Who Has the Best Marans?

[EggSighted4Life]

Thanks for those links. I printed the list off to study. Way too many abbreviations to remember. Newbies get lost. I sure have.

Learning how to use my bookmarks on my computer has helped me immensely!

 

[LilJoe]

I read from a Marans breeder that you can't have dark eggs and good quality birds all 'smooshed' into one. This true?

 

[EggSighted4Life]

I read from a Marans breeder that you can't have dark eggs and good quality birds all 'smooshed' into one. This true?

No, I don't think that's true.

Depends on what your version of "good quality" is, and well I guess dark eggs too.

It is true it is said that many have thrown out form in favor of egg color. For me, egg color is a factor. But I also strive to reach the other standards. And they need to be hardy, no split wing or comb sprigs. Correct feather color/pattern. Correct shank and eye color. Good body size. Good shape (something I am still learning how to have an eye for). And good attitude. Consistent layers without extreme broodiness but still good mothers who recover quickly from molt. Who are vibrant, confident, full of energy, predator aware, avid foragers! I currently get 4 & 5 easily and will continue to strive for the best all around.

Guess if your talking 8-9 maybe.

I am content knowing my birds are pretty awesome and lay a good color for their breed and I get to keep learning genetic crud to fill my brain with in order to work on improving what I already have, instead of focusing on drama and other unproductive things in life.

I even get to share good quality birds with some people!

 

[The Moonshiner]

I read from a Marans breeder that you can't have dark eggs and good quality birds all 'smooshed' into one. This true?

Of course its not true.
Why couldn't you?
Marans are known for their dark eggs and yes to some breeders that's all that matters. Getting the darkest eggs possible so they will sacrice type for egg color.
I would think it would be rare for a breeder to breed for type and not care about egg color though.
If a breeder is breeding to show they are usually very serious about their birds so they would breed for quality birds and good egg color.
Sounds like the breeder you're talking about isn't breeding for standard bred birds so they're throwing out bs to justify their poorly bred birds with decent egg color.

 

[gojira]

I read from a Marans breeder that you can't have dark eggs and good quality birds all 'smooshed' into one. This true?

Which breeder said this? I have talked to someone that does very well showing Black Copper Marans. He mentioned his birds that laid the darkest eggs were not the birds that did well in shows. There was more, but that was the gist of it. You can try to work on both, but you are going to have to compromise.

 

[3riverschick]

Little Joe ,
go online for the show results for the big poultry shows .make a list of who is winning in Marans, especially if they're winning repeatedly at several shows .
now go online and look at the results for the Marans egg shows. make a list of who is winning ,especially if they're winning repeatedly .
compare the two lists . look for the same strain , and the same names. make yourself a short list of breeders who are winning in both venues. Even if the Breeders have different names, double check the strains they're using . see if several of them are using the same strain or family of Marans to win.
It may take a week or two to track down all the people in the strains and see how they interact. it may take a month . However, this early research will save you a lot of time and money and wasted effort when you finally do get your birds and begin to breed them.
Start your search for birds and knowledge with that list.
Best ,
Karen

 

[gojira]

Little Joe ,
go online for the show results for the big poultry shows .make a list of who is winning in Marans, especially if they're winning repeatedly at several shows .
now go online and look at the results for the Marans egg shows. make a list of who is winning ,especially if they're winning repeatedly .
compare the two lists . look for the same strain , and the same names. make yourself a short list of breeders who are winning in both venues. Even if the Breeders have different names, double check the strains they're using . see if several of them are using the same strain or family of Marans to win.
It may take a week or two to track down all the people in the strains and see how they interact. it may take a month . However, this early research will save you a lot of time and money and wasted effort when you finally do get your birds and begin to breed them.
Start your search for birds and knowledge with that list.
Best ,
Karen

The poster already has birds. Tracking down tgat information would take more than a week or two, and would involve lots of calls or emails, if one could find contact information to begin with. Many of the better breeders are not online. Show results do not tell you about which strain the person has. Same with the results of egg contests. I can say that the two lists do not overlap.

 

[3riverschick]

Hi Gojira,
Yes they do overlap. This is a tried and true method I use for finding Foundation stock or stock for some type of crossing.
It usually takes me several months to years. A simple search can be done in a week or so. Exhaustive research takes longer. This is an excellent method to use in out-cross or strain-cross research.
However, I love this research.
Best,
Karen

 

[gojira]

Hi Gojira,
Yes they do overlap. This is a tried and true method I use for finding Foundation stock or stock for some type of crossing.
It usually takes me several months to years. A simple search can be done in a week or so. Exhaustive research takes longer. This is an excellent method to use in out-cross or strain-cross research.
However, I love this research.
Best,
Karen

Ok, who is winning with Black Copper Marans that is also winning in egg shows? I have Black Copper Marans, go to shows, and talk to Black Copper Marans breeders. Maybe the show reports I am seeing are wrong. Maybe the breeders that are winning according to what I find online and at shows i attend are not being honest.

 

[3riverschick]

I don't know, but you can check it out with the method I described. I am not in Marans any more. My breed is Sussex.
Best,
Karen
Former Director of Archives
Marans of American Club