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

[geebs]

Pinkchick You are a show me person aren't you.. haha..

I realize the APA standards go upstream....They are loose on eye color also.. If you go to bevs website and look at her birds... I think she gets it. When you are breeding blue, blue,grey shanks are acceptable.

 

[pinkchick]

Yep.....lol......I'm a show me person and not even from Missouri!!! I think that I was born in the wrong state.....though my mother would tell you I was born in the correct state..........the state of confusion!

 

[haTHOR]

Quote:
i replied in post 7513, right after you asked.

but no, i only have the babies. i took the pictures to show you guys and get some ideas about issues i might face or strengths the parent stock might bring.

very interesting about the pink vs. gray legs. i do think the greenish cast on the one chick is a flash issue...as i said i do have EEs and know green legs

. this little guy's feet are a slightly lighter gray than his legs.

i do note that two of my chicks have some feathering on the middle toes. i have a feeling i am going to go back and get a few more chicks (some that are slightly older this time, since more characteristics are starting to come out as they age and i know more now about being choosy re: feathering on toes, as well as sexing).

re: the tails...it was very hard to get an idea about their tails...the wind was very strong that day and the birds were a bit skittish. in one pic a roo appears to have squirrel tail and in one of the other pics it looks no more than 60 degrees...so this is something i will have to watch on my birds as i observe what i have.

for those who took the time to speak to my pics--thank you so much! it is greatly appreciated.

 

[pinkchick]

Geebs~

BTW....you hit the nail on the head when you suggested that my girls may be going into a molt. I'm taking advantage of this non laying period and introducing some 2.5 mos olds to the flock. 5 Blue Copper pullets, 1 Splash Copper pullet , I'm also growing out 2 Blue Copper cockerals. Nothing more B-E-A-U-TIFUL to me than a pen full of blue and black birds. The 2 colors just complement each other so well.

 

[marquisella]

The American standard is being worked on, with an eye towards getting it as close to the French Standard as is allowed. Note: wording has to be in the APAs language...whatever that means. So there should be some changes coming.

Don't ask me what the changes are, I'm not on the committee that is looking into it all.
Sue

 

[haTHOR]

i have read on this thread about early sexing of marans, one factor being the development of wattles. does anyone have a pic or can explain what that looks like on a very young chick (a few weeks old)?

 

[marquisella]

Quote:
The comb & wattles on males start to grow & get redder than the pullets. Pullets combs & wattles stay dark & small for quite a long time.
Something I've noticed with my birds is the males usually have more feathers on their legs than the girls after just a few weeks.

Also the boys grow taller faster.

Sue

 

[ChooksChick]

I'm giving up 3 little FBCM on the auction page if anyone is interested. These boys hatched from 6 on the Marans chart, though their moms didn't consistently lay that, nor was it their darkest shade.

RevolutionMama sold her flocks and they ran together right before that- at least 4 lines of birds. I'm reading on here there are mixed feelings about that kind of mixing, but either way, I got the last of her eggs and these are the last of those when she had them. I can't possibly put 3 roos to use, so if anyone else can, have at it.

Now...I was just going to sell everyone, because I have a ton of projects going, but I'm now considering keeping a handful of birds and continuing with them where she left off. Am I nuts?

 

[geebs]

Marquisella..... The traits you mention can be true on some lines but be cautious as some lines they are VERY hard to distinguish even into month 7. I say this with experience. It is best to wait till you see color in the saddle area... That is the only indicator that has been thusfar foolproof....Nothing like thinking you hatched all roos only to find you culled all your hens and it was one of those breedings where it is rooster feathered hens and slow maturity... I have had very tall females with long necks and fabulous feathered legs and very developed combs and wattles that lay me some nice eggs... If I wasn't growing out a "roo" I would have never discovered this.

 

[haTHOR]

good to know this! looks like i will keep all my FCBMs and (probably a few more) for the long haul, and will only cull or relocate after several months.

do FCBMs follow the average of about 5 months to point of lay, or are they later boomers (like black javas).