alet_chicken Posted September 10, 2009 Share Posted September 10, 2009 Hi We bought two new copper black Marans, Gloria and Gladys, on Saturday. On Monday they had their first free range, and the first thing Gloria did was to fly up and land on top of the Cube run (with my other nine girls inside). What a first impression! We clipped both their left wings last night, well and good, in fact we cut off more than we did with our leghorns and legbars when we first got them, hoping that this would solve the problem. (We have a six foot fence all round, but almost all our neighbours have dogs, who are definitely interested in chickens.) However, tonight they were free-ranging while I watched them through the kitchen window, and, low and behold, she did it again!! Can anybody give me advice on what to do now? Is there any point in clipping her right wing too? Any other suggestions would be very welcome. Alet xxx PS. I secretly hope she would do it just one more time, though, as I still don't have a picture of it! The first time she did it, I was too amazed to think about the camera, and the second time, by the time I found it, she'd already jumped off again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CluckyBucks Posted September 10, 2009 Share Posted September 10, 2009 Hello there I think that it is best just to clip one wing because it unbalances the chicken when it tries to fly Good luck xx xx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chook n Boo Mum Posted September 10, 2009 Share Posted September 10, 2009 I read somewhere that marans were inclined towards laziness...obviously not yours !! Sha x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Minnie&Moose Posted September 10, 2009 Share Posted September 10, 2009 Hi - we've recently got a Speckeldy from Alison at Hook Farm. I was suprised when Alison clipped both of Mabel's wings but she said that with this particular hybrid (based on a Maran I believe) only clipping one wing wouldn't be adequate because they were so strong she'd still be able to launch herself over our netting. So far Mabel hasn't managed to take off, though she's not given up trying just yet . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TAJ Posted September 11, 2009 Share Posted September 11, 2009 How old is she? As she grows she should get heavier and a fully grown Maran should not be able to fly that high. I would certainly only clip one wing (as you have) both will not make her uneven, which is why you do it. Tracy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alet_chicken Posted September 11, 2009 Author Share Posted September 11, 2009 TAJ: She is 5 months old, and she is not laying yet. I did detect a hint of a crouch earlier this morning towards one of my other chickens, but it may just have been swift evasive action! (My three new girls (the two marans and a light Sussex) are currently in the process of being introduced to my existing flock, and it seems they will be joining at the bottom.) Wild Mum: That's what I thought too! And to be fair to the books, the three new girls did spend most of yesterday afternoon snoozing in one end of their run while the existing girls were helping themselves to the new girl's food (exactly the same as their own ) at the other end. If this continues, then I don't think we'll have a flying problem for very long. Hmm, maybe there is something in the air in my back garden that makes chickens behave unusually. We've already had broody leghorns (three times!!) this year, we have a legbar that's tamer than some of my ex-batts, and now an athletic maran... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valkyrie Posted September 12, 2009 Share Posted September 12, 2009 Ooh Minnie&Moose - you could have popped in for a coffee - we're just up the road from Alison. Our maran is also up to tricks - in fact she is the naughtiest of them. This morning she flew up the garden after me - unfortunately she doesn't know how to steer and very nearly crashed into the greenhouse! Someone will be clipped later on. She is also the one who runs around like a mad thing, always on the prowl - moths can try to get away, but she's gobbled them quick as a flash - even if they made 3 ft into the air - she just jumps. The Sussex is getting very round and fluffy - I thought the Maran would be more round first, but noooo. Typical! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Minnie&Moose Posted September 12, 2009 Share Posted September 12, 2009 Hi Koojie - coffee would have been lovely! Next time perhaps . Your maran sounds very funny. Our two newbies (Mavis and Mabel) had their first free-range with the big girls today - Myrtle (a large and stately girl normally) had a go at chasing the columbine Mavis - boy, can Mavis move! The sight of a large lumbering after the little 'road runner' was quite something . Fortunately none of the pecking or chasing was very serious - the old ones were too busy trying out the new ones' . One of them left her calling card in the newbies' nest box - wonder what she meant by that . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJuff Posted September 12, 2009 Share Posted September 12, 2009 Blimey when i had marans they were so heavy they couldn't fly even a few cms! Have you a circus chook? I expect flying from leghorns but not marans!