CSU - Chicken State University- Large Fowl SOP

[draye]

Not yet, hopefully soon I have also been waiting for my favorite subject.

Don't know much but want to learn.

Same here.

 

[Laingcroft]

I believe Houdans were covered already but since this final chapter is all Continental Class, I'll add my two pullets (hatched 3/27/13) here for comments.

I entered these two pullets at the VPBA show in November hoping to get input from the judge but ended up not feeling well and sleeping in the car through the judges review. Except for the show picture, the photos below were taken in September when they were 5.5 months old.

The first pullet has the better color in feathers (less white and cleaner mottling) Toes are correct, spacing good and shanks white with pretty black mottles. Her body lacks depth and breadth but hoping she will mature better. Her tail gives me fits - sometimes it looks good, other times droopy, too close/compact.. Her weight is around 3.5-4 lbs. I'd also like to see a better crest. She placed BB/BV over my second pullet and a third entry not mine.



In show cage.



At home.



With her hatchmate, pullet number two.

The second pullet has a better tail and great beard but a lot more white and less clean mottling Her feet are good too. She took reserve BV/BB.




I really want to preserve this breed, but it is difficult. My first Houdan was a "packing peanut" in hatchery order of Easter Egg Layers four years ago. He was so sweet and had so much personality that when I found out Mr. Urch had a few available this year, I ordered some with my Langshan order. These two were the survivors....but now I have no male. I'm going to order 25 from Mr. Urch this time but would love to find anyone seriously working on getting this breed back to what it used to be.

 

[Laingcroft]

Here are two FBCM cockerels for discussion. It's been awhile, but I think they were 6 months old when the photos were taken. I ultimately culled both and ended up getting rid of all the Marans.
The first cockerel I call the Red Boy. His color is pretty even though different between hackles and wing/saddle areas. Since I don't have the Marans SOP to hand, I can't recall if that is good or bad or which may be too light or too dark. His comb is nice and straight and wattles not too bad but his head is overall not proporationally balanced --- looks small. His breast is lacks depth and fullness and has a significant amount of "mossing". His width is more even than the second cockerel though his tail is too high and not full enough. He was also low in the pecking order -- hens would chase him from the feeder.





The second cockerel came from the same hatch and was just a mish mash of colors. I called him Sunset Boy. There really isn't anything about him that I like. His hackles are uneven, patchy and poorly marked. Narrow head, small almost henlike comb, narrow through the back, same high tail set but had a nicer breast than the male above.





Sorry, I don't have any full body pictures.

 

[maryhysong]

A few of the birds I have this year; all Dec 2012 hatch

Pullet, legband red 59; needs more copper on her head & neck, black ear tuft, clean legged. A little on the small side. One of the better typed girls I ended up with, she has been retained for a test hatch.



Mr 50 was my favorite cockerel. Unfortunately he got some kind of severe respiratory illness and I put him down before I was able to breed from him. He was the heaviest of the cockerels from 3 breeders, fully feathered legs, no white feathers, only a couple of copper spots on his chest.


A good example of an ugly bird. This one has since been culled. Couldn't get the shot I wanted tho, this pullet would look like a V when she stood up straight. All front end and no butt.


Pullet, legband green 97 here she was in full molt; she's finished now and looks a lot nicer with her shiney new feathers. Funky comb eye is little darker, black ear tuft, fully feathered legs, a little too much fluff (which is a nice black now, now brownish like this pic looks) on the small side. She has also been retained for a test hatch.



I will have to try and get some current pics of the trio I bought from desertmarcy. They beat anything else I have seen in this state, hands down.

 

[desertmarcy]

Here is my Black Copper Marans cockerel that won Reserve Continental at the Tucson show this past November:


His one fault is the back end of his comb tilts to the left, not perfectly straight. I have seen more "funky" combs with the Marans than any other breed. Some of the combs are absolutely huge, some are just plain ugly and distorted-looking.

 

[desertmarcy]

A few of the birds I have this year; all Dec 2012 hatch

Pullet, legband red 59; needs more copper on her head & neck, black ear tuft, clean legged. A little on the small side. One of the better typed girls I ended up with, she has been retained for a test hatch.



I would like to see more of a slope to her back. Her back, at least in this photo, looks very level. It should slope slightly to the rear. I would not worry about the black ear tuft, there are so many other issues more important to work on with this breed IMO. I do not even see the ear tuft color mentioned in the SOP.

 

[desertmarcy]

Here are photos of disqualifying comb sprigs seen all too often in the Marans. These were 2 month old cockerels, sprigs already showing up. Usually takes longer to see them in the pullets.

 

[championsumatra]

Quote: Hey wow I was showing at that show too with my sumatras. I remember looking at this maran.

 

[maryhysong]

Hey wow I was showing at that show too with my sumatras. I remember looking at that maran.

are you coming over for Safford next week?

 

[Zanna]

1. My original foundation hen, nice chunky girl, ok comb, slightly pinched tail, bit of a cushion, heavily feathered legs, correct colour eyes (pumkin) and nice green sheen. Still have her and will breed her again this season.


2. Original Cock, correct slope to back, slightly overmelanized (ear tufts are too dark), decently feathered legs. Came in with white tailfeathers at 2 years old and was culled.

3. Daughter of above two. Chunky girl, basically the type of Mom.



4. Son of top two. Quite liked this cockeral but came in with white feathers at less than a year old so was culled and never bred.



5. Cockeral purchased Fall of 2012. Slight feathering on middle toe.


6. Cock also purchased at same time, Father of Cockeral above. Mahogany colour. Recently lost due to inhalation of a pea 3 years old.

7. One of this years pulllets from cockeral above (#5)) and daughter above (#3).. Making progress on back angle of females, getting rid of cushion, getting copper on head/necks, preserving the nice chunky type and getting more open tails.


8. Cockeral from same pairing, bit of a halo, good slope to back, pleasing comb, tail a little too high, too much purple sheen in tail, will most likely be culled. He is on reserve as I lost Grandpa..............