Blue Copper and Splash Copper Marans Discussion

[desertmarcy]

Marcy, regarding the #91 male going the way of Squirrel tail. Run your hand down the length of his back and see if it gets more narrow at the base of the tail. They should be kinda wide the full length of the Back.

Yes, he is wide all the way to the hip bones, very slightly narrowing after that but not much.

 

[desertmarcy]

Marcy, # 83 appears to have white under color and the white tail Coverts. #13 has the same faults.

#91 could be used with female with very little Copper if need be but like you say he is unbalanced and I would refrain from breeding him. Does he have white under color and the white tail coverts.

Talking about not using a Pure BC male in this breeding. I like to use a male that is made up of some kind of Blue blood somewhere. A BC from the Blue matings would be acceptable.

OK Don, here is another option I have to breed to some select blue copper females. This black #9 came from a black to blue mating. He was hatched 3/23. He has no white undercolor, no white in tail or wings. He has good size, could use a bit more rounded breast I think, but tail angle looks good so far, good foot feathers (although also middle toe feathers, but I'm no so worried about that at this point). I don't much like the light hackle feather color but can live with that considering most everything else looks good. Eyes could be a bit darker bay, they look sort of yellow to me. Has a nice comb, long back. Also he has a calm disposition and wasn't pacing all over the place while I was trying to photograph like so many others do. The feathers at the base of his tail look a little roughed up because he had a big blob of poop on him (another bird on the roost must have hit him while he was underneath) and I washed it off right before taking photos and his feathers weren't dry yet. He would have the same sire as most of my Blue Copper pullets from this year, but I've got some older hens sired from the grandfather I could use maybe. Let me know what you think of him. Thanks for your help!

 

[snowbird]

Marcy, Even with the Hackle color he is by far the best male you have posted. This is a time when you just have to go with the best you have available. I would use a female that is on the lighter Blue side.

The size of the Flame on the Blue Copper works the same as it does on the BC.

 

[desertmarcy]

Marcy, Even with the Hackle color he is by far the best male you have posted. This is a time when you just have to go with the best you have available. I would use a female that is on the lighter Blue side.

The size of the Flame on the Blue Copper works the same as it does on the BC.

So do you think all those Blue Copper cockerels I posted should go in the freezer? I am doing a butcher run tomorrow, trying to figure out which all to include. If all the blues go, then it's one more season of breeding black to blue. Am I ever going to get to breed blue to blue

 

[snowbird]

Marcy, those three Blue Copper have a lot going on that you do not need.

 

[desertmarcy]

Marcy, those three Blue Copper have a lot going on that you do not need.

Well I know which BCM male NOT to use over my blues! I think next matings I will make several different pairings. This spring I only had 3 BCM males to choose from, and one of those got sick so he didn't sire many, and the third one I didn't use over my blues. This is the sire of all those, on Champion Row at the Tucson show last November. He won Reserve Continental. Just goes to show, just 'cause they look good doesn't mean they make great offspring, at least not with my Blues. Now over my Blacks, I've got some nice ones coming up.

 

[firerunner]

Gandolph my Blue Copper Maran Rooster He is 6 months old...

My female Hens, two BCMs (just starting laying) and then two salmon faverolle and a Lavender amercauna

 

[Ihilani Coffee]

Gandolph my Blue Copper Maran Rooster He is 6 months old...

My female Hens, two BCMs (just starting laying) and then two salmon faverolle and a Lavender amercauna

I see edging on those Marans' feathers. Are you sure they are not very dark blue?

 

[firerunner]

Not sure what you mean by edging on the marans. I am going to get some better pictures this morning (I hope!)

I dont do this to breed them or show them, they are all my babies LOL but I do buy them from a breeder, he shows his birds.

Can you explain more about the edging please

 

[desertmarcy]

Not sure what you mean by edging on the marans. I am going to get some better pictures this morning (I hope!)

I dont do this to breed them or show them, they are all my babies LOL but I do buy them from a breeder, he shows his birds.

Can you explain more about the edging please

Edging is when there is a narrow border or lacing of contrasting color around the feather web. In the photo, the feathers appear very dark blue with a darker blue or black edge around them. If they were Black Copper, the feathers would be solid black and you would not see that outline.