Marans genetics

[bappl]

Could I have information on Marans genetics? I can't find info on what happens if you cross different Marans varieties. Are they still purebred?

 

[Wappoke]

Could I have information on Marans genetics? I can't find info on what happens if you cross different Marans varieties. Are they still purebred?

Any time you cross two different purebred varieties, the offspring will be hybrids. The term purebred refers to the variety being pure for the genes that make the variety. There are exceptions but in general a purebred will have specific genes that make it the variety.

Why would you want to cross varieties? If all you want is a dark egg layer, then cross the best with the best and see what happens.

As long as a bird conforms to the standard of a variety, then the bird is a marans. Genetics plays a part in the characteristics but two birds can conform to a standard but be genetically different.

What varieties are you wanting to cross?

 

[Egghead_Jr]

If both varieties look and act like the breed then the result would be the breed but of a non standard variety until cleaned up over generations of selective breeding. "Pure Bred" can be a misnomer sometimes. A bird could have lineage of only one breed and variety but be so poorly bred it no longer looks like that breed so how "pure" is it? But then a person could take two different breeds and with effort and may generations of selective breeding conform the flock to all the standards of an entirely different breed. If it looks like and acts like a breed and breeds true it's as "pure" as any other bird. The breed is form, shape, size and egg color of bird. Variety is the color of the breed.

Enquiring minds want to know. Why the variety cross? I know why I'd do it but it's likely not your reasoning. It is done for some varieties as it's the only way a person can leap forward in bringing a long neglected variety back to some form of SOP (standard of perfection). It's done to some frequency between silver pencil and partridge. I believe this is one of the reasons Silver Penciled's autosomal red problem is so persitent. And a few just like to play with color and can create a new variety though it wouldn't be recognized by APA. Look at Blue Laced Red Wyandotte for example, an unrecognized variety that's relatively new on the scene.

 

[Akrnaf2]

If both varieties look and act like the breed then the result would be the breed but of a non standard variety until cleaned up over generations of selective breeding. "Pure Bred" can be a misnomer sometimes. A bird could have lineage of only one breed and variety but be so poorly bred it no longer looks like that breed so how "pure" is it? But then a person could take two different breeds and with effort and may generations of selective breeding conform the flock to all the standards of an entirely different breed. If it looks like and acts like a breed and breeds true it's as "pure" as any other bird. The breed is form, shape, size and egg color of bird. Variety is the color of the breed. 

Enquiring minds want to know. Why the variety cross? I know why I'd do it but it's likely not your reasoning. It is done for some varieties as it's  the only way a person can leap forward in bringing a long neglected variety back to some form of SOP (standard of perfection). It's done to some frequency between silver pencil and partridge. I believe this is one of the reasons Silver Penciled's autosomal red problem is so persitent. And a few just like to play with color and can create a new variety though it wouldn't be recognized by APA. Look at Blue Laced Red Wyandotte for example, an unrecognized variety that's relatively new on the scene. 

See this link

http://www.marans.eu/genetiqa.htm

 

[3riverschick]

Could I have information on Marans genetics? I can't find info on what happens if you cross different Marans varieties. Are they still purebred?

Hi,
Go to the Marans of America Club webpage. Lots of info there on genetics.
That said yes, you can cross varieties. Yes they will still be purebred Marans. Yes, they will be impure for color.
You know what Marans needs now is folk to pick a color and champion it. Make that color the best it can be. If you want to start out in a color buy line bred birds from someone who is winning with that color at the shows or is known in the Marans community for quality color and breed type.
There is a lot of willy-nilly color breeding going on in Marans right now which is hurting the breed. Birds are bred of impure color which isn't showing visually. They are being sold as pure colors because either the breeder doesn't know any better or the buyer is unlearnt.
If you want to be an asset to the Marans breed, pick a color or colors, breed them separately and be their champions. Get quality breed type for your foundation and perfect the color afterward. We don't need more ugly Marans.
Best Success,
Karen
former Director of Archives
Marans of America Club

 

[bappl]

I'm pretty new to raising chickens. I'm in my second year. I wanted to breed for olive Eggers so I bought two Marans: a cuckoo and a blue copper Marans. The Cuckoo turned out to be a pullet and the other was a cockerel. My birds free range. I knew the two would breed. I was curious about what the offspring would be considered. Once I'm done with my olive Egger program, I'll champion for blue copper Marans and take your advice. Alternatively, with separate housing, I could do that now. Thank you for the advice everyone.

 

[3riverschick]

I'm pretty new to raising chickens. I'm in my second year. I wanted to breed for olive Eggers so I bought two Marans: a cuckoo and a blue copper Marans. The Cuckoo turned out to be a pullet and the other was a cockerel. My birds free range. I knew the two would breed. I was curious about what the offspring would be considered. Once I'm done with my olive Egger program, I'll champion for blue copper Marans and take your advice. Alternatively, with separate housing, I could do that now. Thank you for the advice everyone.

Hi,
Cuckoo and blue copper Marans cross? Whew! That's a rainbow clutch. smile. I think you could get black Marans, And the blue could taint everything...giving you blue cuckoo Marans and blue copper Marans. Maybe even a solid blue Marans. Tho I think it much more likely that the barring for the cuckoo would sneak in and taint the solid blue, giving you a blue cuckoo Marans. I would also suspect that some of the melanizers for the black copper which were being held in abeyance by the blue gene, would leak out in the cross giving birds whose color seemed "burned black" at the ends of the feather.
Best,
Karen

 

[TheKindaFarmGal]

Quote:

Hi,
Cuckoo and blue copper Marans cross? Whew! That's a rainbow clutch. smile. I think you could get black Marans, And the blue could taint everything...giving you blue cuckoo Marans and blue copper Marans. Maybe even a solid blue Marans. Tho I think it much more likely that the barring for the cuckoo would sneak in and taint the solid blue, giving you a blue cuckoo Marans. I would also suspect that some of the melanizers for the black copper which were being held in abeyance by the blue gene, would leak out in the cross giving birds whose color seemed "burned black" at the ends of the feather.
Best,
Karen

They would also be black sex links. Pretty cross.

 

[nicalandia]

I would also suspect that some of the melanizers for the black copper which were being held in abeyance by the blue gene, would leak out in the cross giving birds whose color seemed "burned black" at the ends of the feather.
Best,
Karen

 

[EricNewsome]

Quote:


They would also be black sex links. Pretty cross.

What if the black copper maran is the rooster and the hen is the golden cuckoo.