Wheaten and Blue wheaten Marans Discussion Thread

[berkeleysprings]

Can we talk about the broodiness of these birds?? I have been amazed because I had been told marans were not very broody.  That was the only thing I was disappointed about with the wheatens.  However, I am not disappointed any more!  I now have two hens setting and a third acting like she may start any day.  I have been taking their eggs for eating because they are just in with a mixed flock until I get a good roo and re-home a couple more badly colored hens from the first batch mentioned earlier.  So they have just stolen my muscovy nests. Lol! Anyone who knows muscovy knows that stealing their nest is not an easy matter.  I like this breed more every day. Now, I am so excited that I've got eggs in the 'bator from berkeleysprings and hopefully will have some very nice full-grown birds in the near future. 

it might have something to do with the line you have i have only had one in almost 5 years go brody. the hen went to full term

 

[OldChurchEggery1]

Can someone help me figure out the distinguishing characteristics between a Wheaten cock and a Gold-Salmon cock? I think some chicks I got last year came from someone who'd used a Gold-Salmon cock instead of a Wheaten. The chicks had that sort of chipmunk look, though more muted than what's on the French Marans site. I have two pullets that have more of a Gold-Salmon look and I'm wondering if they're half and half. As a test, I put a cockerel over them that I know had Wheaten down as a chick, and the resulting chicks came out with faint chipmunk-like markings on them. Obviously I won't use the pullets any further for crosses with Wheaten, but the lingering question remains- how to spot the difference in the adult males? The main difference I see is in the hackle coloring.

http://marans.eu/saum.htm#saum

Thanks for your help!

 

[berkeleysprings]

my only possible guess would be the cinnamon wing triangle but i know zero about any outher color. its sad that people mix up the colors. I'm very inexperienced the only thing that I've learned is a little about wheaten marans .i am self taught. with a closed flock
i started wit a ebay hen afew birds fron bev davis amd afew frpm ronpresly ( budy henery)
i think the ebay hen i had was yellow leg recessive and thats the wprst thats happened to me.hopefully in a few weels il know how a sibling mateimg comes out. but it takes 3 weeks for leg color on chicks to stablize sorry i camt help u

 

[loprettaerin]

It may also have been that this was a recessive gene that the birds carry. I know my blues and blacks were never breed to a salmon although I did get salmon chicks from them. Marans have several genes that are recessive and if you mix 2 parents that both carry that same recessive gene that gene pops out and wala you get some chicks that no were near resemble there parents.

As for how to tell them apart on the male. I only ever raised out 1 salmon roo. For the longest time he really resembled more like a black copper in marking then a wheaten to me and even when I sold him he really looked like a black copper. I would say look at the hackle color and like randy said wing color/traingle does it look like the wheatens or more like the black coppers.

You are correct salmons look almost like a chipmunk as babys and normally the lighter down chicks with light chipmuck down end up being silver salmons and darker down end up as golden salmons. Just my own experience with them but only have little over a year with them. Wish I could have been more help.

 

[cukooformarans]

it might have something to do with the line you have i have only had one in almost 5 years go brody. the hen went to full term

It may have then. That is interesting to me! Well, I will have to get pics when they hatch the babies and let you guys evaluate their color. These are out of the badly colored bunch, but if the coloring on these isn't too bad, I'd love to keep them and try to breed in a little broodiness. I definitely prefer to let them raise their own-it's much much easier and it's great to see them running around the yard!

 

[berkeleysprings]

It may have then.  That is interesting to me!  Well, I will have to get pics when they hatch the babies and let you guys evaluate their color.  These are out of the badly colored bunch, but if the coloring on these isn't too bad, I'd love to keep them and try to breed in a little broodiness. I definitely prefer to let them raise their own-it's much much easier and it's great to see them running around the yard!  

yes you might get some nice looking roosters from the odd looking hens i have just never used the odd or darker hens eather. what did the roo look like that u used with the " bad colored hens"?. my test hatch is due to hatch april 9. but i wont know for weeks after how they will turn out. i havent tried to hatch any from my main flock this year but i might start a batch this weekend.i need a roo with out white in tail coverts in wing when closed
i did it once by random breeding. good luck with your hatching and im gunna send u more eggs in a week or so . free . so dont worry il make sure u get a bunch of nice hens

 

[Debbi]

Mornin' Randy

Mine are due to hatch on the 20th! Can't wait to see what pops out! Going to mark the X chicks that hatch and let you know how they turn out too.

 

[berkeleysprings]

Mornin' Randy

Mine are due to hatch on the 20th! Can't wait to see what pops out! Going to mark the X chicks that hatch and let you know how they turn out too.

i sure hope u get a good hatch and like always il keep sending eggs till u get some. im a pusher lol the more people i get hooked the more popular they will be lol

 

[berkeleysprings]

emm fresh marans with mushroom alfredo for lunch .emmm the 6 or 7 years iv had chickens finaly get to try sime rooster meat. i just skined them and removedremoved breast meat yum yum

 

[Debbi]

Ooooo, you enabler, you!

Thanks!

That reminds me, it's Morel season here. May just go out and scout up some good eatin' mushrooms! Marans and Morel omelets!!