Wheaten and Blue wheaten Marans Discussion Thread

[Bangarang64]

I'm getting worried that the colder weather weather will just put off the laying even longer.

 

[berkeleysprings]

yes weather will mess them up i am down to 12 hens and no eggs in two weeks my silkes are the only ones laying

 

[Daloorashens]

Glad to know mine aren't the only ones being stingy with the eggs... ironic that your silkies are the only ones laying, lol

 

[OldChurchEggery1]

I've noticed that sometimes the pullets I hatch out in late April/May do not lay until the following spring. I wonder if it's because right at the time they begin to hit maturity, the day length is decreasing such that it discourages them. The ones I hatch in June/early July almost always start laying around Thanksgiving regardless of the day length. It's weird, to say the least. These are observations not necessarily about Marans as I haven't had the Wheatens but for about a year and a half.

 

[Daloorashens]

Wow, that is crazy what you have seen in your birds as far as when they hatch out... Why would they be so different when the ones hatching out later really are quite a bit younger??

 

[OldChurchEggery1]

I am just not sure what would do it. I've heard that pullets hatched later in the year are more likely to prolapse because they go into production before fully mature. Perhaps it's just some freak thing, maybe it's linked to lunar cycles, who knows? For all we know about animals and their reproduction, there are just still some mysteries out there.

 

[berkeleysprings]

amount of daylight not cold or the month of year i would think is most important and breed of chicken is last . ya gotta run lights in my part of the world nowadays. silkies are little champs this time of year . EE are still laying some. as for whearten marans . a big fat zero.

 

[OldChurchEggery1]

I guess they are just on vacation! I've got two pullets that are just shy of 4 months old. While it would be nice to get eggs from them around Christmas, I'd be highly surprised if they started laying that soon. Right now they are just enjoying eating the frosted vegetables that I'm cleaning up from the garden.

 

[snowbird]

Hey Randy, How did your young Wheaten Marans male s turn out this year. Get any without the white in wing and tail. Since the white tail coverts is just a fault I no longer am too much worried about it at present.

April Miley had two Wheaten Males at columbus this past weekend that looked to be clean of the white in tail and wing. They both did have the white tail coverts though.

 

[berkeleysprings]

Hey Randy, How did your young Wheaten Marans male s turn out this year. Get any without the white in wing and tail. Since the white tail coverts is just a fault I no longer am too much worried about it at present.

April Miley had two Wheaten Males at columbus this past weekend that looked to be clean of the white in tail and wing. They both did have the white tail coverts though.

3 came out ok but still a small amount of cotton tail
and a feather in coverts are white but cant be seen with closed wing. 1 had clean shanks. and one has masterious white ear lobes. but not the hole ear lobe ½ red½ a smokey or chalkey white