Black Copper Marans discussion thread

[GaryDean26]

i've been meaning to ask what one means exactly when they say "look & breed for Type" ?
Is this meant as a reference to balance ? as balance is essential in all living things . The better the balance the better the specimen .
I would think Balance is the first thing a Judge and breeder would look for (being the bird the correct breed , variety & class) .
Thanks

Others can correct me if I am wrong, but the APA standards are broken into two sections. First the breed "TYPE" which includes the shape of the bird (downward sloping back with no curves or saddle, prominent breast, short tail at 45 deg. etc), the head (Single comb with 5 points, not cresting, beard, or muff, color and shape of ear lobes, etc.) the weight of the bird, the feather type, etc. The Second section has a color description for each variety.

If you have good "type" then anyone familiar with APA breed standards can easily identify the breed regardless of what color it is. Below is an example of white varieties of 8 different breed. Each has a unique look.



It take a little while to learn what the descriptions in the APA standards actually mean. If you look up the standards for these 8 birds and read the way the back is described for each, the way the beast is described for, each the way the legs are described for each, "Type" starts to make a lot more sense.

"Type" is what makes or breaks the breed. If your birds don't have "The look" of the breed, then it doesn't really matter how good their color is. They aren't Marans unless they meet the Marans "Type".

 

[Sweetpea3829]

Others can correct me if I am wrong, but the APA standards are broken into two sections. First the breed "TYPE" which includes the shape of the bird (downward loping back with not curves or saddle, prominent breast, short tail at 45 deg. etc), the head (Single comb with 5 points, not cresting, beard, or muff, color and shape of ear lobes, etc.) the weight of the bird, the feather type, etc. The Second section has a color description for each variety.

If you have good "type" then anyone familiar with APA breed standards can easily identify the breed regardless of what color it is. Below is an example of white varieties of 8 different breed. Each has a unique look.



It take a little white to learn what the descriptions in the APA standards actually mean. If you look up the standards for these 8 birds and read the way the back is described for each, the way the beast is described for, each the way the legs are described for each, "Type" starts to make a lot more sense.

"Type" is what makes or breaks the breed. If your birds don't have "The look" of the breed, then it doesn't really matter how good their color is. They aren't Marans unless they meet the Marans "Type".

That was very helpful, thanks for sharing it.

 

[DMRippy]

I don't think I have ever heard anyone refer to a Marans as a BRICK. I heard that term for my Volvo and a RIR but not a Marans. To me a brick would just be flat backed and no tail really.... not at 45 degrees anyway. Wyandottes are circles marans are kinda in the middle not round, brick or heart shaped. Nice balance between the head and tail.

Those pics are not current. These are.....

 

[DMRippy]

I don't think I have ever heard anyone refer to a Marans as a BRICK. I heard that term for my Volvo and a RIR but not a Marans. To me a brick would just be flat backed and no tail really.... not at 45 degrees anyway. Wyandottes are circles marans are kinda in the middle not round, brick or heart shaped. Nice balance between the head and tail.

Those pics are not current. These are.....

It is GOOD these are Black and White that way color does not distract from the TYPE!

 

[baunlee]

baunlee in my program #2 would be gone (straw instead of copper hackle)

Can someone explain this further? Only bc I can't really see any straw color I'm assuming this would be like a blondeish color so not sure what the poster meant. Thank you

 

[lonnyandrinda]

Can someone explain this further? Only bc I can't really see any straw color I'm assuming this would be like a blondeish color so not sure what the poster meant. Thank you

Sorry, should have explained better. Or perhaps the lighting in your photo threw me off.

I took these photos from Marans club of australia website.

This boy had a good solid copper color to his hackle,


These guys here have a straw-color (to me) in their hackle.



The grading in the hackle (also called flame I think) where it starts copper, then fades to straw can also be an indicator of wheaten Marans blood in the background.

 

[DMRippy]

Quote: If you read on the Australian site they use those birds too in the breeding. I find mine throw pullets with more copper. So you can't just dismiss them as a cull, they may work just fine in your birds. I see this more in the blues than the blacks though.

 

[GaryDean26]

I don't think I have ever heard anyone refer to a Marans as a BRICK. I heard that term for my Volvo and a RIR but not a Marans. To me a brick would just be flat backed and no tail really.... not at 45 degrees anyway. Wyandottes are circles marans are kinda in the middle not round, brick or heart shaped. Nice balance between the head and tail.

Those pics are not current. These are.....

For those of you who don't know, these are the Black and White sketches that were approved by APA for the next addition on their standards book which will include the Black Copper, Wheaten, and White Marans. They were done by Diane Jacky. After trying to do these type of sketches myself I have great respect for the talent that Diane Jacky has for putting the descriptions from poultry standards into idealize sketches. She is obviously not looking at the current show winner or current breeding fads but is showing down to the letter what the SOP describes.

 

[SIMZ]

If you read on the Australian site they use those birds too in the breeding. I find mine throw pullets with more copper. So you can't just dismiss them as a cull, they may work just fine in your birds. I see this more in the blues than the blacks though.

To make sure I'm understanding correctly.....you find that using males with "halo" can help add color to pullets?

 

[araminta37]

can anyone tell if the front one is a rooster or hen


here are some of my roosters they are about 5 months some are crowing already