Who Has the Best Marans?

[gojira]

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

If you don't know, why mislead the poster? I know which birds are in each list. They don't overlap. The breeders may even tell you that you have to sacrifice one for the other.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

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

Huh, I didn't realize there were egg shows.

I'm not that committed as my anxiety holds me back from some things. But EVEN if the two didn't overlap, you could still look for the best in the categories and bring them together for breeding a nice line/strain.

 

[The Moonshiner]

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.

Which breeder was this?
Which way do you go with your birds?

I guess if all someone cares about is winning at shows then egg color wouldn't matter much. And if they only care about dark egg color then type really wouldn't matter.
You're right you always have to compromise somewhere but to not strive for the best birds with the best egg color Doesn't sound like it is doing much justice for the breed.

 

[gojira]

Huh, I didn't realize there were egg shows.

I'm not that committed as my anxiety holds me back from some things. But EVEN if the two didn't overlap, you could still look for the best in the categories and bring them together for breeding a nice line/strain.

What do you consider a nice line/strain? If you breed a top show line to a dark egg line, you end up with birds that are neither. Then it takes a lot of time and effort to move one way or another. The best solution is to choose which is more important, get that type, and select as hard as you can for the other, but you might not ever have the top at both characteristics

 

[gojira]

Which breeder was this?
Which way do you go with your birds?

I guess if all someone cares about is winning at shows then egg color wouldn't matter much. And if they only care about dark egg color then type really wouldn't matter.
You're right you always have to compromise somewhere but to not strive for the best birds with the best egg color Doesn't sound like it is doing much justice for the breed.

I don't name drop, and I am not sure he would like for me to put his name out there. To my knowledge, he is not on BYC anyway. Personally, I breed for conformation, but put pressure on egg color also.

The breeder I am talking about selects for egg color also, but he has made the comment I mentioned earlier. This is similar to what has happened in other breeds. Some select based on the standard, and some select on one particular characteristic, and the breed goes in 2 directions.

 

[The Moonshiner]

If you're not willing to name drop you really shouldn't ask others to.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

What do you consider a nice line/strain? If you breed a top show line to a dark egg line, you end up with birds that are neither. Then it takes a lot of time and effort to move one way or another. The best solution is to choose which is more important, get that type, and select as hard as you can for the other, but you might not ever have the top at both characteristics

I'm just starting with the best stock I can and breeding towards the SOP. Which includes eggs that are at least a 4 on the scale. Doesn't matter how many shows someone one, not all offspring will be show quality. I personally don't care about shows. I do care about the SOP.

If I never reach an 8 or 9 for my eggs, whatever... they are still pretty fantastic and impressive to those who have never seen a dark egg.

I will cull for ANY reason! I keep the best of the best and eat or sell the rest. If you scroll back to my first post after the question was asked if it was possible to get quality and good egg color, I described my version of a good strain/line. Or rather it follows...

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!

No compromise in either direction... just always choosing to improve on what I have and not willing to sacrifice. Won't take my birds in an opposite direction. And DON'T consider them less than acceptable. Yes, I cull hard! And ALWAYS open to insight.

 

[gojira]

I'm just starting with the best stock I can and breeding towards the SOP. Which includes eggs that are at least a 4 on the scale. Doesn't matter how many shows someone one, not all offspring will be show quality. I personally don't care about shows. I do care about the SOP.

If I never reach an 8 or 9 for my eggs, whatever... they are still pretty fantastic and impressive to those who have never seen a dark egg.

I will cull for ANY reason! I keep the best of the best and eat or sell the rest. If you scroll back to my first post after the question was asked if it was possible to get quality and good egg color, I described my version of a good strain/line. Or rather it follows...


No compromise in either direction... just always choosing to improve on what I have and not willing to sacrifice. Won't take my birds in an opposite direction. And DON'T consider them less than acceptable. Yes, I cull hard! And ALWAYS open to insight.

So basically you are breeding for middle of the road conformation, and breeding for egg color? I guess you may not feel younger compromising with that mindset, but you seem to be compromising conformation for egg color, but you don't seem that strict on egg color either. What do you consider culling hard? Keep 1%? Less?

 

[gojira]

If you're not willing to name drop you really shouldn't ask others to.

Who have I asked to name drop? I usually don't need to ask, people tend to brag about people they talk to, or read about. I did ask the poster who made the statement, more to see if I knew who they were.

 

[The Moonshiner]

Who have I asked to name drop? I usually don't need to ask, people tend to brag about people they talk to, or read about. I did ask the poster who made the statement, more to see if I knew who they were.

Yes
Asking that poster was what I was referring to. I asked you for the same reason. Well maybe more of if I've heard of them instead of actually knowing them.
I believe you also asked 3riverschick for names of breeders also.
I don't show marans or instead to but I have some and have bought from breeders at shows just to be disappointed with egg color. I had no idea show breeders were giving up on egg color for conformation. No wonder everyone gets bummed with egg color.