Black Copper Marans discussion thread

[Broad St Farm]

Hi All! Would love some opinions on this young pullet of this years breeding, she is not laying yet. She looks very different from her full siblings........ Short back, very poofy tail with short tailfeathers for her age (compared to my others), not much copper on the neck, heavily feathered legs, no middle toe feathers but some fluff on the webbing. One of the pics. shows her with a 1/2 sibling who is younger but obviously way different type. Her feathers are amazing, wide and tight. No brown tinge even though the pics. look like she does. Pumkin coloured eyes (look too dark in pics.) She is a broad, chunky, compact load. I just don't know what to think about her, she really appeals to me but I don't know if her type makes her worth test mating back to Dad...............

Zanna,
First how old is she? She is a toughy to judge. Does she have any copper coming in at all? Looks like in the photo she has a bit coming in but I cant tell for sure. I would give her some time on the tail. I had some Birchen males that took forever to grow a tail. I have been told that if it takes them time to get tail feathers they come in nicer. It doesnt look like shes rumpless. And maybe with her tail coming in its pushing her cushion up a bit. That is throwing of her topline for me. The bottom-line is nice to me as well as her wing carriage. Her big beefiness makes her head seem a bit small, but Im looking at a photo. And the darkness of her face and lack of color seem to me as she is over melonized and very dark. I would like to see some pics of her in the future. This is a very hard bird for me to comment on as I see good points and less than ideal points. But she is beautiful, and she may develop into a better package in the future. She really has some heft to pass on if she catches up. Thanks for sharing. And these are my opinions. Wynette and others my have better thoughts.

 

[Zanna]

Zanna,
First how old is she? She is a toughy to judge. Does she have any copper coming in at all? Looks like in the photo she has a bit coming in but I cant tell for sure. I would give her some time on the tail. I had some Birchen males that took forever to grow a tail. I have been told that if it takes them time to get tail feathers they come in nicer. It doesnt look like shes rumpless. And maybe with her tail coming in its pushing her cushion up a bit. That is throwing of her topline for me. The bottom-line is nice to me as well as her wing carriage. Her big beefiness makes her head seem a bit small, but Im looking at a photo. And the darkness of her face and lack of color seem to me as she is over melonized and very dark. I would like to see some pics of her in the future. This is a very hard bird for me to comment on as I see good points and less than ideal points. But she is beautiful, and she may develop into a better package in the future. She really has some heft to pass on if she catches up. Thanks for sharing. And these are my opinions. Wynette and others my have better thoughts.

Thanks for your thoughts. She is 5 mos. old I think, without checking the toe punch. She does have some copper coming in but not like her sisters. Her Mom has none so she is an improvement in that area. Almost all of my youngsters look quite dark in the face until right before they start to lay, then they redden right up and look as they should. She is not rumpless, just has lots of short, wide tailfeathers. Pics are hard, always! She will stay in my layer flock even if she is not breedworthy so I will post some pics of her when she starts to lay.

 

[pigeonguy]

I would like to chime in and ask at hatch what color should the legs and feet be I see a lot of picks on here that the chicks have pinkish legs and feet is this normal before growing a while and then they turn slate.

 

[Broad St Farm]

Thanks for your thoughts.  She is 5 mos. old I think, without checking the toe punch.  She does have some copper coming in but not like her sisters.  Her Mom has none so she is an improvement in that area.  Almost all of my youngsters look quite dark in the face until right before they start to lay, then they redden right up and look as they should.  She is not rumpless, just has lots of short, wide tailfeathers.  Pics are hard, always!  She will stay in my layer flock even if she is not breedworthy so I will post some pics of her when she starts to lay.

Please share another photo in a couple of months. My hunch is she will eventually get some ail feathers so I would like to see her later. And if the color is improving that lack of copper shouldn't be a deal breaker. Looking forward to updates!

 

[Broad St Farm]

I would like to chime in and ask at hatch what color should the legs and feet be I see a lot of picks on here that the chicks have pinkish  legs and feet is this normal before growing a while and then they turn slate.

Yes, they will be pink to yellowish pink. After about a 2 weeks to a month they will start to turn slate. Just before you cull any birds for leg color alone, please ask for opinions on here.

 

[pigeonguy]

Yes, they will be pink to yellowish pink. After about a 2 weeks to a month they will start to turn slate. Just before you cull any birds for leg color alone, please ask for opinions on here.

Glad to hear that I thought I had something wrong because all the chicks I am hatching have pink to yellow legs and feet. Other than that they look fine and healthy. The parent look good also. Egg color leaves something to be desired I would rate them 4 or 5 I am only keeping the darkest to hatch. I would post pics but have no way to do that.

 

[pigeonguy]

Oh and thank you

 

[Broad St Farm]

Glad to hear that I thought I had something wrong because all the chicks I am hatching have pink to yellow legs and feet. Other than that they look fine and healthy. The parent look good also. Egg color leaves something to be desired I would rate them 4 or 5 I am only keeping the darkest to hatch. I would post pics but have no way to do that.

Just make sure you dont neglect the type and conformation of the birds to go a long with the egg color. You want to try to do your best to have a nice well rounded bird. Its just not for showing, they say its for the overall health of the bird as well.

 

[Runawaylobster]

Hi All! Would love some opinions on this young pullet of this years breeding, she is not laying yet. She looks very different from her full siblings........ Short back, very poofy tail with short tailfeathers for her age (compared to my others), not much copper on the neck, heavily feathered legs, no middle toe feathers but some fluff on the webbing. One of the pics. shows her with a 1/2 sibling who is younger but obviously way different type. Her feathers are amazing, wide and tight. No brown tinge even though the pics. look like she does. Pumkin coloured eyes (look too dark in pics.) She is a broad, chunky, compact load. I just don't know what to think about her, she really appeals to me but I don't know if her type makes her worth test mating back to Dad...............

I do not know how the slow feathering gene works, but i thought it was only going to show up in males. I had a male wheaten whom i kept because he was handsome but he had taken a very long time to feather out (i had a batch of several with this problem originally). I just hatched 5 eggs from him and all of them are taking forever to get tail feathers they are now over a month old and their BCM counterparts have fine tails but these wheatens don't (4 girls and one boy, all the same.) so maybe it's just a slow feathering gene that your pullet has. Actually I really like her.. hope her copper shows up for you ...

 

[Wynette]

Hmm...she's interesting for sure. She looks Orpington-ish to me. Is there any possibility that Orp blood has gotten into the mix? Her topline is opposite of what it should be (at least from this pic. Pics are always difficult to evaluate). She's low in station, or standing funny. Alos is too loosley feathered. As you say, the tail is too short as well. However, that could come later. I cull for no (or very little) copper in the hackle, but if it is a female that's a very good prospect otherwise, she goes with a male that's got a bit of color in his breast, in hopes the offspring will have more. For me, the topline is a deal breaker. I think you've got other females that would serve you better...but, if she were mine, I'd definitely keep her and see how she ends up.

(ETA - this female does not have a cushion.)