Marans Thread - breed discussion & pictures are welcome!

[desertmarcy]

Marcy~

#3 needs more time as Donna previously stated. I don't care for #2 and can't put my finger on it. Do you have a few more photos of both #1 and #2?

Hi all, it's been weeks since I posted. We were out of town for almost 3 weeks---got back a week ago and I still have so much to do to feel half way caught up. Pink, I had to look at my own post to remember what the heck I posted before that you are asking about! Now I remember---the blue copper cockerels. #2 is actually my favorite except his eyes are dark. I like his tail better than #1. I'll get some more pics when I have time.

I have been evaluating my Marans after I got back, taking notes, weighing the birds--trying to figure out which ones I want to pair up to do some test matings. Thinking I'll hatch a few this fall to put me farther along in the project. By spring I should have a better idea of where I'm heading. Question for you all: looking at my held back group of 17 black copper pullets: about 1/3 are in lay and the rest will not be too far behind. I am seeing very few with bay eye color. A lot of dark brown eyes. The male and all the hens I used for breeding had nice bright bay-orange eyes. Can someone explain eye color genetics to me? How is it I'm not getting all bay eyes? I am assuming brown is dominant? What will happen if I breed a dark-eyed pullet to a bay-eyed cockerel or vice versa? Will that give me all brown-eyed? Thanks.

 

[snowbird]

Roo #3
Don - is this what you were saying about a "busy tail"?

He's shy (and fast), so this is the best I could snap!



Roo #4
This guy is younger than the above boys
prob @4mths






Roo #5
This guy is younger, too...

I like #3 and #1 as a Backup. Hope everyone will look at the Balance and great body type for a Marans on #3, Wing carriage is very nice like it should be, Tail, could be a little higher though, nothing to worry about as we are looking at the entire package. Nice leg color, Hackle nice deep copper color, Very nice long and broad back, Notice how open the tail is and this is what happens on a Marans when the back stays wide until the tail feathers.

#2 and #4 and #5 I would cull

 

[ChickenExtreme]

 

[heath_elisha]

Studly Cowboy.... doing his strut. Thought I would share

 

[Cadeau]

Thanks, Don!!
I really appreciate the help!!

 

[Laingcroft]

Roos are very important. If the two you have aren't keepers, then don't use them. You will spend all the time and money to grow the chicks up just to find out that they have the parents negative traits. It will frustrate you to no end.... I am not saying the bird has to be perfect to use, but if it is far enough away from the standard, then you are better off trying to locate better stock.

With being said .... let's look at these two candidates...

#1... My big concern with #1 is the color on his chest. I have never personally used a roo with color like this on his chest. Others have and I will let them report their personally success or failure with chest color like this.

#2... This boy has many red flags to me. When I look down at him, his back narrows at lot towards the tail. This is indicative of a closed / pinch tail and narrow body. Color - his hackles are too light. His color is not balanced.... Nice rich copper on the wings and a straw / yellow color on the hackles. He should be rich copper throughout. It could just be the picture, but this roo's head looks small.

How old are these boys?
Also, these are very rough off the cuff comments. The better the pictures the better the feed back. So, when you get a chance try to get some more photos where we can see the boys in their natural standing positions.

Thanks....these are the kind of comments I need to hear.

They were both hatched on April 14th so they are five months old. I really like the type on the roo I'm identifying as Red Boy. He's obviously more heavy and solid (when held) than the second roo. Overall, I think his problems (the red in the breast and darker "copper" bits) can be adjusted by judicious breeding and culling in subsequent generations. I don't really mind hatching out a lot of chicks --- no hen is wasted as they go into the layer flock (we sell eating eggs at farmers markets with our produce) and the roos can go into the freezer or passed along if good enough, particularly if they're solid like Red Boy. Egg color is also a priority and both of these boys hatched from nice dark eggs in the 6-8 range.

Photos are difficult to get on Red Boy....he's a real mover and is adept at avoiding both pictures and capture. I think I posted this before, but here is Red Boy in natural (moving away LOL) pose. His legs were better feathered earlier on. He's either losing them in the brush (they free range through lots of brambles), molting them, or just plain losing them for some unknown reason.


And here they are as youngsters at around 7 weeks.

 

[gilavina]

Thanks, Don!!
I really appreciate the help!!

Hey Katelyn. I just now got your PM from last night. I gotta agree with Don on his picks. I've been burning the candle at both ends the last couple of weeks, but am hoping that things will go back to semi normal at some point.

 

[Cadeau]

Hiya!

Thanks!
Don was a major help!

You better be going on vacation after that bird show and maternity leave, lady!!

 

[Laingcroft]

I like Rooster #1 --- but I'm no expert He just looks very pretty and I love his solid black broad breast (2nd image).

 

[gilavina]

Hiya!

Thanks!
Don was a major help!

You better be going on vacation after that bird show and maternity leave, lady!!

I wish! I am gonna be going on the Junk Jaunt, which is one of my favorite things of the year! And the bonus is that its the weekend after next.
www.junkjaunt.com

The poultry meeting went well, still working on getting the last minute additions put into the catalog so I can get them out. I think once they out, I will feel a lot better.