Marans Thread - breed discussion & pictures are welcome!

[BarnGoddess01]

Quote:

glycerin? Wow - apparently, it's okay for them to ingest it, then...gosh, I looked for glycerin a couple years ago as I'd been told by an "old-timey" breeder to put a few drops in the last rinse when you wash them for showing - I never could find it. I do have heated waterers (just need to get them up & running!), but I also have a few pens of birds growing out that I do not have heated waterers for, so the glycerin might be a good thing to look into. Thanks!

Here in Canada glycerin is sold with the first aid stuff at the drug store.

 

[BarnGoddess01]

Trying to learn all I can. Can you describe side sprigs for those of us new to the breed and without having to read all 40,000 posts? Thanks.

There is a search feature on BYC that might help to answer your questions as well. Scroll up to the top of this window. Just below the tabs and to the left of your user name. Enter "side sprigs" or whatever else you might wonder about in the search box and a whole lot of useful information is listed for you to explore.

 

[chickenguysmom]

Thanks gilavia and barngoddess! Very helpful. I had not seen side sprigs before and none of mine have any yet. Is there an age when they develop? Mine are about 5 months, so if they were going to get some, would they have them already?

 

[chickenlover25]

nice birds

 

[BarnGoddess01]

Thanks gilavia and barngoddess! Very helpful. I had not seen side sprigs before and none of mine have any yet. Is there an age when they develop? Mine are about 5 months, so if they were going to get some, would they have them already?

Unfortunately, from what I understand, those dang sprigs can pop up even later in life. Like we don't already have enough nonsense to sift through with Marans.

(That said, if you aren't seeing any at 5 months, you should be encouraged. I think (I hope!) the later in life sprigs are rather more rare.)

 

[DMRippy]

I've got some young ones growing out - I think they're 8-9 weeks, so I can't even begin to think about culling them for at least another month.  I'm highly annoyed by that.  I did a TON of hatching this year and frankly, I'm sick of it!  I just want my growout pens back.  I don't have enough electric in my barn to run heated waterers for all the growout pens, so I've been knocking out ice twice daily

glycerin?  Wow - apparently, it's okay for them to ingest it, then...gosh, I looked for glycerin a couple years ago as I'd been told by an "old-timey" breeder to put a few drops in the last rinse when you wash them for showing - I never could find it.  I do have heated waterers (just need to get them up & running!), but I also have a few pens of birds growing out that I do not have heated waterers for, so the glycerin might be a good thing to look into.  Thanks!

Usually the pharmasist has it or can order it.

 

[SarniaTricia]

If you look at this guy, you can see that he has a sprig at the back of his comb.
Basically, he has a point that comes out of the side instead of straight up like it is supposed to.



I had one that was gorgeous with the exception of a sprig...
I can't find a picture of him..

 

[Hens and Roos]

Yes, I know. I've read about how to do the test matings. That's a source of major frustration for me, I can't seem to get started with a flock of birds that don't have side sprigs. The Davis birds I started with had them (one of the roosters that I hatched out was sprigged, obviously other birds in the flock were carriers).

Now I've got this other flock, from a breeder that shows well, and that seems to have a good reputation. I asked this breeder if they had a problem with their birds throwing sprigs, and they said no. AAAAANNND... I get a flock with a huge percentage of sprigs.

Last year I hatched out some birds from a different breeder that were so abysmal that sprigs were the least of their problems. They weren't even black coppers, it seems she breed color varieties randomly. We ate those, gave the hens away. That breeder had an excellent reputation in another breed, was just getting started w/Marans but she told me her source for her birds, she had shown well, and when I google-stalked her there was nothing but positive mentions on BYC.

My multi-year attempt at getting started in Marans has been very, very bumpy. Like almost all bumps. And side sprigs!

totally understand your frustration, I ended up culling a group because of side sprigs and folds in the comb. It's hard to know what is hiding genetically until you get the right combination to bring it out, so the parent brids may never show the faults/DQ but the offspring will. Seems like test mating each bird is the way to go, but of course that takes time and space in order to grow the offspring long enough.

Maybe others on here who are working with black coppers can help point you in the direction of better stock.

 

[Wynette]

This is not a Marans (Barngoddess, this is the male I mentioned last weekend....see the red feathers?), but he has a side sprig at the back of his comb - see it? He's about 18 weeks in this picture, the older he got, the LONGER that sprig got.

 

[BarnGoddess01]

This is not a Marans (Barngoddess, this is the male I mentioned last weekend....see the red feathers?), but he has a side sprig at the back of his comb - see it? He's about 18 weeks in this picture, the older he got, the LONGER that sprig got.

That's definitely a sprig!