Black Copper Marans discussion thread

[curious chickee]

One of my chicks

 

[OneMountainAcres]

@Snowbird, I finally managed to get out there and get some pictures. They're not great shots but they would NOT stand still lol.

 

[snowbird]

Tom, If you do order eggs make sure there are only BC Marans in the pen they come out of. Lot of egg sellers have Black, Blue and splash in the same pen. If you are breeding for BC Marans you will not want this. I can PM you if you need to know more.

 

[Spinning Carrie]

One of my 22 week old

FBCM pullets has started laying! Here is her first egg next to two Orp eggs for comparison.

 

[Old Man Tom]

Great day at the farm. Large egg weighs 97 grams

 

[3riverschick]

Hi,
yes it could explain what you're seeing. early in the history of the breed in the United States around the turn of the century Wheaten Marans were crossed with black copper Marans. I believe it was done for biodiversity . the breed is still trying to solve the problem of Wheaton's cropping up from black copper matings.
I think this is a breeder who doesn't know what's in her gene pool and doesn't realize she's got impure Birds.
I had the same problem when I tried and failed to secure pure golden salmon Marans. people would tell me they had a nice flock. They knew what they were doing . they would send me these eggs and chicks . I'd look at them and say No ,no ,no, no. I once spent $150 for 12 supposedly pure inbred golden salmon chicks and every single one of them was a disaster. I gave them all away . so I get it.
Check the online poultry show statistics . see who's winning repeatedly in big shows with good competition.
then check the egg show online statistics. see who's winning repeatedly at the egg shows with quality eggs. cross reference the two lists and come up with a short list of breeders who are doing both. that's a good way to ferret out a breeder who knows what they're doing
Karen

 

[Tiegrsi]

Can anyone tell me if eye color changes from chicks to adulthood? From olive/greenish to the proper orange. I have some 6 week old BCM chicks with green eyes. They were purchased from a breeder not hatchery. I can't remember if my adult BCM looked like this at their age.

They will change when the birds are a little older. In my experience, nice, clear olive eyes will turn a lovely orange. If they have dark spots (flecks) or are a muddy color, the final shade will not be the proper color. If they are very dark, brown or black, the bird should not be used for breeding.

 

[Tiegrsi]

Just an example, but here is my boy Nobandy over time. Sorry I don't have more pictures to track the change each month.

I should add, he was hatched 8/2016, and his eye color had changed completely by about 8-9 months old.

 

[Red Banks]

Oh, yes. I meant mossy. Sorry.

Mossiness is a chick/bird being overcolored. For me this color in the wings has always disappeared but..... I DO have a lot of color on my cockerels chest. It is a thin line between too much color, the right color (no straw colored halo) and the wrong color, black ear tufts on roosters, too mahogany. The French site and the MCOA have some very good information concerning the SOP. Try not to just look at what is wrong with your birds. Take note of what you like, what is right, find ways to correct the faults by breeding to a bird that is stronger/more correct in the problem area. I have a good friend/mentor on BYC, he is well known world wide. He says, "Cull all your chooks, you will never have any chooks in your yard." For instance, no leg feathering is a quick fix, one generation. On the International BCM thread we will "describe" birds by the SOP. It is a great exercise and a good way to learn what you want to see and what is correct in your birds. The good, the bad and the ugly. I don't like to throw the baby out with the bath water. These cockerels are 18 weeks. You can still see the eye changing on the cockerel on the left side.

 

[Red Banks]

This is the eye color I'm taking about. They hatched early March.

View attachment 1364546 View attachment 1364551

The eye color is good