Oh yeah! Bev is GREAT. I went to her directly when my son also showed interest in the genetics. She gave me a gazillion informative websites, and even gave me the name of a boy about kev's age that he might work with. All this while she was being pulled in a ALL different directions.
Unfortunately, there are the people who are trying to get her eggs to hatch more thinking they are going to make money on their eggs later.
I'm confused why you would be defending her? I think that everyone hear agrees that she is SUPER great at what she does and such a mentor to all. She is definitely succeeding with what she set out to do...bring the breed back to the finest existance (as it was before the war invaded France).
Cottage- I know a lot less about Wade Jeane, but my Marans eggs and the 3 sick marans youngsters, I just got (remember, the birds are from eggbid.com, not the eggs) are all from the Wade Jeane line. I don't want to compare wj to bd as I didn't get mine DIRECTLY from the breeders. The eggs are second generation and can't get anymore info from seller of the birds.
However, my sick marans are getting better and more beautiful every day as they become more healthy :) I cannot wait until the copper starts popping out. They will be just gorgeous!
I'm still on Bev's list and I hope to follow in her footsteps, even if just a little bit! I will see how these second generation eggs from Jeane's line compare to Davis' line after I get more involved in the breeding directly.
But, then there are the cuckoo and Wheatens and, splash, and .... ugh...they are ALL just SUCH beautiful birds!!!
~music
Marans hatching eggs arrived this morning!
Hey, Cottage,
How do you candle those dark eggs? I am dying to candle my Marans and can't see a thing! Might have to go buy an expensive LED light?
If so, what does everyone recommend?
Thanks!!
~music
It seems like a lot of people are impatient with the waiting list and think you have to know someone to get the eggs, or that a breeder doesn't like to sell eggs. While that may be true in some instances, it is not true with Bev as far as I know and that certainly wasn't my experience. The rumor mill just bugs me.
As far as Marans being a fad, they have been more than a "one season wonder" so far. Because it is hard to keep the egg color going and we are always striving to improve it, I think they will be popular for quite awhile. People struggle with the balance of egg production and egg color, not realizing the less eggs, the darker the color because they have a longer time to paint each egg.
Oh...don't get me wrong...I totally agree. I just wanted to know who's talking smack about Bev! :)
Of course, I am not expert...can only write my experiences. And Bev is a genuine GEM of a lady.
I do agree that it is not a FAD for the people that are serious about the breed. But I do know for a fact that there are the people out there looking to make a quick buck off this breed online, esp if they can name-drop.
~music
Trust me, $220 and only 2 adult wheatens later, I understand people wanting to make a buck. I have vowed not to buy from any of the ovabid or eggbid or ebay people because of it. I have been ripped off enough, and I didn't even pay those truly rediculous prices for the eggs! There are plenty of crooks out there. Sending infertile eggs, dirty eggs, etc. I have seen it all.
There was a gal on another board that bought eggs off ebay that are seriously lighter than my cochins. They are not even a 2. And they were the size of bantam eggs. She paid $38 + Shipping for 6 eggs! She emailed me and said you have to see these eggs. When I saw the picture I couldn't stop laughing. Then I went out to ebay and saw all the jolly comments from buyers for this seller. Unbelievable.
There is no shame in not having dark laying chickens. There is shame in advertising your chickens as dark layers when they can't even produce a 2, let alone a 4. If you don't know the breed, you shouldn't be breeding it.
I was unsettled by realising that the picture someone was using to advertise their Araucanas (not) was actually a picture taken from a UK website.
That saying...so far I haven't been ripped off by anyone on eBay. All the eggs came through safely and seem to be as advertised. One sent largely infertile eggs (yes, I know the difference between infertile and non-developing eggs--I just suspect these were actually infertile. Only one developed beyond candling clear, while all the other eggs from different sources developed and hatched well in the same incubation--and the breeder admitted she closed down her birds for the season right after I got the eggs).
holy crap. That is kinda where I was headed to with the Seramas. I got very lucky and found a local breeder...LITERALLY 20 mins from my house! The Serama eggs do not ship well. The larger eggs ship much better as long as they are packed correctly.
