It's a fine line between too dark and too light. The cream gene has a little variability. Use a rooster that is a bit lighter to compensate for your darker cream girls.
I did have it crop up a few times in my original group as well. Be sure to cull heavily for it once you start being able to. I realize that when first starting, you have to use what is available. Judge your positive traits against your negative ones, and you will be able to start tipping the...
I usually lock the poults up either in a brooder or a reliable broody before letting them join the flock. Broodies get minimum 2 weeks, brooder poults get 2 months, usually.
No, definitely not pairs. They pretty much go where they want. Theres about 20ish hens and 5 toms, to build a pen they would be happy with costs a lot.
We can be difficult to find, everyone wants the black coppers! I can’t tell you how many times I've had to clarify that I've no copper, only silver, marans. Half of the respondents assume black copper is the only color aside from cuckoo!
The barred males have a big white spot on their heads, the females will be solid colored. In chickens, the barred genetics are on the male allele, but not on the shortened female allele, so the female legbars will only have one barring gene. They can only pass this on to their sons, and not...
The biggest benefit to where I live is that mostly only low income and folks who don't care live near me. There are no covenants, no HOA, the neighborhood is mostly already developed except for the ag lots that I lease or the family owns. The interstate blocks 3 sides, so no fancy folks will...
Turkey showmanship varies depending on the region and if anyone actually knows anything about turkey showmanship, to be honest. Most judges really only know about the broad breasted turkeys, and only if they are meat or carcass judging. In an APA show, it is all up to judge's preference anyways...
yellow legs can be a bummer to breed out. I was a long time working it out, but I am pretty sure I got it licked now. Between side sprigs and yellow legs, I know that before I had mine, there were events... I do know that the scuttlebut on side sprigs in older American lines of Marans is that in...