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

[drom]

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Didn't they stop for winter?? That will effect egg color. You don't keep lights on them do you?
Will they go broody if you let them?



Most people say that egg color is for the most part completely genetic, however they will also say there a few are other factors which effect it:

Stress ( for a variety of reasons)
Crowding
Heat-this really effects my birds. They didn't like the heat in July and laid lighter
Laying through the winter-have they been laying through the winter? it sounds like it
Being kept under lights in the winter
Also Resolution mentioned a diet; and it is in this thread and another thread of his that he believes helps egg color
I think he also recommends keeping small groups of birds

You can also maybe try taking a very small group of your hens that have the strongest egg color and start a new line just to cultivate egg color. Perhaps bring one Rooster from your group or maybe even better from another line that comes from the darkest egg possible.
It would be a long term project, but you could follow Resolution's 8 generation formula for cultivating egg color.

 

[cook_kaka_ook]

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Why are you waiting 2 more days to put them in the bator? The fresher they are, the more likely they will hatch.

Just wanted to start on a special day. I know there's a risk but I'm willing to take it. Wish me good luck. Thanks.

 

[halo]

I have a question, and theres probably a very simple answer, but I can't figure it out.

Im raiseing several rooster chicks that I bought out of a big group of multiple colors, and Im not sure I know the difference between a black copper roo and a wheaton roo. Is there any definitive difference? Im sure there has to be. Help!

 

[kathyinmo]

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The notable difference is that little triangle of color under the wing. I forgot what it is called ....

 

[drom]

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Yes, there several differences but the main identifier is the wings

I would post a picture of the brown wing triangle on the Wheaten but I have run out of storage but you can see it here:

http://marans-club.perso.neuf.fr/froang.htm#FRO



In addition to the brown wing triangle with the Wheatens,

The hackles are a more of a golden color hue
The saddle feathers on the Wheatens are usually a little darker and more reddish than their golden hackles are
The butt fuzz on these birds has a pale creamy cast, it is not the black or grayish down you will see on the butts of the BCs
The legs are lighter than BCs

 

[pbjmaker]

I looked on feathersite but couldn't find the answer - I have some marans chicks that are hatching and they should be black copper, wheaten or a mix of the two. I don't know what a wheaten chick looks like - can someone tell me?

So far the three chicks out are what looks like a black copper, a golden brown colored one, and one that is near white in color. It looks like I have another light color one pipped also.

I will also do a search.

 

[tgcole]

Halo, here is a photo of the cinnamon triangle on an adult Wheaten roo. A BC wing would be black. I've noticed my Wheaten roos all have pink legs rather than the slate usually seen on Bcs.

Drom, when I tried to click on the link to the Marans-Club link, my Nortons declared it an unsafe site. Not sure what's happening there???

 

[tgcole]

Pbjmaker, here is a wheaten chick among BCs. All my Wheatens have hatched yellow. Not sure what a mix would look like???

 

[pbjmaker]

So it looks like I have one pure wheaten chick - The one I am calling almost white is like the one you have pictured. I have had BC maran chicks so I am sure that is what the black one is. Not sure about the one that is yellow/white on its tummy but golden brown on top - maybe the mix? It's pretty.

 

[halo]

Excellent, thank you for all the replies. So other than the cinnamon triangle on the wings for the wheatons, the differences are pretty subtle. Im really going to have to pay attention to these babies.