Wrath's Marans

[wrathsfarm]

oooh that sounds fantastic!!

How do you operate your bachelor pen? Right now ours is empty but we do have one.

How do you put in boys? Are there any age differences? If there are, what age gap works out alright? Do they pick on the new ones badly? I've only ever put in 2 at the same time together.

For the most part it's worked out pretty well. I've had 8 at the most last year together. I had 2 incidents so far.

Last year in the group of 8 I had the most dominant that was a complete asshat to the others. Not aggressive to me but just relentless bullying to the others. He went first to my butcher and calm was restored.

This year just recently W/G got into it with Poppy who is the oldest and dominant. Takeover of power and it got nonstop and bloody. So I had to cage W/G at night until I just sold him. I could've let them go and decide themselves but Poppy stays and the other was going anyways so why let them fight it out?

I've added some younger ones to the existing with no issues.

 

[Pumperkinz]

For the most part it's worked out pretty well. I've had 8 at the most last year together. I had 2 incidents so far.

Last year in the group of 8 I had the most dominant that was a complete asshat to the others. Not aggressive to me but just relentless bullying to the others. He went first to my butcher and calm was restored.

This year just recently W/G got into it with Poppy who is the oldest and dominant. Takeover of power and it got nonstop and bloody. So I had to cage W/G at night until I just sold him. I could've let them go and decide themselves but Poppy stays and the other was going anyways so why let them fight it out?

I've added some younger ones to the existing with no issues.

Yeah I've heard a basket out in the run or a cage helps with integrations or big scuffles. All the teenager hormones keeping them crazy lol. We don't really eat our animals, but if we have some mean roos I don't really want to introduce bad personalities back into the lines as I've had issues before where a mean rooster tends to lead angrier hens/roos later down the road too.

My OG wheatens (7 year old Wheaten Marans) still is going strong, but my dad says he's never met a meaner line of birds. He doesn't mind cause they are on an open ranch and need a dominant bird. But I just don't have time to be batting a rooster away at my legs either lol.

 

[Pumperkinz]

For your ones w/ headspots @wrathsfarm do you keep track of them? Or is that just a nice to have and you want to know as that typically means a possible "better" then usual bird?

I had three with dots and one blue w/ the dot as well. Just wondering if I should keep them marked so I know.

 

[wrathsfarm]

Yeah I've heard a basket out in the run or a cage helps with integrations or big scuffles. All the teenager hormones keeping them crazy lol.

I haven't done this yet, I just threw them in and watched. It was kinda comical actually. The bigger boys seemed to think in my eyes anyways that the newbies were pullets. Hanging with them, wing dancing and tidbitting them. A couple days of that and it was over.

We don't really eat our animals, but if we have some mean roos I don't really want to introduce bad personalities back into the lines as I've had issues before where a mean rooster tends to lead angrier hens/roos later down the road too.

My OG wheatens (7 year old Wheaten Marans) still is going strong, but my dad says he's never met a meaner line of birds. He doesn't mind cause they are on an open ranch and need a dominant bird. But I just don't have time to be batting a rooster away at my legs either lol.

Yes...I don't breed aggression but other than that cockerel last year being aggressive to the others I've been pretty fortunate with no flogging thanks to King and Kong. I keep everyone with the older roos until after 12 weeks where Kong can't control them all especially out free ranging, but he's real good at 'no mating in his presence' so he seems to teach them manners.

 

[wrathsfarm]

For your ones w/ headspots @wrathsfarm do you keep track of them? Or is that just a nice to have and you want to know as that typically means a possible "better" then usual bird?

I had three with dots and one blue w/ the dot as well. Just wondering if I should keep them marked so I know.

I do, yes. Mainly just for my own curiosity. I've only got the one BCM at the moment but she's banded blue from the incubator hatch. I've got 2 Blue Silvers also with head spots now also I'm watching. I do need to band them.

 

[wrathsfarm]

@Pumperkinz @BlueTheBrahma I got curious and found another. This is one of Rebels 7.
I haven't banded all these yellow yet so I got this one banded. This actually tells me Rebel is pure.

 

[Pumperkinz]

Imma have to go down the rabbit hole on the copper spot on chicks to see if there is any kinda of genetic link to something on it.
Unless someone else has already done that lol.

 

[wrathsfarm]

Here's the 2 Blue Silvers. I banded them blue/orange and blue/green.

 

[wrathsfarm]

Imma have to go down the rabbit hole on the copper spot on chicks to see if there is any kinda of genetic link to something on it.
Unless someone else has already done that lol.

Already did. It a sign of purity.
And then I questioned why the copper head on the Blue Silvers.
The answer was if I got this right, is that the head spot isn't related to the color genetics...it's a purity in the strain. I'm still confused on this but that's nothing new for me. There's a lot I don't know still.
@BlueTheBrahma I'm sure could explain it in more detail.

 

[Pumperkinz]

Already did. It a sign of purity.
And then I questioned why the copper head on the Blue Silvers.
The answer was if I got this right, is that the head spot isn't related to the color genetics...it's a purity in the strain. I'm still confused on this but that's nothing new for me. There's a lot I don't know still.
@BlueTheBrahma I'm sure could explain it in more detail.

Usually color expression should have some links back to something or another. IE spotting in some can be a sign of "impurity" but that is because it shows a color gene for white birds and obviously you don't want a splash to show up in your pure white birds etc.

Love to know more about it though and thanks!