When do Maran's typically lay?

[Dahlisgrams]

That is a rooster. There are saddle feathers. Sorry about that, you won't be getting any eggs from him.

OMG are you sure!? I bought him/her as an almost 5 month old PULLET.

Is he just really dark?? Seriously, I'm in shock! It's the only Marans here so there is no one to compare it to. OMG....

 

[Nicole01]

Wow, they sold you a rooster. If they are experienced chicken owners, they clearly knew this is a rooster by his pointy hackle(neck) and saddle(back) feathers. Both are in by 5 months!:/

I'm 100% positive.

 

[Dahlisgrams]

Wow, they sold you a rooster. If they are experienced chicken owners, they clearly knew this is a rooster by his pointy hackle(neck) and saddle(back) feathers. Both are in by 5 months!

I'm 100% positive.

Well, I guess my wait for eggs is over then.

I'll give them a call and find out what's going on.. I had purchased a bunch of pullets and ended up with now 5 out of 11 being roosters all but one of which has needed to be rehomed. Maybe they were just going by color? I am pretty sure he was almost 5 months old... OMG thank you for helping me figure out this dilemma. I'm so sorry for hijacking your thread!

 

[Nicole01]

Oh no, not at 5 months. Any experienced chicken owner knows about hackle and saddle feathers by 5 months. It's just wrong and dishonest to take your money like that.

It happens all the time.

Your not hijacking my thread.

 

[Dahlisgrams]

Oh no, not at 5 months. Any experienced chicken owner knows about hackle and saddle feathers by 5 months. It's just wrong and dishonest to take your money like that.
It happens all the time.

Your not hijacking my thread.

Thanks, Nicole. I feel like such an idiot!

Honestly it never occurred to me to research it because I only wanted a dark egg layer in my laying flock and 4-5 months seemed like plenty of time to be able to sex a Marans. Had I wanted to breed them I would have thoroughly researched the bloodlines and known *exactly* what I was getting, but I didn't bother for a laying flock hen... I just took their word for it. Up until very recently he was mostly black, even the hackles. The comb has only recently gotten large and it looked just like all of the marans hens I've seen. Blah. I sent photos of him and left a voicemail but haven't heard back. It just stinks because I paid a decent price and have been feeding him for months and now I find out he's a he. I'm just disappointed not to have a nice dark egg layer. The only thing I can think of is that they must have caught the wrong chicken when I picked him up, as I'm sure it was an honest mistake. Such is life.

Anyone need a super friendly FBCM cockeral?

Good luck to all who are awaiting eggs from your pullets!!!

 

[Nicole01]

I just bought pure bred eggs on eBay twice.

First set all hatched, but ALL mixed breeds!!! Unbelievable!!! Luckily I was able to dispute and eBay refunded me fully. The seller lied about her chickens and it was easy to prove. I gave the chicks to a friend of mine. They went to an awesome home.

I thought I'd try eBay again. I bought 12 eggs for hatching. His flock and eggs looked nice. Ugh, 3 eggs are infertile and 2-3 eggs have blood rings(dead embryos). I'm unsure on 2. I might have 4 good eggs out of 12 if I'm lucky! This is clearly the sellers fault. I know I can hatch eggs well. I just had a fabulous hatch a week ago.

Next spring I'm starting over. I'm buying straight from the ABC club vs anywhere else. I do have 9 I hatched that were given to me for free. There are about 4 that will work out if female. I know 3 are female out of the keepers. I'm looking for 4-H show birds. I have pure bred Ameraucana's in mind. I'm going to spend a bit more on better eggs from the breeders list rather then wasting my money.

I'm really sorry this happened. I only have one maran that I bought at 4 weeks of age. I did pick at 2 weeks old, but I did pick a male. I was able to switch for my female at the farm store.

I will hatch marans in the future. I'll pick a dark colored egg.. I love the breed. My hen is extremely sweet.

 

[Dahlisgrams]

I just bought pure bred eggs on eBay twice.
First set all hatched, but ALL mixed breeds!!! Unbelievable!!! Luckily I was able to dispute and eBay refunded me fully. The seller lied about her chickens and it was easy to prove. I gave the chicks to a friend of mine. They went to an awesome home.
I thought I'd try eBay again. I bought 12 eggs for hatching. His flock and eggs looked nice. Ugh, 3 eggs are infertile and 2-3 eggs have blood rings(dead embryos). I'm unsure on 2. I might have 4 good eggs out of 12 if I'm lucky! This is clearly the sellers fault. I know I can hatch eggs well. I just had a fabulous hatch a week ago.
Next spring I'm starting over. I'm buying straight from the ABC club vs anywhere else. I do have 9 I hatched that were given to me for free. There are about 4 that will work out if female. I know 3 are female out of the keepers. I'm looking for 4-H show birds. I have pure bred Ameraucana's in mind. I'm going to spend a bit more on better eggs from the breeders list rather then wasting my money.
I'm really sorry this happened. I only have one maran that I bought at 4 weeks of age. I did pick at 2 weeks old, but I did pick a male. I was able to switch for my female at the farm store.
I will hatch marans in the future. I'll pick a dark colored egg.

. I love the breed. My hen is extremely sweet.

Oooh that would make me so mad!!

Good thing you found a home for them. I don't do ebay. I used to sell on ebay years ago but got pretty screwed on a transaction and it wasn't anything I did wrong at all, but I have given them enough money. No more. Not chicken related but still, it's the principal.

I love my Ameraucanas. They're sensitive but so sweet and pretty with their fluffy little beards. Good luck with your chicks. It's worth it to get good lines to start if you have any inkling that you might be breeding, imo. I'm not an expert in anything chicken related but it just makes sense. I love the Marans too. I'm bummed that Zephyrine is now Captain Zephyr. Maybe one day I'll try some Marans hatching eggs and see how it goes. Somehow it seems the universe just doesn't want me to have Marans.

 

[StarLover21]

I'm sorry about your maran turning into a roo Luckily I have a wheaten so I don't need to worry about that happening

Mine is 34 weeks/ 8.5 months old today!

She had a problem with mites when she was younger, so I think it may have stunted her growth. I hope she lays soon!
Here's a picture of her:

 

[Dahlisgrams]

I'm sorry about your maran turning into a roo Luckily I have a wheaten so I don't need to worry about that happening

Mine is 34 weeks/ 8.5 months old today!

She had a problem with mites when she was younger, so I think it may have stunted her growth. I hope she lays soon!
Here's a picture of her:

Thank you. I'm bummed but what can you do? I never heard back from the breeder.

Aww.. what a sweet face your girl has. She's pretty!

I hope she lays soon!

 

[Nicole01]

See, that breeder knew! Ugh! I'm so angry at those how purposely cheat others.

You could put an ad on CL and try to sell the roo's. Or you could eat them. If you can't process yourself, take the ones you want processed to a place near your home. I have no idea what the cost is.

I'm afraid your stuck with them.. It's not fair since they knew they were boys! I just hatched 9 pure Amercuana's 2 weeks ago for my very first hatch and I have 2 boys out of the 5. Their feathers are skinnier and they are acting different then the rest, but I spend a lot of time with mine and I know their personalities too.

I bought a cuckoo maran at 2 weeks, by 4 weeks he had a pink comb, barring feathers/ skinnier feathers, thick feet and a big attitude. I brought him back and swapped him out for a female.