Wheaten and Blue wheaten Marans Discussion Thread

[cherylcohen]

My cree farm and Fitz farm girls started laying 6-7's and now they are getting darker!! woohoo!

Decided to concentrate on my other breeds so I have a few auctions up for the fitz trios I have, if any is interested.

 

[cherylcohen]

Just heard CROWING in the back yard and caught this little 2 1/2 month old cockerel that is one from the trio, practicing his solo!! OMG so young. He's really developing fast and larger than the others. Gorgeous! IMO

He's in the garage now until he goes to his next home

No crowing allowed in my neighborhood!

 

[loprettaerin]

I have a couple Questions about wheaton specfics if anyone knows.

Wheaten roo's and even hens I guess. What is the correct feather color for there legs. I assume light wheaten on hens, is that the same for roo's?

I know most say not to cull for color on a roo until atleast there first molt. But are there any signs that they will not be the correct coloring when they are about 3-4 months old or so. I have on that is 4 months know and has changed allot since he was younger. Just trying to learn some warning signs since I have 3 other that are even younger males and only really want to keep 1 since I only have 2 hens growing out at this time. I don't mind normally keeping more if I can use them.

I'm curiose also are blue wheatens from resissive genes or are they from breeding blue's or splashes to wheatens? Just curiose more then anything not really planing on working on them but just wanted to know.

I know these are not the best pictures at all been trying to take them for few days know to give some examples of what I'm looking at but seems when I want to take pictures they are not very willing and when I have no camara they are making there best poses for me.

I just think my young roo may have to much color is really why Im asking but I know he is still very young he is just shy of 4 months.

Here is the one hen the same age.

 

[berkeleysprings]

hens leg feathers are wheat roos are darl alnost black ,, nothing i can see about your roo looks odd or something to cull , give him some time here is some pics of roo about the same age from a few years back

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[loprettaerin]

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Thanks for info and sharing your pictures. I have been looking for some about the same age to learn from.

 

[Budda's Birds]

Thanks for the comments everyone. I live in Idaho so it is a dry heat and in the upper 90's the hottest it has been this summer. The girls had a shade structure but a windstorm came through and tore it down just before they started laying and while I was out of town so I'll have to rebuild it once the storms pass. Eventually I'm going to transplant some trees this summer for stronger more permanent shade. I'm not to concerned with these first pullets that are laying their plumage color is to dark to use in my breeding anyways, I just have one I plan on keeping for breeding so she hopefully will have a nice dark egg color when she finally starts to lay.

 

[berkeleysprings]

iv got a question for you chicken experts , i have been working with wheaten marans for what i think is a long time 4 years , but i have a hen thats half the size of the others hatch mates my question is can or is a normal sized bird able to produce a bantum or is that a once in a life time freek of nature and can not be re produced . id love to make bantum wheaten marans , she is perfectly healthy in every way just half the size

 

[Lotsapaints]

Quote:
You should PM onthespot she's been working on bantams from regular sized BC's she might even know of someone else working with Wheatens

 

[berkeleysprings]

thanks lotsa very nice of u , i rely not looking for another project but if the chance comes i might as well .... i have always said wheaten is the only color id work with so im still keeping to my gole

Quote:
You should PM onthespot she's been working on bantams from regular sized BC's she might even know of someone else working with Wheatens

 

[flgardengirl]

I have a pure blue that is probably be totally bantam. Her grandmother was small for a Marans but not bantam. I bred her to my smallest blue roo and produced another hen that is smaller than the mother. She is very obviously small for a Marans almost bantam, about the size of my key west hens who are almost bantam sized. This 3rd pullet is even smaller than both the others probably half the size from the 'grandmother'. She is perfectly healthy and no deformities or anything but is clean shanked. She was slow to feather in, on top of her head, for some reason but looks normal now. I can tell she is staying much smaller than the other hatchmates her age.