what way they have been bred or even what crosses have been used to make the different lines within a variety. The thing with your Marans is you must break the chain of faults before you can go forward trying to breed to the SOP.

Seems that at present we need to go back to the thread where all the pictures and such are located. I believe there are two threads where these are located. Most if not all the Comb faults will breed forward if you use them. The very best policy is eliminate the faults whenever you find them in your marans. These faults have to be dealt with sooner or later so why keep them in your flock.

 

[desertmarcy]

Marcy, I would not breed the father back to the female, I would go out of house and get a different male. If you stay within house all you are doing is keeping on with the same faults multiplying each generation. I am sure you have seen Marans males on BYC where your males look better, sometimes the birds are not critique as some do not really want the truth with their fowl.

The last male you posted has a terrible thumb print on his comb and will breed forward. I do not see a split comb on any of the Males. Look at the type outline on the last male and tell me what you really see.

Don, that is just so discouraging. I thought I was making so much progress since I finally got some nice copper hackles on the pullets from this breeding. As far as the last male, #11 you are referring to?, I am just not seeing what you are seeing since I thought he looked pretty good as far as type, but I am looking at my own birds so much, it is getting hard to be objective. He is scrunched down and not standing tall, but that is all I see. The thumbprint comb is coming from the father--he has one.

 

[desertmarcy]

Marcy, The problem with Marans is we have no way of knowing what way they have been bred or even what crosses have been used to make the different lines within a variety. The thing with your Marans is you must break the chain of faults before you can go forward trying to breed to the SOP.

Don, that is exactly why I questioned getting a male from a different bloodline, I am afraid it will make things worse. Now I do have the bloodline of the blue copper Marans, which came from an entirely different seller. I wonder if breeding some of the blue pullets from this year to the blacks from this year would help. They all have the same father since all came from the one founding cock I kept, but the dams are different bloodline---I assume! I can contact that seller and see if he can give me any information on the origin of his birds. I had issues with them, too---the main issues being copper coloring on the breast of both sexes, comb sprigs, and no copper hackles on the pullets. Plus I might add that finding good black copper Marans around here would be really tough.

Seems that at present we need to go back to the thread where all the pictures and such are located. I believe there are two threads where these are located. Most if not all the Comb faults will breed forward if you use them. The very best policy is eliminate the faults whenever you find them in your marans. These faults have to be dealt with sooner or later so why keep them in your flock.

The newest pics are on pages 3818, 3819, and 3822. Yes I am trying to deal with these faults, but I can't hit them all at once, this is becoming an overwhelming project. I've got other breeds I'm working with as well, so resources and pen space is split between them all. I use only organic feed and it is very expensive here, and I just can't support Monsanto and their GMOs so philosophically I am stuck with that cost---sorry that was an aside

 

[3riverschick]

Marcy,
You need to read the book I just posted about. I think you will find answers there. It's only 46 pages.
Best,
Karen

 

[Cadeau]

Thanks for the lead on the book, Karen!

 

[Christie Rhae]

Marcy, The problem with Marans is we have no way of knowing what way they have been bred or even what crosses have been used to make the different lines within a variety. The thing with your Marans is you must break the chain of faults before you can go forward trying to breed to the SOP.

Seems that at present we need to go back to the thread where all the pictures and such are located. I believe there are two threads where these are located. Most if not all the Comb faults will breed forward if you use them. The very best policy is eliminate the faults whenever you find them in your marans. These faults have to be dealt with sooner or later so why keep them in your flock.

Here is that thread..
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/517113/marans-sop-discussion-thread

I am nervous to post pics of mine...lol

 

[heath_elisha]

I find all the information you all post very informative. I am new to chickens all together and learn more and more from BYC. I thank you all for sharing your experiences with us all

Now if only I can relay the information properly to my husband to make HIM understand! LOL!

 

[snowbird]

Marcy,
You need to read the book I just posted about. I think you will find answers there. It's only 46 pages.
Best,
Karen

Karen, Please explain how the book is going to help if she doesn't have the genetic diversity to breed the Marans properly. What helps is if a person has the experience to be able to decide if a mating will work or not.

There is no way the Marans can be bred the old fashion way unless you know the linage of your Marans.

 

[gilavina]

Here is that thread..
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/517113/marans-sop-discussion-thread

I am nervous to post pics of mine...lol

As nervous as I think a lot of us get posting (I know I still do because of all the work I've put into them), its so much better to learn together and to keep from breeding things forward because of being unaware of something.

 

[snowbird]

As nervous as I think a lot of us get posting (I know I still do because of all the work I've put into them), its so much better to learn together and to keep from breeding things forward because of being unaware of something.

Christie, Will do critiques in the future in a chart form so everyone can understand what is being said. please # each and show at least three pictures of each to better see what you have.