Wheaten and Blue wheaten Marans Discussion Thread

[Debbi]

I have a hard time believing in the tempermant passing on, is there evidence of a "mean gene"?

I wouldn't let kids get attacked, but without knowing how this attitude started I would set him up with a run and keep him for breeding if he is what you have to work with,,,jmho

Temperament does seem to pass on. It will pass on a good temperament and a bad one as well. Just look at how it passes on in people, and other animals. When I bred Doberman Pinschers, correct temperament was one of my top priorities! Like I said, unless the bird is exceptional in all other regards, why would you want a flock of nasties? I can immediately tell who sired my chicks, especially the cockerels with my BCMs. The cockerels ALL have the exact same quiet personality of their Dad, and have his unique crow as well. Just going by what I have seen here...

 

[Debbi]

Where have all the Wheatie folks been hiding?? No one have any new pics or hatches to brag on??

 

[tom e]

Yep. All things are genetic, but a broken toe, lol. Meanness may not be simple Mendelian genetics (hets etc) but it certainly is genetic in some way not understood. Best thing to do with a mean rooster is eat him. They make a very satisfying coq au vin!

I'll try and get some pictures up today.

 

[Bigfamily4me]

Yeah... I keep wondering if I should risk it and keep him. He isn't a problem with me. He did get crabby with each of the boys last week (4of the 5). The oldest said he held his ground when Ox got all puffed up and growly. The others ran. I guess I want to see if he'll do it again with me watching. He just doesn't seem to have the balls to do anything with me around. So that makes him sneaky mean. He's really filled out nicely. coloring good. Be a shame to make him soup. Cross your fingers he was just testing the kids and shapes up...

 

[tom e]

Yeah... I keep wondering if I should risk it and keep him. He isn't a problem with me. He did get crabby with each of the boys last week (4of the 5). The oldest said he held his ground when Ox got all puffed up and growly. The others ran. I guess I want to see if he'll do it again with me watching. He just doesn't seem to have the balls to do anything with me around. So that makes him sneaky mean. He's really filled out nicely. coloring good. Be a shame to make him soup. Cross your fingers he was just testing the kids and shapes up...

I know just what you mean. Hopefully it will not continue. I only ever had one mean one (a Welsummer) started really silly, almost kind of 'cute' but he just got worse and worse as he got older. But even at his worst, he would flog me every day, but only when my back was turned. I hope that yours won't continue along that path..

I promised some pictures, here's how mine are progressing. I have about 3 boys that look decent. I can't really tell them apart yet, so these pictures might all be the same one or maybe I got all three.. One of my pullets is pictured also, though I have to say- I may only have one that seems to have all the right color. Most of the girls are too dark- hopefully that improves?

In the background are a few blue splash marans and what I think is a black copper? (all hatched roosters- they are going to be meat.)

 

[OldChurchEggery1]

Hi folks, I haven't posted in a while but thought I'd say something to keep the thread going. I hatched a very small batch of Wheatens a few weeks ago. It looks like I have 3 cockerels and 2 pullets. In addition to those, I had two accidents hatch from very dark wheaten eggs. Unfortunately, I believe they were sired by my Splash Jersey Giant because the chicks are blue! Darn. If they're males they'll go off to the meat pen and if they're females, I guess I'll put them in my layer pen. Hope you all are well, Erica.

 

[snowbird]

Tom e, I see some really nice young males here. Like the way you have eliminated most of the white in wingand tail and the cottontail is mostly gone. This is where the darker females come into play, you can not breed males like these unless you have the darker females with dark undercolor for breeders. The lighter female with mostly white undercolor will produce the males with all the white.

Do you know what the line these are from?

 

[tom e]

Well, I haven't done anything with these, but buy them, actually. Initially I emailed Bev Davis, but she didn't have any at the moment so she got me in touch with a gentleman named Ben Porter. I'm real happy with them! Now I understand what the deal is with the darker gals, thanks for the explanation. I have mostly darker gals actually, and a couple of the cull roosters are mostly red.

Thanks for the comments!

 

[Bangarang64]

Thanks Randy!
Your males are looking very nice! I am guessing those in the last group shots are about 3 months old?



If you guys remember, I've been posting pictures of my oldest male every few weeks as he grows up:

Here he is (left) on June 10th :



and then again on June 19th:


and the last update I gave was on June 29th! More than a month ago:



And here's his progress 4 weeks later! This is Caesar today:






The only thing I can spot with my inexperienced eye that is a problem is the lack of points on his crest/crown - only 4. So far there isn't much sign of white fluff on his back. His leg feathers are getting darker by the day.

Let me know what you folks think and many thanks!

I posted that about 4 weeks ago, and since things have been a bit slow in this thread I'd thought I'd post a few pics I took today, August 25.
Let me know if he's still a keeper:

Here's Caesar's front:



Here's the tail feathers:


Profile shot:


And the dreaded white fluff (deal breaker?) on the back:



Thanks for all the help!

 

[berkeleysprings]

wheaten eggs are so big i cant close the lid on the egg cartons