Wrath's Marans

[z3lda3]

I've been wanting to start my own photo dump and general chit chat thread about my journey with my Marans and mixed flock. So here it is...
I started getting serious about my breeding adventure within the last year or so and I've got a lot to learn yet, and I couldn't have gotten this far without the help of so many members here on BYC and I'm so thankful for all that I have learned so far...

There's no way I can do a storyline of this chaos so expect a mish mash of pics, some sarcasm and goofy comments and hopefully give and take some help along the way.

To start is my 2 main flocks at present, First is my mixed flock of 9 girls with their roo King (Black Copper Marans) and the other is the Black Copper Marans flock of 9 girls and their roo Kong, with a whole lot of chick pics to come.
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I apologize if you mentioned it in your omnibus, but what kind of hens are the speckled ones in Kings flock?

 

[wrathsfarm]

I apologize if you mentioned it in your omnibus, but what kind of hens are the speckled ones in Kings flock?

The 3 that are near King are Barred Rocks (BR), the lone white with black lacing is a Silver Laced Wyandotte (SLW), an Easter Egger (EE) next to her. There's 3 Black Australorps (BA) and an Isa Brown on the far right.

 

[wrathsfarm]

Well, unfortunately I have a chick killer. Angel started hatching Ravens eggs yesterday and killed the first one that hatched. I kept a close eye on her other eggs that were pipped but by lockup but they hadn't hatched, so I pulled them and put them under Jett who only had her 2 littles. Both have hatched overnight and doing great.

So now Jett has her 2 from Blacks eggs ( I leg banded) and now 2 from Ravens eggs.

I put a couple mixed eggs under Angel for the time being until I get her broke.

 

[wrathsfarm]

In the mixed coop, Roady our BA hatched 5 of her 7 that made it to hatch day yesterday. I believe 2 are hers and the other 3 are Midnight Majesty's altho I'm not seeing any head spots. The only other mix that could be a possibility is BCM x SLW but I was pretty consistent with marking eggs as they were layed. The one chick with a ton of white is leading my suspicions towards that mix.

On to the pics....

 

[wrathsfarm]

Just an afterthought, Roady's hatch was a just for fun hatch but really the most I'm excited about because this is the first broody hatch in the mix coop, she's so friendly and docile, and King has proven to be a super great Dad.
Curious to see how she does in the mom department being middle of the pecking order. She was bullied quite a bit early on by the SLW until the new 4 came along, but all thru her broodiness she never pecked me once. For anyone that don't have Black or Blue Australorps, I highly recommend them.

As discussed here in the past, I suggest leaving the Wyandottes in the store.....personally not a fan.

 

[z3lda3]

Just an afterthought, Roady's hatch was a just for fun hatch but really the most I'm excited about because this is the first broody hatch in the mix coop, she's so friendly and docile, and King has proven to be a super great Dad.
Curious to see how she does in the mom department being middle of the pecking order. She was bullied quite a bit early on by the SLW until the new 4 came along, but all thru her broodiness she never pecked me once. For anyone that don't have Black or Blue Australorps, I highly recommend them.

As discussed here in the past, I suggest leaving the Wyandottes in the store.....personally not a fan.

Yes!! I have a black australorp Jaqueline, and she is the absolute best girl. Super friendly, docile, mellow, just happy being a chicken. They are awesome chickens.

 

[z3lda3]

Well, unfortunately I have a chick killer. Angel started hatching Ravens eggs yesterday and killed the first one that hatched. I kept a close eye on her other eggs that were pipped but by lockup but they hadn't hatched, so I pulled them and put them under Jett who only had her 2 littles. Both have hatched overnight and doing great.

So now Jett has her 2 from Blacks eggs ( I leg banded) and now 2 from Ravens eggs.

I put a couple mixed eggs under Angel for the time being until I get her broke.

how to you stop chick killing? How common is it?

 

[z3lda3]

In the mixed coop, Roady our BA hatched 5 of her 7 that made it to hatch day yesterday. I believe 2 are hers and the other 3 are Midnight Majesty's altho I'm not seeing any head spots. The only other mix that could be a possibility is BCM x SLW but I was pretty consistent with marking eggs as they were layed. The one chick with a ton of white is leading my suspicions towards that mix.

On to the pics....View attachment 3910082View attachment 3910083View attachment 3910084View attachment 3910085View attachment 3910086View attachment 3910088View attachment 3910089View attachment 3910090View attachment 3910087

Awww I want to squeeze them! Such an adorable family!

 

[z3lda3]

Just an afterthought, Roady's hatch was a just for fun hatch but really the most I'm excited about because this is the first broody hatch in the mix coop, she's so friendly and docile, and King has proven to be a super great Dad.
Curious to see how she does in the mom department being middle of the pecking order. She was bullied quite a bit early on by the SLW until the new 4 came along, but all thru her broodiness she never pecked me once. For anyone that don't have Black or Blue Australorps, I highly recommend them.

As discussed here in the past, I suggest leaving the Wyandottes in the store.....personally not a fan.

King being a good dad, I had no doubts But how, what does he do (or not)? I don’t have a family flock yet, I need details. (I have to live vicariously through y’all).

 

[wrathsfarm]

how to you stop chick killing? How common is it?

Don't let them go broody...this is my first one. I can't be for positive she would have killed them all but wasn't taking that chance, I was watching her closely but by nightfall they hadn't hatched so I pulled them.

If I try letting her go broody again in the future which is a slim chance, I'll put mixed eggs under her.
A search last night brought up a few threads about it, so not super rare.
After I went to the house for the night I had an afterthought that I couldn't recall her doing any soft clucking that all my other broodys do as the chicks are hatching. They start chirping before hatch and mom will soft cluck back. It kind of sounds like a quieter rooster tidbit.