Wheaten and Blue wheaten Marans Discussion Thread

[berkeleysprings]

I would recommend a closed flock . I would recommend doing sibling to sibling matings
early.. that's when the falts will show up. 3 daughters back to original father to improve add color provided the rooster came from a dark egg. shipped eggs in notoriou hard to hatch
. understand it takes years to get a good flock together and you might need a separate breeding pen for roosters and hens

 

[Beka123]

That's why I picked this breed Beka. I found that there were lots of great chickens that people want eggs and chicks from, but locally people will gouge you on the price of anything even POL unless it's a marans. If it's all the same to me (and it basically is) than I might as well keep something people really are interested in for those times when I want to sell an extra. I get about 4-5 times the cost for marans than I do anything else I've tried to sell, and I don't think I ask for too much. Thanks Martha Stewart for making the dark eggs famous! This may not be the same in other areas.. 

Yeah, people sell black copper marans eggs for $4/dozen here, just for eating. People love their eggs. I actually (call me crazy) have a different opinion on their egg color, --I've never seen one in person (just online pics) so it's possible I might change my mind-- but the welsummer's egg is my favorite egg color. but, these birds are just so pretty, I love them and can't wait to recieve my babies!

 

[tom e]

My wheatens started laying about a week ago, and I'm noticing two different color types. One is medium brown with dark speckling (like my Welsummer gal's egg is but smaller still) and the other is really dark, smooth colored with a reddish tinge to it. So really you may get eggs much like Welsummers lay (or like my Welsummer does anyway).

 

[berkeleysprings]

I would recommend a closed flock . I would recommend doing sibling to sibling matings
early.. that's when the falts will show up. 3 daughters back to original father to improve add color provided the rooster came from a dark egg. shipped eggs in notoriou hard to hatch
. understand it takes years to get a good flock together and you might need a separate breeding pan for roosters and hens

 

[Daloorashens]

I would recommend a closed flock . I would recommend doing sibling to sibling matings
early.. that's when the falts will show up. 3 daughters back to original father to improve add color provided the rooster came from a dark egg. shipped eggs in notoriou hard to hatch
. understand it takes years to get a good flock together and you might need a separate breeding pan for roosters and hens

Thanks for that bit of advice, Randy!

 

[Beka123]

My wheatens started laying about a week ago, and I'm noticing two different color types. One is medium brown with dark speckling (like my Welsummer gal's egg is but smaller still) and the other is really dark, smooth colored with a reddish tinge to it. So really you may get eggs much like Welsummers lay (or like my Welsummer does anyway).

Well, that would just tickle my fancy! Thanks for your input!

 

[masked rider]

I have two of these cockerels and they both look pretty much the same. The only real difference is the shank feathering. One has blue feathers pretty much and the other has some blue/wheaten feathering. Sorry for the photo, best I could get with my phone.... Anyone have a thought?



The photo does not show it, but the comb is excellent, out of focus...

Why are there so few people working with Blue Wheatens? They are gorgeous birds...

 

[snowbird]

I have two of these cockerels and they both look pretty much the same. The only real difference is the shank feathering. One has blue feathers pretty much and the other has some blue/wheaten feathering. Sorry for the photo, best I could get with my phone.... Anyone have a thought?



The photo does not show it, but the comb is excellent, out of focus...

Why are there so few people working with Blue Wheatens? They are gorgeous birds...

This Blue Wheaten male is better than most I have seen on BYC. Would like to see a better picture of the comb and head.

 

[masked rider]

This Blue Wheaten male is better than most I have seen on BYC. Would like to see a better picture of the comb and head.

ok, here are a couple of photos of each cockerel.

Rooster 1 (same bird as full photo posted earlier)



Second cockerel. They pretty much look the same except a slight comb difference and the shank feathering.

 

[berkeleysprings]

Finaly just starting to get eggs after 2½ months .12 girls =3 eggs 6+ years in the makeing. . another month and the hatching begins