Wheaten and Blue wheaten Marans Discussion Thread

[tom e]

Only my silkies are laying too! Interesting. They don't lay a lot, but at least we get their tiny eggs.

 

[Daloorashens]

Those of you that have Marans... have you posted pics of your birds previously or in other places?? I would love to see them!

 

[aussie pete]

Hi All -I was thinking of getting some wheaten marans eggs to incubate,below r pics of the parents.
would appreciate yr opinions,wether to get eggs from these or keep searching
marans r rare here in aus ,only 5 lines i believe
thanks Pete

 

[OldChurchEggery1]

I'm sure some of the folks who've had Wheatens for a long time will weigh in, but I'd suggest asking to see pictures of the eggs as well as the parents. There's a lot of fluff at the base of that cock's tail. I haven't had Wheatens but for about a year and a half but I've heard that "cottontail" is something to avoid when possible. There's certainly no harm in trying them out, though, if you'd really like to have them. Hatch a lot and cull hard, as they say!

 

[berkeleysprings]

I cant see any leg feathering on hens and roo has big time cotton tail. but most of that can be bred out or in. hens looked washed out from sun or age but all this can be fixed.

 

[aussie pete]

thanks for the replies ,I knew the cottontail was a prob.
our marans r clean legged & I was worried about the washed out look of the hens.

all in all ,u have confirmed my initial thoughts and I think I'll will continue the hunt for better birds ,like they say "it costs the same to feed a good one as a bad one so u mite as well have the good ones"
cheers Pete

 

[tom e]

Are clean legged birds the standard out there? Mine are not, because they aren't the standard here, but to be honest I kind of wish they were. I'm just not one to buck the system, lol. If that's what folks expect it's what I'll breed. Still I don't particularly care for poopy or muddy feet feathers.

 

[aussie pete]

yes we use the english standard here ,so clean legs
.unfortunately there seems to be only 5 lines (strains )in Aus so birds r rare and hard to find or get hold of .
saw a ad for a trio recently ,for $750, fertile eggs- r about $100 /doz plus postage .given Aud is similar to Usd at the moment, u get the idea of how expensive they r here.

 

[tom e]

Wow. Good time to be producing them then, huh?

 

[Chicken Crazy12]

Would like some opinions on my flock. I have a rooster 6 months old and 3 hens (one hen is 10 or 11 months old and still not laying and the other 2 are 6 months old)