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

[geebs]

She doesn't have Gapeworm does she???

I am personally not into the crosses... (just me).... I totally understand what you mean when you get tooo far from the lines origin.... I am completely understanding of that. That is why I like some breeders and deal with them exclusively... (past tense) as they are all gone. I don't really know who I would buy from now... I would watch where the flocks I used to like went. I have kept mine separate from the breeders... It is funny how one single hen or one single roo can change the entire look of the bird. I do know of one person I would get birds from... but only one for that line.... It is really something how they change. Everyone "sees" something different.... That is what makes us great but it also diversifies the bird.

I have Bayhorsebonne's birds in a closed flock... (They are not perfect but they have the traits that I seek out)
I also have Cree.. (Fitzgerald).... From Very early... Cree got the first Wade babies for sale and I got their first babies.

I also have Jesse Bryant (tricky line).... LOVE EM... (This is the only line I can still find a good rendition unperverted) The Kelvin Jeanne

 

[Wynette]

geebs - you've got good and valid points, and I agree with most of what you say. Sounds like you have some super nice birds! My other line is pure Davis. I've hatched birds from so many different breeders, and most have disappointed me. I have found the Davis like to have the most substance, and the best overall conformation, which is why I stick with them for my "main" breeders.

Where I differ from you is in the crossing. You are completely right, that it's shocking what the introduction of one bird can take away from a line...but it can also add to a line. I think doing that, you always end up culling more but, for me, in the end, it's been worth it. I had poor hatchability with my pure lines. Yes, the ones that hatched were beautiful examples of the breed and qutie consistent, & laid fantastic eggs. However, if only 2-3 out of 15-16 eggs hatch, it's just not worth holding onto simply for the purity of the line. That's just been my experience, I know others have had much more success line breeding than I did. That's just been my experience!

ETA: Wait a sec....I thought you said Cree got their W. Jeane stock from Fitzgerald...but then you said Cree got the first W. Jeane babies...did I mis-read? Just curious!

 

[geebs]

Cree had Wade Jeanne line... They have fazed that out and only carry Davis now.... Fitzgerald carried both at one time as well. Cree got the first for sale hatchies from Fitzgerald's Jeanne line (from Wade) So when they had their first hatchies... (the Jeanne line) that is where my birdies are from... Both breeders kept a closed flock and didn't introduce any blood from any other breeder or source... Does that clear it up?

I have two sets of Cree... one that is old and one that I got this last spring... The older birds are far better specimens toward the standard by a long stretch. All lay an amazingly dark eggie though.

I will not be using the birds I got last spring toward birds for the standard... They have too many difficulties....not to say that other birds that they have sold are not perfect... I just got their last two birds... I keep them for another project having nothing to do with the marans standard.

There is a couple of fellas that live here in Oregon that have some of the most phenominal looking specimens that ya all would die for here, that are a cross between the two lines. One fella has some egg color work to do but the birds themselves well... (you know who you are) I salute you!!! Big husky and correct.... The egg color is now the project for one of them. I have an amazing line cross from the other... Just can't bear to part with it... Lovely bird, but again egg color isn't the same... (I do however think if they work on it, it will improve). It is my understanding that it takes 4 generations of backcrossing to get back to ground zero. I am just not willing, nor do I have the space for all the necessary culling of grand proportion that needs to happen. It is a drawback, however I stand as a resource, preserving as best I can the traits that I value in the original birds I recieved from Breeders that no longer are marketing this line for one reason or another. There are a couple ppl I know on this forum that have and preserve these same lines.

I believe that at some point most of the birds, many years from now will be, in large part, crosses between the main lines. I am not so much a holdout as someone who cannot benefit the movement on the whole with good culling practice so I stay with the small single lines to keep that as a resource.

 

[Wynette]

Gotcha! Are your Cree birds' eggs matte finished at first? My two from Fitzgeralds have beautiful, dark color, but for the first probably 3-4 months, their eggs were matte in finish, not sleek/shiny like my others. After that first 3-4 months, they are now shiny.

 

[geebs]

Yes for the most part they are.... I use just that line but use birds from the different breeders of the line to get some shinies in there... How is the shape for you... I love the shape I get from that breeder.

 

[Ryu]

We've hatched some excellent birds from Fitzgeralds eggs. We showed one rooster at Belvidere last year, he got a 'good color' comment from the judge. He was in a molt and missing half his tail so he got 3rd--but good color and very dark eggs from him and all the Fitzgerald birds. Not a big as some Marans lines, but still well within what I think will be standard weight. Also excellent rooster combs, five sharp points--very classic roo looking heads.

 

[Wynette]

Quite round, which, I'm told, is what we should be breeding toward - are yours quite round, too? Size was sketchy at first, but sort of went along with the matte finish...once that sort of ran its course, the size increased as well. I still get my best size and shininess from my Davis girls.

Ryu - that's great to hear!

 

[geebs]

The one thing I find with the Cree is the lack of size.... That can be outwighed by the Jesse's I have... much bigger. and shiney, well a nice infusion of the Bayhorse bonne's bring promise to the beauty of the eggies and general overall health... Every one of the birds has something to offer.... I just can't imagine introducing another line because of the enormous amount of mental strain it would put on me mentally!!! ha ha.... It is such work to keep the babies and moms and roosters straight for the backcrossing for the traits I am after w/o adding a complete set of different genetics... Hats off to you who can... It is enough paperwork as it is just keeping these straight.

 

[Wynette]

Quote:
You get a huge DITTO from me on this one!

 

[geebs]

When I had Davis birds the size and shininess of the eggs was soooo alluring

I find that I get the same bang for the buck with the Wades using the Bayhorsebonne. I get some pretty spectacular eggies from them....I have that April hatch still growing.... I know what you mean about the color of the eggies... The huge birds for me are a significant drawback as space is a premium. I would end up with such large birds that it was a feed/conversion issue that I didn't seem to struggle with using the Wades...Like I said... personal choice and situation mandates what ppl do, including myself. I simply don't possess the real estate necessary for housing some of the monster roos... ha ha... Mine are within the standard and no bigger.

The best egg shapes come off that Fitzgerald's line (mine through Cree) and egg color

For bird shape.. I have to say my best would be Bryant for overall type

And for Egg color and bird health and bird size and substance.... Bayhorsebonne (awesome egg color) The eggs here hold through the season the color really well... changing very little. We shall see how true that rings in the new ones that are being grown now... That gives me about a 3 year gap in bird age.... That will be a true good test.... So far the birds look consistant to the older birds. I like consistancy.