Blue Copper and Splash Copper Marans Discussion

[pinkchick]

Number 1 would be my preference, but if you had to, the mahogany can be worked with, just have to balance the breeding with the right hens to get the copper to show

Great thank you! Now, what is the balance?

 

[gilavina]

Great thank you! Now, what is the balance?

What I would do for the first generation is to cross him onto splash copper hens. You will get a nice medium blue, but also have never had a splash that showed copper have mahogany, so have always had luck crossing mahogany males to splash hens. You can then select the males with the best color in the following generation

 

[snowbird]

Oh, another question!!!!!! Silly me, I think I have to ask it in the Black Copper discussion thread, but going to risk it here since he is photo'd here. Is #2 useful over pullets (blue or black) that do not show any signs of copper?

Kim, A few year ago when I was raising 100s of BC and growing them out I was using Mahogany colored males almost exclusively. You will get less of the Blended Hackle fowl by using the Mahogany colored males. The Mahogany color is a Gold Mine with breeding the BC. Don

 

[pinkchick]

Kim, A few year ago when I was raising 100s of BC and growing them out I was using Mahogany colored males almost exclusively. You will get less of the Blended Hackle fowl by using the Mahogany colored males. The Mahogany color is a Gold Mine with breeding the BC. Don

That ROCKS!!!!!!! I am going to keep the Mahogany male in with all my BC pullets and hens and breed some more BC's. Male #1 is going to be put over my only Blue Copper hen. Hoping to get something nice out of all of them. Thanks again Don!

 

[pinkchick]

What I would do for the first generation is to cross him onto splash copper hens. You will get a nice medium blue, but also have never had a splash that showed copper have mahogany, so have always had luck crossing mahogany males to splash hens. You can then select the males with the best color in the following generation

Thank you Vicki! Now if I only had a splash hen, LOL! Soon though, very soon! I am going to spend the rest of the summer and fall hatching everything they give me (egg color permitting of course). If I get even just a few Blue Copper males I will be in heaven!
Now, I have had many splash males that expressed copper and one was distinctly mahogany. They were beautiful boys, should have kept them at the time, but who knew that the future held a cougar in it, they would have been killed anyway.
I had only 1 splash female that ever showed one tiny speck of copper on her, she was also in the flocks that were wiped out. Live and learn, huh?

 

[gilavina]

Here's some crap photos of the color coming in on the oldest chicks, its incredibly hard to take photos of birds while you are holding them and hoping they stay still.

I tried taking photos of them on the ground but they kept running around and couldn't get anything other than blurs. They have about doubled in size since just about 2 weeks ago, the growth spurt is hitting hard.
Black Copper Cockerel

Blue Copper Cockerel 1

Blue Copper Cockerel 2

Blue Copper Pullet 1

Blue Copper Pullet 2

 

[gilavina]

What a difference a couple of weeks makes. He's growing like a weed.

 

[gilavina]

What do you think about how this cockerel is comin along Don?

 

[pinkchick]

What a difference a couple of weeks makes. He's growing like a weed.

Vicki~ This young cockerel is looking great!!!! I can sure see the difference you are talking about in just 2 weeks time. What a spurt! I really like his station, and his tail set. Matter of fact, I can't see anything I don't like about him.

 

[gilavina]

Vicki~
This young cockerel is looking great!!!! I can sure see the difference you are talking about in just 2 weeks time. What a spurt!
I really like his station, and his tail set. Matter of fact, I can't see anything I don't like about him.

The bonus is that he's a complete sweetheart.