Wheaten and Blue wheaten Marans Discussion Thread

[ochochicas]

Just picked up a couple of Wheaten cockerels since I can't find any hatching eggs. I'll be breeding my hen this spring and hopefully hatching some chicks. Right now the hen is breed with a crested cream legbar. If I wanted I could hatch some olive eggers, but it is not a good time a year to be incubating eggs. Looking forward to some cute chicks in the spring!

 

[freddyyoung]

What are the opinions on my wheaten marans cockerel and hens? Many thanks for any feedback

 

[jeremy]

I think they're very pretty birds.

Your roo appears to have nice size and overall shape. His tail angle might be a bit high, but that could also just be in this picture. I like the depth of his color in his plumage. He seems to be lacking the brown wing triangle that is present in Wheatens though?

Your hens also look nice and plump, very healthy looking birds. Their color is a bit dark, especially in their hackles and on their backs. At least that's what those breeding to the standard will probably tell you. They almost look Red Wheaten (having the mahogany gene), I like them. I like the dark rust colored hackles and pronounced tri color pattern it creates from their hackles, to their backs, and then their undersides. It's very pretty. They also appear to have good color in their tails.

Where did you get your flock?

 

[ochochicas]

Today I was out spending some time with my cockerels. They are finally adjusting to life that offers them outdoor time and free-ranging. They don't know how to roost yet though, and their feathers are a bit rough looking. I'm sure they are close to 5 months old since they are pretty big and were showing interest in one of the pullets today.

That said, I noticed they all have different coloring. One has a lighter head and neck, one is more of a mahogany, and the other is somewhere in between. Is one shade preferred over the other? I'm planning to use the best one to breed with my Wheaten hen, and one of the others I will use to cross with my blue egg layers to produce Olives.

 

[knjinnm]

Please post pictures of your cockerels; BTW why not use your best cockerel on all your hens?

 

[ochochicas]

I will get pics of them. They like to hide in the trees and usually only come out in the afternoon. They are rough looking - just a warning in advance! They were a bit scrawny when I got them. Now they are molting.

 

[ochochicas]

These guys were really hard to photograph, plus the lighting in the winter isn't the best. There are three cockerels, all brothers. I was told a month ago that they were 2 months old, but I suspect they are now closer to 5 months.
Cockerel #1 is the bigger of the three. He also has the lightest coloring.
Cockerel #2 has the smallest comb. He is in between the other two comparing color.
Cockerel #3 is the darkest of the group. He is more of a mahogany than a red color.

I'm going to be keeping 2 of them - one to breed to my Marans, and the other to produce olive eggers. I'm keeping two since I think I probably have too many hens for just one rooster. (There are 3 Legbars, 6 ameraucanas plus some EEs).

Any input is welcome.









Well, I have more photos, but they won't load. Maybe I'll try again later.

 

[GasMenagerie]

Hello fellow Wheaten lovers... I'm beside myself today as I discovered my last Wheaten hen was snatched early this morning by a (fox? coyote? dog?). She was a year old -- one of only four survivors from my dozen hatching eggs I got last year. Her other three siblings were roos - I kept one. Of course my scrubby hens that I've collected from neighbors and such are never taken!

Poor girl was just starting to lay after a short winter hiatus. Large, dark, lovely eggs - sometimes two a day. She was a wonder.

Here's my question -- does anyone know of a breeder in Northern California? My hatching last year was arduous and not worth the bucks I spent on the shipped eggs. I don't mind spending money (or time travelling) on chicks, but would really rather buy local pullets if possible. I'm not looking to breed, just would like to start my flock over with all Wheatens. (I had a nice flock I bought as chicks several years ago, but they have all died off now.)

Anyone know of anyone? I'm in Auburn (close to Sacramento) but can travel to the Bay Area or north if necessary.

Thanks in advance!!

 

[cowman1970]

Does crossing a Wheaten Marans Roo with a Blue Marans hen....then crossing those offspring back to Wheaten create Blue Wheaten part of the time?

 

[rainbowrooster]

You may have to breed blue offspring back into wheaten several times to achieve your goal. This spring I will be breeding blues back into the original birds for the 3rd generation.