Marans Thread - breed discussion & pictures are welcome!

[DMRippy]

Got a few shots of some of the birds while I was out watering. Its been really hot and humid today, so they're definitely showing it, but here they are. I believe they are just a couple days past the 5 month mark. Filling in nicely I think, minus the fact that they are starting to show signs of beginning to molt now.

Geronimo







Luella tryin to keep it cool with the ever popular wing raises







And one of the shy blue birchen girls. Caught her in mid run, but besides her darker eyes and more sparse leg feathering, I can definitely work with her after what I started with! Her wattles are extremely pale as I almost lost her last week with the extreme temps and so she's still working at coloring back up again. I'm just relieved the watering 6 times a day and adding ice kept them all alive on the extreme days

 

[gilavina]

Nice looking lot there Vicki! Any way you could post a side by side, or up down pics of Gigantor and Geronimo? From what I see here in his pic, Geronimo is going to sire some very dark pullets unless bred to girls with lots of color. But for 5 months, he is a looker for sure!!

I'll have to see what I can do. Hes about the same color as Gigantor and don't think i'll have too much trouble. Im going to be using him first for the blue coppers and Gigantor has done great with the color on the pullets, so think he should do well also.

 

[gilavina]

haha too funny! Thanks lady, I do love them so!

 

[Debbi]

I just asked because I don't remember Gigantor having the black ear tufts? I might be wrong in my thinking, wouldn't be the first time!

Also I remember Gigantor being more reddish than Geronimo? Geronimo looks more mahogany to me. Not that there is anything wrong with that, I happen to love that color!

 

[laughingclown]

Thank you so much again Wynette for stopping by to look at my birds and giving me your thoughts. Im very thankfull that you took the time out of your evening. I learned a lot. I got some work to do. I must say I was worried they were a lot worse than they are.

 

[Arielle]

Ear Tuffs- I picked up Nipper to have a better look at his ear tuffs.

What does it mean when 90% of the feathering is copper (?not sure I've called it right color) and the edging is a crescent of black?


Edited to change color name to copper--seems brighter than my current understanding of mahogany.

 

[gilavina]

I just asked because I don't remember Gigantor having the black ear tufts? I might be wrong in my thinking, wouldn't be the first time!

Also I remember Gigantor being more reddish than Geronimo? Geronimo looks more mahogany to me. Not that there is anything wrong with that, I happen to love that color!

I've had boys that were definitely copper have black ear tufts before, so I'm not sure that its always 100% of an indicator. I'll have to look at Gigantor in the morning. The other thing to consider is that Geronimo is in the shade and most all pics of Gigantor have been in the sun. The are about the same color tho. Regardless, they are great prospects for breeding pens and will be using them. Oh, and I went and caught up Geronimo, he has half black and half copper ear tufts.

 

[gilavina]

Ok Debbi, I went back through my photos to get pictures for you so you can see the boys side by side, or one above the other since I'm not sure I can fit them side by side.

Here is Gigantor's ear tufts.



And here is first Gigantor in the sun and then Geronimo in the sun







The only pics I have of Gigantor in the shade or partial shade (first two), then Geronimo in the shade






found another pic of Gigantor



And Geronimo again




I think a lot of the main difference between the two is that Gigantor has more copper overall on the wing and way more prominent saddles compared to his son at this point. Gigantor got really long saddle feathers at about 8 months of age or so. They are not far off at all from each other in terms of color tone.

 

[laughingclown]

Woke up this morning and have 3 new additions. 2 Blues and 1 Black so far. I have about 5 others that are pipping. So happy right now!

 

[Arielle]

Woke up this morning and have 3 new additions. 2 Blues and 1 Black so far. I have about 5 others that are pipping. So happy right now!

Congrats!! Blues are so pretty! And more pipping!! We know where you wil be for the day--nose pressed to windowof incubator!