Wheaten and Blue wheaten Marans Discussion Thread

[OldChurchEggery1]

I set and hatched some earlier in the year. My plan is to do some more sometime in late May or early June so that I can avoid having the heat lamps running so much. I'd like the flock to get to spend some time foraging out in the grass as well to get better nutrition going for the sake of more robust embryos. It's been cold and damp so long this winter and I know how much the chickens enjoy the fresh spring flush of bugs, weeds, and grass.

 

[berkeleysprings]

I haven't had any yet this yearI've got too manyand I need tocull / rehome

 

[CazzaJayne]

I can only see the first two photos for some reason and was just wondering if the hen in the top two pics is the one you're referring to as too dark? I am very new to this and I have just purchased FW Marans from the most reputable breeder I could find. Put it this way, I WISH mine looked like the hens in the top photo. The one in my profile pic is the darkest of the lot and she has a blueish coloured underfeathering around her legs and behind. The lightest one I have is still darker than the one in your first two pictures. In your opinion, would you say I have been swindled? Also, the pic was taken at 19 weeks of age, so is there a chance she will lighten up after her first molt? I would love to see some pics of marans hens at various ages to compare to mine.


I got 4 all up, these are the lighter three.

 

[knjinnm]

Are there any breeders of wheaten Marans in New Mexico?

Hi,

Found this on Craig's list.

http://albuquerque.craigslist.org/grd/4415488970.html

 

[Bangarang64]

I can only see the first two photos for some reason and was just wondering if the hen in the top two pics is the one you're referring to as too dark? I am very new to this and I have just purchased FW Marans from the most reputable breeder I could find. Put it this way, I WISH mine looked like the hens in the top photo. The one in my profile pic is the darkest of the lot and she has a blueish coloured underfeathering around her legs and behind. The lightest one I have is still darker than the one in your first two pictures. In your opinion, would you say I have been swindled? Also, the pic was taken at 19 weeks of age, so is there a chance she will lighten up after her first molt? I would love to see some pics of marans hens at various ages to compare to mine.


I got 4 all up, these are the lighter three.

No white chest?

 

[rexy]

[COLOR=333333]I can only see the first two photos for some reason and was just wondering if the hen in the top two pics is the one you're referring to as too dark? I am very new to this and I have just purchased FW Marans from the most reputable breeder I could find. Put it this way, I WISH mine looked like the hens in the top photo. The one in my profile pic is the darkest of the lot and she has a blueish coloured underfeathering around her legs and behind. The lightest one I have is still darker than the one in your first two pictures. In your opinion, would you say I have been swindled? Also, the pic was taken at 19 weeks of age, so is there a chance she will lighten up after her first molt? I would love to see some pics of marans hens at various ages to compare to mine.[/COLOR] I got 4 all up, these are the lighter three.

You will find the Wheaten Marans in Australia, in the main, are not a good colour. We do not have the quality in the birds or the eggs that the USA has.

 

[CazzaJayne]

No white chest?

The one facing away in the picture has a lighter chest than the others, but certainly not white

 

[CazzaJayne]

You will find the Wheaten Marans in Australia, in the main, are not a good colour. We do not have the quality in the birds or the eggs that the USA has.

Bummer!!

I chose this breed because of (among other things) their looks. The proper coloured Wheatens remind me of the 'friendly old mother hens' in children's stories haha.

Still, I'm hopeful they will lighten up a little after their first molt. They are only young at this point.

 

[rexy]

Bummer!!

I chose this breed because of (among other things) their looks. The proper coloured Wheatens remind me of the 'friendly old mother hens' in children's stories haha.

Still, I'm hopeful they will lighten up a little after their first molt. They are only young at this point.

Where are you cazzajayne? they may lighten up a little, but not a lot. Were they from dark colored (for Australia) eggs?

this is one from my first hatch from shipped eggs. She is still much the same colour 6 months later, but she lays a nice coloured egg. However, her babies are also a bad colour, even put to a nice coloured cock.

This is a blue wheaten pullet from my eggs, nice girl, but not going to lay dark enough. Very hard to get nice colour and type and nice eggs, it seems.

 

[CazzaJayne]

I'm in Victoria. I have no idea what colour the eggs were as I bought the girls as 18 week old pullets. They were sold to me as 'back yard' quality, not show birds, but I didn't realise there would be THAT much variation in colour.


I'm taking photos of them quite regularly to see any changes (mostly in their wattles and combs so as I can get an idea of when they might be close to laying). I took a photo of them today and I don't know if it's the light outside or what, but a couple have definitely lightened up - at least in the pictures.



The one in my avatar pic is the one second from top of screen. They look so scruffy, can't wait until they feather up properly I wouldn't have a clue how to tell a good looking rooster (no faults) so even if I bred my lightest one, I could be breeding her with a 'mongrel' lol.

I'm getting some eggs on Friday to try hatching some more of my own. They are coming from a lady who bought her stock from the same breeder I bought the girls from. So I'll get a better idea of the egg colour as they will come from the same lines.