Wheaten and Blue wheaten Marans Discussion Thread

[ochochicas]

I have a question that I'm sure has been asked before, but here is goes anyway.

Is a Wheaten Marans supposed to have feathered legs? What about the chicks?

My hen does not have feathered legs, but I just bought some eggs and the seller told me the chicks would have feathered legs (I didn't see the parents). Thanks in advance! Here is my hen.

 

[ladycat]

I have a question that I'm sure has been asked before, but here is goes anyway.

Is a Wheaten Marans supposed to have feathered legs? What about the chicks?

My hen does not have feathered legs, but I just bought some eggs and the seller told me the chicks would have feathered legs (I didn't see the parents). Thanks in advance! Here is my hen.

Marans can have feathered or unfeathered legs.

The French standard calls for feathered legs, and it's the French standard called for in the US.

The English standard calls for clean legs. But a lot of Marans in this country have clean legs.

If you want to breed them to the show standard, you want feathered legs. But if you're not breeding them for show, it's just a personal preference whether you breed them with or without feathers on their legs.

 

[ochochicas]

Marans can have feathered or unfeathered legs.

The French standard calls for feathered legs, and it's the French standard called for in the US.

The English standard calls for clean legs. But a lot of Marans in this country have clean legs.

If you want to breed them to the show standard, you want feathered legs. But if you're not breeding them for show, it's just a personal preference whether you breed them with or without feathers on their legs.

Thanks for the info. I'm actually going to be trying to produce some olive eggers. I actually prefer them clean legs since they feathers get so dirty when the free range. They are cute with them though!

 

[ochochicas]

Out of four Marans eggs my broody hatched out, I ended up with three chicks. I'm pretty sure I have one cockerel (on the bottom), a pullet in the middle, and the one on the top I think is a cross with a Rhode Island Red.
Opinions? Do these guys look like Wheaten Marans? They are two weeks old today. I bought the eggs from someone else.



Cockerel, pullet, RIR cross?? The cockerel had an eye issue which is why is head is a bit dirty.

 

[berkeleysprings]

This site has died:'(

 

[ladycat]

You mean this thread? I'm keeping an eye on it.

I have a blue wheaten pullet- my only blue wheaten. She's close to laying, so yesterday I paired her with a regular wheaten cockerel. I actually don't like pairs because it's hard on the hens, so I'm going to add an easter egger in to make a trio. I should get some interesting looking olive eggers.

As for the blue wheaten, I expect I'll average half blue and half regular wheatens from that mating. I'll keep the blue girls and put them back with regular wheatens. Of the offspring I'll get from that generation, I should be able to save blues in both males and females, and I'll mate blue X blue. That will have me established with blue wheatens and a reasonably wide genetic pool.

Of course I'm open to finding some good blue wheatens from someone else so I'll have fresh blood.

 

[ochochicas]

In my area there seems to be a "shortage" of Wheaten Marans. I just hatched one baby cockerel that I hope to breed to my hen in the spring. She lays gorgeous, jumbo dark brown eggs. The cockerel has nicely feathered legs and has a wonderful personality (so far). I'm a little concerned with my hen though because she won't let my rooster anywhere near her. She even chases him away from her buddies when he tries to get close to them. I'm hoping she's a little more welcoming to the new boy.

 

[Runawaylobster]

Haven't posted anything lately because i really don't have much going on... and everybody seems to be moulting, broody or just not laying... looks like a pillow fight out there...

 

[ladycat]

looks like a pillow fight out there...

Here too! Piles of feathers EVERYWHERE. You would think they'd all be naked by now.

 

[Bangarang64]

same here... no eggs.
also, someone came to the yard in broad daylight and stole my nicest Roo I was saving to breed to my 3rd generation. All the hens were left in the pen untouched. Very frustrating.

Runaway, if you have an extra male here in Florida, I would surely like to get one off of ya rather than breed these ladies with their grandpa!