Right...if you have a 2 egg on the color scale, they make great omelettes! I will be selling my lighter ones at our local fruit/veggie stand or to anyone that wants to start from scratch.
Alright now Kris! post the pics of the funny eggs!! I gotta see this.
Thanks,
~music
Catscan, that is the first point DH brought up when I bought my first batch of Serama eggs of showbidbird.com. He said that could be a heckuva racket for someone that had a bunch of chickens. Selling infertile and blaming on the shipping (for those who don't know the difference).
Unfortunately, there are people out there. Eventually it will come back to bite them, but someone always gets hurt on the way.
I love the dude on eggbid that advertises his blue marans as "from stock that is 8s and 9s on the marans egg scale". Ahhh, yeah...we don't have 9s in the U.S., at least none that I have ever seen. I haven't even seen an 8, but I know a few people that "accidentally" will get a true 8....If anyone were getting a 9, they would be hatching the sucker, not selling it. So good luck with that, dude. Of course, he's also the one that told me that they were 10s last year. Seeing as the scale only goes up to 9, I am wondering if he is painting them with a black magic marker? Ha!
I will see if I still have the photo. Seriously, I am still chuckling when I think about it.
yeah! That's what I'm taling about. With technology nowadays, he really could have colored them himself!
What's sad is unkowing people (newbies to the breed, etc) will fall for it.
I REALLY need to see that picture, now!
Sorry I've been gone.
My hubby had a heart attack and open heart surgery.
Quite a scare for our family but he's recovering nicely
and will be back to normal soon.
I too didn't see any comments above that put Bev down??
As always when buying from online auctions caveat emptor.
(let the buyer beware)
On a happy note...so far I have 10 Marans eggs pipping tonight!
Will post pics soon.
P.S. Music,
I tried to candle the eggs with an LED flashlight
but I couldn't see anything except one clear egg
at 10 days. The rest just looked solid black.
I could see the air cells in some of the eggs.
I just closed the lid and hoped for the best. ;o)
Speaking of picture theft...some jerk on ebay was using a pictures of my Ameraucana eggs!
I told him to remove them and then I reported him to ebay but I never got anything from ebay but a automated reply.
So get this...in his new auction he said somebody had complained that his auction was "too much like theirs" so he had to re-list it.
I promptly emailed him back that excuse meee... you stoled MY copyrighted photos.
Oh Cottage, I can't wait to see your babiez! 10 pips.. that's awesome!
Picture theft is a sore subject with me... I hope you get some results.. I know which seller your talking about.. I emailed him to ask if he had permission to use that pic! LOL (Just wanna help)
My one and only Birchen was first to hatch just minutes ago.
Looks like mostly wheatens are pipping
with just 2-3 black or blue coppers pipping.
YIPPEE!!! Can't wait to see pictures!!!!
Go Go Go!!!!
I wanna see pics too.. I bet they are darling!
4 hatched out so far, 7 working on it and
I'm not sure about the remainders.
I'm just thrilled I'm getting so many!
Will post pics when they're all out and fluffed up.
Waiting in the wings with bait-breath...
I ended up with 12!
75% hatch rate! Not bad for shipped eggs.
I have mostly wheatens, 1 blue, 1 birchen and a couple black or blue coppers.
You can breed birchens to the black (or blue) coppers.
As I suspected and just found out, black coppers are brown reds.
Not sure why some people call them coppers.
I guess you could compare it to how some people call self blues,
lavenders, so I will be able to utilize the one birchen.
I told Bev to send whatever so thats why the mixed group.
I had to work today...will post pics later.
Have to run to the feed mill right now and get some chick starter.
Hee-heeeee!
This message was edited Nov 15, 2008 5:47 PM
Heres a pic of the babies...
Congratulations! They are darling!