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

[Zoopathy]

Lolita...they're SO cute! I love little baby tails!!

 

[Lolita]

Quote:
Thank you

but did you notice only 1 has a tail grown out?

 

[evonne]

Quote:
Thank you

but did you notice only 1 has a tail grown out?

on my cuckoos that i could sex based on the white spots on their heads, the 2 girls got their tails first while the 4 boys are still running around with little stubbies.... so maybe you've got a pair.....

 

[millebantam]

If they're only laying "3's" now, they're not Marans chickens anymore are they? Your words, not mine, remember?
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[Lolita]

Quote:
Thank you

but did you notice only 1 has a tail grown out?

on my cuckoos that i could sex based on the white spots on their heads, the 2 girls got their tails first while the 4 boys are still running around with little stubbies.... so maybe you've got a pair.....

That would be so cool!

 

[kathyinmo]

Quote:
Let's try to learn and help each other out here. We don't need rude remarks and negative attitudes.

So, what I am hearing is ... that the cold weather has had an effect on the egg color. So, what does that mean? Cold affects the paint factory (so to speak)??? I have also read (as mentioned earlier, I think) that different diets affect egg color. Now I want to know more about this. Anyone else experience a difference in egg color with diet?

 

[hcammack]

Quote:
Let's try to learn and help each other out here. We don't need rude remarks and negative attitudes.

So, what I am hearing is ... that the cold weather has had an effect on the egg color. So, what does that mean? Cold affects the paint factory (so to speak)??? I have also read (as mentioned earlier, I think) that different diets affect egg color. Now I want to know more about this. Anyone else experience a difference in egg color with diet?

I think someone suggested earlier that the absence of fresh greens and grass in the diet because of the cold and winter weather is the reason behind the lightening of the eggs. I may be wrong though because some people keep their marans in pens that don't have access to grassy areas.

 

[SunnyDawn]

Quote:
I'll probably go with Bev Davis' then since temperament is more important to me than color. Don't get me wrong, I love the dark eggs but to me the taste is the same with my marans even when their eggs lighten, and I love their gentle natures. They are my easiest birds. They don't go out of their way to run right at me first thing out the door but don't run away from me either. Very quiet and well mannered gals. I love them!

Thanks for the info. I really appreciate it!

 

[kathyinmo]

Well then, if weather and diet can actually affect egg color ....
Oh geezzzz, I'm never gonna figure this out!

 

[drom]

Hi there,
Here's the verbiage in the French Standard again and here is the advice from Bev Davis' web site again. These are the people who have been breeding these birds longer than just about anyone and know more about them than just about anyone. Again, Bev Davis' verbiage is very important. The birds have to lay at least #4 AT SOME POINT in the lay cycle. That's all. Not much to achieve really. Both of the two main Breed Clubs in the US agree with this and so do virtually all of the other well known breeders who have contributed to developing the breed in the US.

MCF standard:
http://marans-club.perso.neuf.fr/standang.htm#standard

"Characteristics of hatching eggs

The eggs should be large, ranging in size from about 65 grams for a pullet to 70-80 grams for an adult hen.
To have a deep dark red-brown coloured shell."


And on the MCF's Brown Red Variety page they discuss the challenges of breeding the Brown Red variety. Essentially, what they are saying in the first sentence is that working on the priority of egg color caused some foundation stock to lack the proper balance of black and copper in the feather color and on the other hand, breeding for feather color only has hurt egg color in some stock.

Brown Red Variety Page:
http://marans-club.perso.neuf.fr/ncuiang.htm#NCUI

"Moreover, it is obvious that the selection of the "true" Marans, which, since the beginning of time, has the priority for the reddish-brown egg, has contributed to check the achieving of a Brown-red founders which are very correctly color-stabilized.
Conversly, there are very nice Brown-red Marans stock known as "competing" that is to say too much selected in this way but which, for lack of a sufficient plural selection, see their eggs to be too much light-colored for the breed. Be clear and precise : they are not Marans anymore ! Let's be quite clear about this : we mean genetically pure Marans …"


Bev Davis site page on True Marans:

http://bevsmarans.com/TRUE Marans.htm

"Use care when purchasing "Marans" from sources. No matter how beautiful the color of bird, if the flock is not producing #4 or better eggs at some point of the laying cycle, the birds technically DO NOT QUALIFY AS MARANS, PERIOD. (According to the French Marans standard)"