Marans Thread - breed discussion & pictures are welcome!

[Wynette]

Would like some critiques on a few of my pullets hatched this year. They are all sisters from a single mated pair of BCM hatched between March and May of this year. The pics are from youngest to oldest and a group shot at the end. What do you think of the last pullets tail, something about her hits me wrong, just can't pinpoint it. She is the only one laying so far, it is a 6 on the chart, maybe slightly lighter than mom. Some of the girls have a chalky looking earlobe, definitely not pearl white. Some funky combs but no DQ's. Of course, would like more copper but they are showing more than Mom. All have very nicely feathered legs all the way down the outside toe, no feathers on middle toe (sold all chicks with middle toe feathering at hatch, mistake??). Two of them have 1/4" white on an outer toe feather. Opinions on breeding any of these back to Dad come Spring? Have not produced any sons nicer than Dad yet but have 15 more chicks from the same pair hatched over the last month to growing out.

Zanna, going by these pics, I personally prefer the pullets in the 2nd & 4th pictures. The pullet in the first pic has a "U" shaped back, from what I see, and we don't want that. On the other hand, pics 2 & 4 are almost TOO flat backed, BUT - I would personally prefer that the a U back. The pullets with the flatter backs both have a very nice underline - again, from what I can see. It does appear that you have a bit of white in the lobes...I would personally not use those unless that's all you have to work with. JMO!!!

 

[Wynette]

I was re-reading the SOP thread and found this...

Originally Posted by Wynette


Well....it's been awfully quiet in this thread!

I believe this is the type of shank/toe feathering we should be breeding for -

Comments? what do we all think of these pics? (These are not my birds, by the way.)

How appropriate are these photos to go along with the shank color discussion. They were previously used to discuss leg feathering, if I remember correctly.

These pictures are not my birds, but these are the two examples given to me when I approached MCCUSA and asked for a picture of what we should be breeding for. Since MCCUSA was the org responsible for the APA approval, I figured we'd be good to go with using these as examples. What' the question about them? And I'm totally in the "molting/no eggs" camp as well! Gottal love the Plymouth Rocks! They're the only ones laying on my farm (oh, and the ducks!)

(ETA: it should be noted that these pictures are NOT Marans)

 

[Wynette]

norris is my spare roo chuck is my main man and yes he is a very nice boy , considering our resources are very very thin in canada for the blue coppers yet i take what i can get, i dont like his body type at all either and yes he has to much copper on the chest but i work with what i can get for now and improve down the line not sure about the colour of chuck what you mean? i did put it in photo editor as it was a bright day so maybe thats why? claude is his dad...


here are some of the eggs i get, F1 olive eggers, ameracaunas as well as my bcm

Well, it's always tough to tell from a picture, but Chuck has some good, and some bad. He's got squirrel tail, which is a DQ. He does have very good color balance, but appears to be running uphill rather than downhill on his topline, though again, that's tough to tell in a pic, as he's moving. He's also got red in the breast, and going down onto his legs. Also a "no-no." BUT - he appears to be a large, chunky boy - that's lacking in the breed, and worth consideration to be sure - again, my opinion. Are his shanks feathered? I do like the length of his back. Check for the white underhackle feathers - and, does he have any white primaries or tail feathers? Move the saddle feathers aside and see if there is any back there. I'm not trying to be picky here or pick on you - just mentioning these things so you know what to watch for in your next generation, should you decide to use him. I'd love to know his weight! The eggs are lovely!

 

[Zanna]

Zanna, going by these pics, I personally prefer the pullets in the 2nd & 4th pictures. The pullet in the first pic has a "U" shaped back, from what I see, and we don't want that. On the other hand, pics 2 & 4 are almost TOO flat backed, BUT - I would personally prefer that the a U back. The pullets with the flatter backs both have a very nice underline - again, from what I can see. It does appear that you have a bit of white in the lobes...I would personally not use those unless that's all you have to work with. JMO!!!

Thanks Wynette, appreciate any and all opinions!

 

[triplejfarms]

as i said before we are very limited here in canada, i do like his size, and his colour, tremperment, and he is outa some pretty nice eggs, yes all my birds are french variety like anything they are a work in progress trying to keep inbreeding to a minimal ect, they are not perfect but neither am i , i like him rather than the blue line from witmore Farms they are to upright and scrawny (the ones i have) and yes he does have a lil to much copper on the chest. i am using him with my heavy girls with not enuff copper, and chuck on my smaller set girls from witmore farms the blue ones. anyways i dont mind criticism i have only been into birds for 6 years and i am learning all the time as long as people are not snotty like in the dog world

 

[emptynesterMom]

Hello All,

I'm a newbie and have been lurking here for a while trying to learn all that I can. I am a little confused about the correct coloring for a golden cuckoo marans. I have looked at the past images posted here and on the marans of America Club, and of various breeders. In the pictures I have found, some of the boys are quite a bit lighter in color than others. I have 5 Roos that I need to cull down to two and yes I have both a silvery light and darker grey variety.

So, I was wondering if any of you would be willing to post pics of your GCM and help me make a more informed decision. Thank you!

 

[math ace]

These pictures are not my birds, but these are the two examples given to me when I approached MCCUSA and asked for a picture of what we should be breeding for. Since MCCUSA was the org responsible for the APA approval, I figured we'd be good to go with using these as examples. What' the question about them? And I'm totally in the "molting/no eggs" camp as well! Gottal love the Plymouth Rocks! They're the only ones laying on my farm (oh, and the ducks!)

(ETA: it should be noted that these pictures are NOT Marans)

Too Funny Wynette! NEITHER bird is a marans??

The question was more like a comment... REMEMBER the discussion with Don about light vs dark slate? These photos illustrate the range of slate possible for those sitting out there scratching their heads....

 

[DMRippy]

Hello All,

I'm a newbie and have been lurking here for a while trying to learn all that I can. I am a little confused about the correct coloring for a golden cuckoo marans. I have looked at the past images posted here and on the marans of America Club, and of various breeders. In the pictures I have found, some of the boys are quite a bit lighter in color than others. I have 5 Roos that I need to cull down to two and yes I have both a silvery light and darker grey variety.

So, I was wondering if any of you would be willing to post pics of your GCM and help me make a more informed decision. Thank you!

I don't have GCM but try here

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/495365/lets-talk-cuckoo-and-white-marans-breeding-strategies/0_20

 

[math ace]

Zanna, going by these pics, I personally prefer the pullets in the 2nd & 4th pictures. The pullet in the first pic has a "U" shaped back, from what I see, and we don't want that. On the other hand, pics 2 & 4 are almost TOO flat backed, BUT - I would personally prefer that the a U back. The pullets with the flatter backs both have a very nice underline - again, from what I can see. It does appear that you have a bit of white in the lobes...I would personally not use those unless that's all you have to work with. JMO!!!

None of these pictures showed back and top views. I mention this because I would be looking for the width of the back and the openess of the tail when I made my culling decisions. Like Wynette has pointed out, none of the birds exhibit the correct topline. Either the back is too curved or to flat. The U back needs to be balanced with the tail at a 45 degree angle and the head raising slightly above the tail...

It has been my experience that a short backed bird tends to have a high tail angle. Pair with a long back bird and magic could happen. Select your hen to compliment your male. Since we don't have views that show the width of the birds... look for wide birds.

Of all the birds, my pick would be #2. I do like 2 and 4's bottom line better than the other two birds. However, it appears #2 might have a fuller backside...

 

[jendodd79]

My BCM chicks!