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valkyrie Posted September 12, 2009 Share Posted September 12, 2009 Not only that - you get an owner flying round the garden trying to get the little demon in at night. In the end it was a chase round and round the cube and run. Don't know about yours, but our girl makes a funny quacking sound - we think she's part duck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alet_chicken Posted September 13, 2009 Author Share Posted September 13, 2009 Funny, our marans are the quietest girls I've ever had. All the way in the car back from Thirsk to York, and back at home, it really took a number of hours before we had a peep out of the three (the marans and the Sussex). The Sussex has since become more vocal, by the sound of her chattering I reckon she has parrot in her genes! Any case, I don't reckon the flying will be a problem for very long at all. They've been allowed out with the other girls for a couple of days now, and all the three new girls seem to do is sit and preen all day on the same spot (unless one of the older girls comes along and feels compelled to pull rank and "tell" them to move along.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valkyrie Posted September 13, 2009 Share Posted September 13, 2009 Our Buff Sussex keeps asking for an Indian takeaway - poppadompoppadompoppadom! Tipsy on the other hand has been eyeing the fence to our neighbours. She won't get back in one piece if she makes a break - the dog is vicious. I think our Sioux is probably the quietest of the bunch, Apache is so whiney. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alet_chicken Posted September 15, 2009 Author Share Posted September 15, 2009 Ha! Don't tell me chickens don't learn from each other! After 8 months of not being interested in flying at all, our leghorn Ethel jumped on top of the Cube this morning. I was in the back garden letting them out, and rushed upstairs just in time to take this photo: The new girls are in the eglu on the right, waiting to be let out. As you can see from the state of our lawn, it is well used by chickens and greyhounds alike! On a very sad note, we lost our darling Audrey last night. She was one of our original group of four ex-batts, and though she never grew a full coat of feathers, she was always the life of the party, until the last. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woffle Posted September 15, 2009 Share Posted September 15, 2009 When we got our Maran the first night she flew over the 5ft high fencing at bedtime and roosted in a tree! We clipped her wing as far back as we dared and made sure that all the fences were raised - she got out a couple more times from memory but preferred to be about the other chickens rather than running around and roosting independently. She's coming on a year old and far too heavy to do that now - no inclination to jump / fly at all. That said, our neighbours had a flock of 12 marans that used to roost in a small tree rather than in their coop but I think they may have been bantams... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alet_chicken Posted September 15, 2009 Author Share Posted September 15, 2009 Well, I think I need to beef up my feeding-up-the-Marans programme. They seem very happy to gobble up any treats, which suits me fine! Not sure what can be done about the leghorns though. Lead legweights, anyone? I should also add that the leghorn in the picture above has had her left wing clipped, obviously to no avail as she turns out to be a very confident flyer! Here is a another picture from my kitchen window: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valkyrie Posted September 15, 2009 Share Posted September 15, 2009 Love the photos - I see the wine glasses strategically placed ready to fill whilst chilling out watching the birdies! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodcat Posted September 15, 2009 Share Posted September 15, 2009 hey I've had a few who could fly a little too well for comfert. The most noted of which flew over my head and she launched herself from the ground. I'd also add that i'm not short at 5.8 and that was with her wing clipped. My only suggestion is fatten them up it's the only thing that worked with that girl. If they are showing signs of liking height might i suggest that you consider moving the compost bin with it being right next to the fence it's one small step from the cube to that Good luck Beth Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alet_chicken Posted September 16, 2009 Author Share Posted September 16, 2009 Woodcat: Thanks, good point about the compost bins! Koojie: We've been caught out Actually I've taken to having breakfast and lunch outside with them (I work at home most days), and it's always a struggle to leave them and come back in! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Falkor Posted September 16, 2009 Share Posted September 16, 2009 I LOVE your chiken on the windowsill - is it beaded? I have a flying cream leg bar, she can levitate from the ground to the top of the cube run no problems. I am hoping that she will calm down when she starts to lay but if not I will be googling "little concrete shoes" Good suggestion re the compost bin....I had to move mine - TWICE! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodcat Posted September 16, 2009 Share Posted September 16, 2009 hey lol the only reason i noticed is that i have had to go round my garden with a fine tooth comb the new dorking likes height my garden now looks like it's about to be painted cause everythings been dragged to the middle till i find new spots or higher fences Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Falkor Posted September 16, 2009 Share Posted September 16, 2009 hey lol the only reason i noticed is that i have had to go round my garden with a fine tooth comb the new dorking likes height my garden now looks like it's about to be painted cause everythings been dragged to the middle till i find new spots or higher fences Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alet_chicken Posted September 16, 2009 Author Share Posted September 16, 2009 I LOVE your chiken on the windowsill - is it beaded? Yes, we bought it in South Africa on holiday last year! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
