International Black Copper Marans Thread - Breeding to the SOP

[Bantambird]

I already had a snow storm, starting with freezing rain, last week. Luckily it has already melted, but not before plunging to 4degrees F, so whatever apples were left on the tree are turkey food now.

 

[wrathsfarm]

I already had a snow storm, starting with freezing rain, last week. Luckily it has already melted, but not before plunging to 4degrees F, so whatever apples were left on the tree are turkey food now.

I retract my complaining about our weather. I'm good.

 

[marchick]

I retract my complaining about our weather. I'm good.

I have you covered! I will complain enough for the both of us! Lol I do not like winter at all! We have not had 4 degrees yet but we have been in the teens already. I do not like cold, snow, ice, or being stuck in the house for months. I do not like breaking ice everyday to give them fresh water. I do not like frostbite on their combs. Did I do a good job for the both of us? Lol On a good note at least we haven't had snow yet. I still need to clean out a couple of the houses before the ground is completely frozen.

 

[chickengr]

The Marans are all molting bad and the temps have plummeted over the last few nights into below freezing temps here in Mi. Everyone went in earlier than usual last night after it started snowing. Just got a dusting but they were not happy about it.
Put up a couple wind breaks for them a few days ago, so that's helped now that the corn is harvested across the street, which is North.
Feel bad for them in this wind/cold/rain so I do the best I can for them. As we all do.

I've been trying to get pics of the 3 pullets but man, they are skiddish still. They don't like my phone. I'll keep trying tho.

can you post a pic of your wind breaks? I need to protect my coops for winter.

 

[bigsurfwaves]

The temperature has dropped here in Indiana as well. The drinker froze over on Monday night. I installed a submersible bucket heater yesterday and that seems to have solved that. I’ll probably set up some sort of wind block this week. The wind was really strong yesterday and that will only get worse once the corn is harvested in the fields that surround my property.

The marans are now 18 weeks old and seem surprisingly well adjusted to living with my other chickens. I believe the marans cockerels are fighting some while I’m not around but I haven’t witnessed it I just notice this there combs look a bit scabbed up like they were bleeding. Nothing serious though.

The pullets look good to me but still have very small combs and wattles so I don’t think I’ll see any eggs from them until spring. I’m hoping the lay earlier but with the short days I just don’t think they will.

Where in Indiana are you? I'm from there originally. I really enjoy being in North GA... Mine may lay in Jan or Feb with the warmer days. I have never used light but I put the clear roofing on my coops and windows facing the sunrise. Aren't Marans good about winter laying or no? My Speckled Sussex do pretty well.

 

[bigsurfwaves]

it is splash or splash copper . let grown more so we can tell .but 100% it is splash
chooks man

Thank you. This white one is way different than my blue splashes. Those were light gray. The others in the bin looked like blue splash. I couldn't resist adding more marans but I wanted something different. Honestly, y'all had me really motivated to find some black coppers, but this is good. Cool beans! There is definitely some gold/copper on this little bird but not much yet. If it ends up looking anything like your splash coppers @Chooksman I will be so happy! Those are the prettiest birds!

But seriously- what is a blue silver marans? There is someone in PA with those advertised. Lots of white on them.

 

[NanaK]

But seriously- what is a blue silver marans?

I wonder if this is Blue Birchen?

I think @Bantambird has some. Maybe she can post a photo.

 

[NanaK]

I think all my spring babies are laying now. There are six of them and some eggs look so much alike. I know at least 2 pullets eggs are speckled.
Loving the color! Pretty good for a hybrid I think.

 

[Tstraub]

Where in Indiana are you? I'm from there originally. I really enjoy being in North GA... Mine may lay in Jan or Feb with the warmer days. I have never used light but I put the clear roofing on my coops and windows facing the sunrise. Aren't Marans good about winter laying or no? My Speckled Sussex do pretty well.

I’m about 20 miles south of Fort Wayne just outside of Bluffton Indiana. I honestly don’t know how Marans lay in winter, I’m still very new to all of this. I do know that my olive Eggers have slowed down production drastically in the past few weeks, but the Wyandottes are still going strong. I assumed that since the olive Eggers are 1/2 cuckoo Marans that it was the Marans genetics causing the slow down. I could certainly be wrong. The more I try to google anything the more contradictory opinions I find.

 

[Chooks man]

I wonder if this is Blue Birchen?

I think @Bantambird has some. Maybe she can post a photo.

peoples use all sort of terminology .confusing
chooks man