Black Copper Marans discussion thread

[Ihilani Coffee]

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.....

Is it just me, or is this "new" male sketch considerably less depth through the body? It looks less "Marans-ish" to me somehow.

 

[FVRM]

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

in this photo i only see one hen, shes in the back in all black.

 

[DMRippy]

 
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? 

In my birds it has worked that way some. Not always but enough that I don't throw the baby out with the bath water.

 

[lonnyandrinda]

In my birds it has worked that way some. Not always but enough that I don't throw the baby out with the bath water.

Good to know, thanks.

 

[DoubleMM]

 

[GaryDean26]

Is it just me, or is this "new" male sketch considerably less depth through the body? It looks less "Marans-ish" to me somehow.

The depth of the body and the weight of the bird has a high correlation. As long as your have a well rounded breast, downward sloping back that is as long as the neck is wide, and keel that follows the line of the back, then the body depth will be about where it needs to be if you weights are where they need to be.

Note: Deeper keels take longer to fill in than more shallow keels. Dual purpose birds with early harvest dates (14-16 weeks???) should be breed for a more shallow keel than breeds that are harvested later (10 month Capons???).

 

[SIMZ]

Would anyone be willing to give me some advice please?

My current male it not exactly what I had in mind, but he's quiet and not mean. That is of utmost importance to me in our small flock. In my current bunch of chicks I have "the tank" (posted a few days ago) that is the offspring of my current male and my nicest female. I am only able to keep one male - possibly two at most. If this cockerel continues to show promise, it would make sense to replace my current male with him as long he shows improvement, correct? Then I would breed him back to his mother (dark layer), and that would help improve the color that was probably lost, correct?

Am I on the right track? I also have unrelated cockerels to chose from, but then I'd be starting over AGAIN. Of course, it's WAY too early to tell how these guys will grow out, but I'm just thinking ahead.

Thanks everyone!

 

[DMRippy]

Would anyone be willing to give me some advice please?

My current male it not exactly what I had in mind, but he's quiet and not mean. That is of utmost importance to me in our small flock. In my current bunch of chicks I have "the tank" (posted a few days ago) that is the offspring of my current male and my nicest female. I am only able to keep one male - possibly two at most. If this cockerel continues to show promise, it would make sense to replace my current male with him as long he shows improvement, correct? Then I would breed him back to his mother (dark layer), and that would help improve the color that was probably lost, correct?

Am I on the right track? I also have unrelated cockerels to chose from, but then I'd be starting over AGAIN. Of course, it's WAY too early to tell how these guys will grow out, but I'm just thinking ahead.

Thanks everyone!

If you cockerel is an improvement then I would do as you propose. That will help get your dark eggs back quicker than any other method.

 

[Ihilani Coffee]

The depth of the body and the weight of the bird has a high correlation. As long as your have a well rounded breast, downward sloping back that is as long as the neck is wide, and keel that follows the line of the back, then the body depth will be about where it needs to be if you weights are where they need to be.

Note: Deeper keels take longer to fill in than more shallow keels. Dual purpose birds with early harvest dates (14-16 weeks???) should be breed for a more shallow keel than breeds that are harvested later (10 month Capons???).

Not sure what you mean here by "back that is as long as the neck is wide?" Chicken necks (minus feathers) are not wide at all...did you mean "as the neck is long?" Please clarify.

I was just noting the visual difference to me in the two sketches and wondered if this is a change in the breed standard.

 

[Sweetpea3829]

If you cockerel is an improvement then I would do as you propose. That will help get your dark eggs back quicker than any other method.

So it is ok, then, to breed an offspring back with its parent? How about direct siblings?