Wheaten and Blue wheaten Marans Discussion Thread

[Jenn1399]

Here are my wheaten babies, all at 5.5 weeks in these photos.

I've thought this guy was a wheaten roos since very early on. The dark coloring on the wings came in early. (this guy looks just like the one that bangarang's that i thought you all were saying is a blue wheaten roo?)





You all have told me this guy is a blue wheaten roo. There was some feathered in grey early on, but I just thought it was some extra pretty-ness. Nope, some extra ROO-ness!
I think his leg feathering looks pretty good! a lot of it is white & fuzzy, but there is 1 grey feather coming in on each foot.




Group shot of all the babies, 5.5 weeks



What'a ya' think??

 

[Bangarang64]

Great looking birds there! Great looking little guy too!
I don't think anyone was saying my roo is a Blue, I just asked if he was because of leg feathering being light.
Mine has plenty of black in him .

In the bottom of the last picture, what are the black & white chicks?

 

[Jenn1399]

We have 5 Wheaton marans, 5 black copper marans & 1 I was told is an ameracauna, but I have a feeling she is an Easter Egger thats Frankie & she is black & white (HOPING she is a she - she is an AWESOME bird!)

 

[Debbi]

Jenn ~ Your first cockerel is a regular Wheaten cockerel, the second one is a Blue Wheaten cockerel. The grey you are seeing is Blue. You may want to check the comb on the blue guy. Can't see it clearly in the pic, but the middle of the comb looks like it has something funky going on?

 

[Jenn1399]

Yes Debbi, the blue wheaten's comb is really spikey... I take it that isn't good?

 

[Debbi]

They should have even serations and pretty much uniform points of the comb, and 5 of them. That dip in the middle looks odd, or it maybe the way he is posed? When you say spikey, what do you mean? Check the sides of his comb too for side sprigs. Little bumps on what should be the clean sides and back of the comb. Those are a DQ in any breed. With all the past troubles I have had with combs in Marans, lately, it is the first thing I notice!

 

[snowbird]

They should have even serations and pretty much uniform points of the comb, and 5 of them. That dip in the middle looks odd, or it maybe the way he is posed? When you say spikey, what do you mean? Check the sides of his comb too for side sprigs. Little bumps on what should be the clean sides and back of the comb. Those are a DQ in any breed. With all the past troubles I have had with combs in Marans, lately, it is the first thing I notice!

Best way to tell if the comb is not right, catch the male and take a close up picture holding chick in hand. Debbi, I am with you here as I think you might have spotted something.

I hope everyone keeps in mind that when you are trying to breed to the SOP, you are looking for the top 10% of young fowl. The next 40% will suit most as they will never show. The lower 50% should be culled.

Just remember when you breed faults forward it just adds another year to you not having SOP type fowl. Sooner or later you absolutely must cull the faults from your flock if you want SOP type fowl.

 

[Jenn1399]

So, he does have 5 points & the middle one is shorter than the others. Maybe 1/2 the size.
I am not a breeder by any means, just a backyard chicken keeper but, I am interested to know what about my flock!

I did find another cockerel with a little tiny point on the side/back of his comb, so I saw just what you were describing Debbi.

We have 5 boys that are headed back to their breeder tomorrow, so he will be the one to decide what to do with these guys!

 

[Debbi]

Jenn, trust me, cull hard for comb problems from the get go! They are hard to rid once you start breeding, and they will pass forward! You may not be thinking of breeding right now, but you just very well may somewhere down the road. Lots easier to do with good birds!

Don, you'd be proud of me. Every sprig and carnation and wry tail are gone from my place! I'll have to wait and see if I made any progress with the hens I kept back, when I do some more hatching in the fall. If not, more culling will ensue... I'm down to 6 hens and 3 roos.

 

[Debbi]

Where's that Randy here lately?? Out paintin' the town?? Ran off and got hitched??