Marans Thread for Posting Pics of Your Eggs, Chicks and Chickens

[drom]

Here's this week's eggs-minus the ones I ate

 

[tfpets]

Quote:
Ewwwwwwwwwww NASTY....eating eggs I mean

but those are the prettiest eggs in the world...I wanna hug them, and kiss them, and say really sweet things to them....cause they are soooo pretty!

You have what I strive for some day...a dozen of the dark shelled eggs, from my own hens....oh, the joy! Some day, it will happen.

Very Very nice eggs Drom

And Solsken Farm its good to see you again!! Two GP pups! That will keep you on your toes! Awesome dogs. I have considered one to keep strictly with the pets for their protection...I still may some day.....Congratulations!

Tina

 

[tgcole]

Drom, I can't believe you ATE one of your beautiful dark eggs!!!!

Hatch them ALL, the world needs more Marans!

Greg

 

[Solsken Farm]

Drom, we have been eating our chocolate eggs too. Yours look loverly.

Gosh, I feel terrible. I went into the coop this morning and there on the floor was one of the darkest eggs I have had yet.....in my Jesse pen. I didn't realize they were ready to lay and haven't put nest boxes in yet.

What a lousy mother. Poor sweeties. At least I had put some hay in there yesterday for them to munch on. I will post a pic of it later.

 

[onthespot]

drom, those look great!!! you going to incubate? I remember people saying you were nuts for driving down there to get your chicks. I bet they would make the same drive now, if they could, and know they would get your results!!! (thank you Donna for good genes)

 

[Chef]

Wow drom... those are fantanstic! Hopefully I can look forward to the same thing from my Donna chicks

. How old are your ladies now? I've been reading that some don't lay till 10 months. If thats the case I have awhile before my first egg

. The babies are getting bigger everyday. It looks like I have one of those babies with the hints of copper all over. Wasn't it you drom who had one of these. What color do these turn out to be? Well great job on the eggs drom they are beautiful.

Chef

 

[drom]

Oh, thank you everybody!!

Well, they are still only a month and a half out. They started on January 21st I think, so I believe that each of them have definitely laid that 20th egg. So far, the color is not getting lighter at all (a little darker if anything) but I know it will eventually have to

I don't even own an incubator.

I've got about 3 dozen eggs sitting in the refrigerator right now that I couldn't incubate, but they're so pretty, I didn't want to throw them away either!

I know you guys are thinking I am a big dummy, but listen here now; I do actually have a diabolical plan.

I think maybe I will wait and see which ones stabilize at the darkest shade, and then maybe I will hatch some of those out in June or July so I can have pullet eggs again for the California shows in the winter

 

[Chef]

That sounds like a plan. Well if you need someone to test fertility for you I would be MORE than happy to do that. I'll pay for shipping too

Well very nice job nonetheless, beautiful eggs!

Chef

 

[drom]

Quote:
Mine didn't start until they were 7 months. When I was waiting for them to lay, Onthespot reminded me that they hatched out late (July) and their reproductive development probably shut down briefly when the days got so short.
So, I had one girl who had way too much color on her breast. And, it was mid-coppery at best. She also had some very faint penciling on her wings. Most all the color on her breast went away when she matured. She still has color on the front of her neck, she still has some faint markings on her wings and the copper shade is too light. But, and I was thinking this might end up happening, she lays the darkest, reddest egg of the three. Of course, right? Anyway, I would never get rid of this pullet. Your priorities could be different than mine though. But I would definitely wait as late as possible to cull, unless one has a genetic deformity or something, because they can change a lot when they mature.
I am guessing that because these birds are F1 crosses, that genetic deformities will be more rare. Health and size will be great, but feather color/pattern may be more complex and a little less predictable (?) Only a guess on my part. I am just very happy with my birds.

Edited to clarify-feather color/pattern, not egg color. I think Donna has the egg color locked in

 

[klf73]

I'll test hatch too...