Black Copper Marans discussion thread

[JediJinx]

Hello Marans folk, I am starting to fall for these beauties... . At first I did not even consider Marans, but ended up taking home a BCM pullet from a breeder nearby just for fun, and she is such a sweetie! Then, I ended up getting another BCM pullet at a swap. The first pullet I purchased has very dark eyes, but I think her breeding is probably better (her aunt was Best in Show in the county fair, and her father is very nice too) and her leg feathering is nice and even. The other pullet has a nicer Marans shape, beautiful face and orange eyes, but the leg feathering is weird - there is just one long feather on each outer toe, no even feathering on the whole leg. Other than this one thing, she looks very promising. I do not know her breeding (dang it!). So what should I look for in a cockerel? I would like to start a small flock of these even though I need more chickens like a hole in the head.

 

[SIMZ]

I have had favorable results with the hens with no copper and mahogany cock. Almost all offspring have some copper and some have a fair bit. I would try it and see, you just don't know the genetics that are there till you give it a try. Personally I would avoid a brother/sister mating but if I had no other choice or I was trying to rule out or solidify a trait, I might just try it. JMO

Took some birds to my first show last weekend and one of my two BCM pullets was Reserve Champion Continental!! Learned a ton, met some great people and had a blast.

Thank you & congratulations!

 

[One Chick Two]

While I like the look of leg feathering, it is a bit of an inconvenience especially for birds that free range. My birds' feathers get wet, muddy, broken, etc. I'm sure having wet feathers must make their feet cold. My Marans/RIR cross pullet only has lightly feathered legs, but the other day while she was foraging one of the pin feathers on her foot broke and she was bleeding all over. Since I'm mostly interested in egg color/production, not having feathered legs and feet isn't a deal breaker for me.

In the UK, they really like this cross, call it the Marans Cuivre.




Originally Posted by SIMZ

Hi everyone!

Could someone help me with a breeding question? I have two females and neither has much coppering. My new male is very dark - possibly mahogany. It seems unlikely that I will produce females with nice coppering from this match or do I just need to try and see?

I also have my new male's father, who is lighter with a halo. I thought about breeding him with with one of my hens, but that would then be a sister to my new male. The whole purpose of the new females is to breed back to my dark male, so a brother/sister mating is too close, correct?

Thanks!


Bro-sis is not desirable. Try this darker male pairing since your hens have some coppering- we have had good luck even with all black hens, and getting a beautiful copper hackle on nearly all of the females, with many nearly to the top of the head. (Hopefully next time.)



Originally Posted by Zanna

I have had favorable results with the hens with no copper and mahogany cock. Almost all offspring have some copper and some have a fair bit. I would try it and see, you just don't know the genetics that are there till you give it a try. Personally I would avoid a brother/sister mating but if I had no other choice or I was trying to rule out or solidify a trait, I might just try it. JMO

Took some birds to my first show last weekend and one of my two BCM pullets was Reserve Champion Continental!! Learned a ton, met some great people and had a blast.



Congratulations and excellent work Zanna!!! She's lovely.

 

[gapey]

Here's an updated pic of my two BCM girls (at least I hope they're girls). They are looking very different from each other. They're 4 weeks old today.

 

[ochochicas]

Gapey,
Your chicks are very cute and do look like they are both pullets. Other than having feathered legs, there is nothing about them that resembles a black copper marans in my opinion. Mary looks like a Jersey Giant (cross) and the other one appears to also be a cross, possibly a black sex link. Of course nothing is for sure until the chicks are fully feathered and have laid an egg. As they grow older I think you will notice they look less and less like Marans. Did you also get these chicks from Baxter Barn? I know their prices are pretty high. Maybe you can get a refund since you did not receive the product you paid for.

Regardless, your babies are adorable. I'm sure they and your EE (aka Araucana) babies will grow up to lay gorgeous eggs. Cherish them for who they are and enjoy the surprise eggs they are going to lay for you! (I will be enjoying my surprise eggs some time in January from my Marans x whatever there daddy was. LOL).

Your pictures are beautiful, by the way.

 

[gapey]

Gapey,
Your chicks are very cute and do look like they are both pullets. Other than having feathered legs, there is nothing about them that resembles a black copper marans in my opinion. Mary looks like a Jersey Giant (cross) and the other one appears to also be a cross, possibly a black sex link. Of course nothing is for sure until the chicks are fully feathered and have laid an egg. As they grow older I think you will notice they look less and less like Marans. Did you also get these chicks from Baxter Barn? I know their prices are pretty high. Maybe you can get a refund since you did not receive the product you paid for.

Regardless, your babies are adorable. I'm sure they and your EE (aka Araucana) babies will grow up to lay gorgeous eggs. Cherish them for who they are and enjoy the surprise eggs they are going to lay for you! (I will be enjoying my surprise eggs some time in January from my Marans x whatever there daddy was. LOL).

Your pictures are beautiful, by the way.

Hmm yes @ochochicas I got these from Baxter Barn and they were $12 a piece and they claimed "our Black Copper breeders originated from Bev Davis and Wade Jeane lines". I'll wait till they get a little older and maybe contact them. I hope they still lay some dark eggs for me.

 

[SIMZ]

In the UK, they really like this cross, call it the Marans Cuivre.




Originally Posted by SIMZ

Hi everyone!
It's
Could someone help me with a breeding question? I have two females and neither has much coppering. My new male is very dark - possibly mahogany. It seems unlikely that I will produce females with nice coppering from this match or do I just need to try and see?

I also have my new male's father, who is lighter with a halo. I thought about breeding him with with one of my hens, but that would then be a sister to my new male. The whole purpose of the new females is to breed back to my dark male, so a brother/sister mating is too close, correct?

Thanks!


Bro-sis is not desirable. Try this darker male pairing since your hens have some coppering- we have had good luck even with all black hens, and getting a beautiful copper hackle on nearly all of the females, with many nearly to the top of the head. (Hopefully next time.)

Thank you! It's kind of exciting to finally be able to move to the next step after several years of starting over each year. It makes me want to fire up the incubator now instead of waiting a few months! (I'm sure my husband would love chicks in his garage all winter, right?)

 

[tiedyemommy]

Bootsy, our oldest Marans (on the left), just started sqatting for us recently. I cannot wait to get some lovely, dark eggs from her soon.

 

[Wishapup]

Bootsy, our oldest Marans (on the left), just started sqatting for us recently. I cannot wait to get some lovely, dark eggs from her soon.

How old is she? She does look ready!

Mine are around 6 months and no eggs yet.

 

[tiedyemommy]

How old is she? She does look ready!

Mine are around 6 months and no eggs yet.

I don't know her exact age, but I'd say she's around 6 months old. In my experience, they mature at different rates. Her sister Barbarella, in the pic, was supposed to be the same age as Bootsy, but she is slightly smaller and her comb isn't as developed/red. My other hens all started laying between 6 and 7 months (varying breeds). Be patient...the eggs will come.

These two Marans are from the Bev Davis line...which I knew nothing about until I got these lovely ladies (this is my first flock...April will be my 1yr chicken-lady anniversary). Looking forward to rich, dark eggs to go along with the blue and white eggs we're already getting from our older ladies.