Marans Thread - breed discussion & pictures are welcome!

[Wynette]

The fact that you care so much about getting it right, makes me think you should not give up! Do you love the breed? Is this a hobbie that can give you satisfaction? Are you the next Wade Jeane or Bev Davis!? Start from the basics, fill your freezer with DQ and make this your breed~!...

I am trying for pepp talk.... how did I do?
Patricia

VERY nice to see this rather than so much negativity of late. Thank you!

 

[SarniaTricia]

Can someone post the breeds they know or suspect were used to create Marans?

Thanks
Patricia

 

[snowbird]

Can someone post the breeds they know or suspect were used to create Marans?

Thanks
Patricia

I do not think anyone realy knows what went into the original Marans from France. In the early days the cockfighters would change rooster each year when they would dock.

 

[snowbird]

Information for anyone looking to breed a high percentage of SOP show type fowl from your flock. Anytime you are breeding Parti colored fowl even in developed breeds you will get a very high percentage of culls regardless of breed. Now if this is not acceptable to anyone they should consider the Whites or even work on the Black Marans.

The BC has more faults as more people have tried to make them better. The brown red color pattern is very hard to breed to the SOP. Now add in the Mahogany factor and everything gets more complicated.

I suggest that anyone just starting only keep what you can properly house and feed. Lot of young fowl have been ruined at a very young age because overcrowding and unsanitary conditions.

 

[Headgear]

Welcome to the Marans thread! I like him. Given he is only 4 months old, he has a lot of growing yet to do. He is going to be very darkly colored, mahogany, but he should get in some saddle color within the next few months. The color on the wing bow is supposed to be there, and be red in color. Looks like his is a bit lacking in shank feathering, but I'd hold onto him for awhile to see how he grows out. I just happen to love the darker boys!

Thanks Debbi,

I like how dark he is too but he is quite a bit darker than others so I thought I would ask. The younger ones that I have that were from the Bev Davis line look a lot more correct as far as coloring goes but most of them have other issues like bad combs, less feathers on their legs even that this guy and I even have quite a few that have white tips on wing and/or tail feathers. Is this common? I was told that these came directly from a good friend of Bev's from Georgia and they were just one generation down. Of course, I'm sure the guy would not have embellished that at all.

Okay... he probably did but regardless there are a couple of pretty nice looking ones. I think I have a total of 38 BC's and if I end up with a couple of good roos and hens to work with I will feel fortunate. We'll see. Thanks for looking though and let me know what you think about the white tips on the feathers.

 

[snowbird]

Thanks Debbi,

I like how dark he is too but he is quite a bit darker than others so I thought I would ask. The younger ones that I have that were from the Bev Davis line look a lot more correct as far as coloring goes but most of them have other issues like bad combs, less feathers on their legs even that this guy and I even have quite a few that have white tips on wing and/or tail feathers. Is this common? I was told that these came directly from a good friend of Bev's from Georgia and they were just one generation down. Of course, I'm sure the guy would not have embellished that at all.

Okay... he probably did but regardless there are a couple of pretty nice looking ones. I think I have a total of 38 BC's and if I end up with a couple of good roos and hens to work with I will feel fortunate. We'll see. Thanks for looking though and let me know what you think about the white tips on the feathers.

If the Males with the white are at least as old as this male, they should be culled. You can breed the white out of the wing and tail and ven undercolor but it requires real heavy culling, Each year they will get better if you cull heavy

 

[Headgear]

Quote:
No these guys are only 8 to 10 weeks old. Does that make a difference or will they still be need heavy culling to get rid of it? I think I have some males and females that are in preety good shape so I may not even mess with the ones having the white tips but it is good to know about.

Thanks

 

[snowbird]

No these guys are only 8 to 10 weeks old. Does that make a difference or will they still be need heavy culling to get rid of it? I think I have some males and females that are in preety good shape so I may not even mess with the ones having the white tips but it is good to know about.

Thanks

The white feather tips are ok until after the Juve Molt. That molt is usually around 4-5 months. Any white after 4-5 months and they should be culled if you are breeding to the SOP.

 

[snowbird]

Headgear, will remind you that the black females out of these will produce just as nice of young fowl as the copper neck females. Unless it is something you know is a DQ just let them grow and mature as they will change their looks several times the first six months

 

[snowbird]

Headgear, I assume the male in you Avatar is a wheaten Marans, Come over to the Wheaten Marans thread and will explain how to breed the Cotton out of the tail Coverts.