Marans Thread - breed discussion & pictures are welcome!

[gilavina]

I think that some fail to realize that the Brown Red color pattern is one of the hardest patterns to breed to any Standard. I suggest that some should switch to one of the easier patterns and go from there.

Amen Don. Silver birchens are no walk in the park either to get the color just right.
If I get a string of cooler days, I'm gonna try for some update shots, if I can get out before its too hot. I also have been storing up a couple of questions for you that I gotta take pics of to ask if you wouldn't mind looking at them?

 

[laughingclown]

I can see with the coloring being difficult and that doesnt bother me. I think what bothers me is I would think the more obvious things. Like split wing! Am I wrong for assuming that If someone took a little care that would pretty much go away right? Am I wrong to assume this? Also what are the chances if my rooster doesnt have a thumbprint comb and the hens looks nice that the offspring would develop that fault? Im culling a roo that the comb is a mess. He has extra points and a thumbprint. Its sad because his body is nice. Im just wondering because I wanted to know how I got that guy. The parents looked good from what I saw.

 

[snowbird]

Vicki, I think now is the time for Marans people to start asking questions of the Modern Game and O.E. old time breeders. I was a long time breeders of Moderns and have had O.E. in the past. I am sure there are some good useable information still around with the oldtimers.

 

[gilavina]

Vicki, I think now is the time for Marans people to start asking questions of the Modern Game and O.E. old time breeders. I was a long time breeders of Moderns and have had O.E. in the past. I am sure there are some good useable information still around with the oldtimers.

I'm planning on talking with one of the guys I know that raises mostly Moderns when he comes up to the show here in the fall. I also think Dwayne and Melody Jonas are planning on coming up and raise Moderns and are judges for the APA, so I'll see what I can find out from them too. They used to do a lot of judging up this way when I was secretary before.

 

[snowbird]

I can see with the coloring being difficult and that doesnt bother me. I think what bothers me is I would think the more obvious things. Like split wing! Am I wrong for assuming that If someone took a little care that would pretty much go away right? Am I wrong to assume this? Also what are the chances if my rooster doesnt have a thumbprint comb and the hens looks nice that the offspring would develop that fault? Im culling a roo that the comb is a mess. He has extra points and a thumbprint. Its sad because his body is nice. Im just wondering because I wanted to know how I got that guy. The parents looked good from what I saw.

What we have to remember when trying to breed the Marans to the SOP is that we have to use averages when mating up the fowl. There is no way you are going to get all good Marans out of a mating.

When buying eggs and chicks ask if the adult fowl had any DQs. Ask if they were from a project pen as most all of these will be culls regardless of who they come from. Do your homework and ask for pictures of the parent stock and look for bad Comb, poor feathering and poor type in general. Most sellers if they are not on BYC do not even know what a split wing is or what you are talking about

 

[Wynette]

I can see with the coloring being difficult and that doesnt bother me. I think what bothers me is I would think the more obvious things. Like split wing! Am I wrong for assuming that If someone took a little care that would pretty much go away right? Am I wrong to assume this? Also what are the chances if my rooster doesnt have a thumbprint comb and the hens looks nice that the offspring would develop that fault? Im culling a roo that the comb is a mess. He has extra points and a thumbprint. Its sad because his body is nice. Im just wondering because I wanted to know how I got that guy. The parents looked good from what I saw.

Do you have an SOP? DQ's such as split wing are general DQ's, and no one should be using birds with DQ's in their breed pen.

Depending on what you have in your male, it might be worthwhile to use him. I know Don will disagree, and yes, thumbprint and extra spikes are faults, but NOT DQ's. If this bird does, indeed, have very good type, it might be worthwhile to test breed him to see what you get. The type should be first - address other issues later. Just my opinion.

 

[3riverschick]

Laughingclown,
I sent you a private message.
Best,
Karen

 

[snowbird]

Wynette, I agree with most of what you say. The number of spikes would not be a deal breaker. I would not use a male with thumbprint unless I didn't have anything.

LC is asking general questions more than specific questions. There will always be faults show up regardless of how good the parent stock . I will say one thing and it has been proven over and over. You can raise more good type fowl out of a really good pair than you can from a big yard of culls.

I would not use a bird with a DQ regardless if I had to discontinue the flock. Junk produces Junk.

 

[snowbird]

LC, Just a little on split wing, some will say dispose of the flock . I know for a fact that you can cull it out of your marans if you are willing to cull anything that shows split wing. The only way to eliminate most of the DQs and faults is do not breed them forward.

 

[3riverschick]

Poultry-craft.
A text-book for poultry keepers.
By John H. Robinson. ( a legendary breeder)
Published 1907 by Farm-Poultry Pub. Co. in Boston .
http://archive.org/stream/poultrycrafttext00robirich#page/144/mode/2up
Starting on page 144, the first 12 pages of Chapter 10
make great reading on establishing a flock.

Best Regards,
Karen