🐣🐥Black Copper Marans and Whiting True Blues. Lots of videos🎥

[TexasBlues]

…but it looks like the 3 or 4 black copper marans that hatched are pullets. I integrated all the chicks last night and they slept in the big coop with the adults. I’m really hoping they all go in tonight on their own.

 

[TexasBlues]

The chicks are now about 8 weeks. They segregate into 2 small flocks with their brood mates. I think there’s 15 of them running around.

There’s 6 or 7 olive egger cockerels that look very similar black, pea comb. Like this guy:

There’s 2 olive egger pullets that are barred and look almost like twins at this point. Looks like they have some color in their hackles too which should be pretty when mature. I like their build, a nice sleek shape, larger than a whiting.

This is the only pure Whiting True Blue. He’ll get to stay around and see how he develops.

It looks like there’s about 3 maybe 4 Marans pullets. No marans cockerels

 

[TexasBlues]

The chicks are now 14 weeks old and maturing quickly there’s 4 whiting true blue x Marans cockerels and they look like this guy. Some have very subtle barring on the tail feathers. One pullet is barred and pretty.

And 1 whiting x fibro egger…

Here’s the barred pullet

We were gone for about a month and raccoons did a number on the young birds. The first night back home my wife saw 6 raccoons on the balcony. I think they got 3 pullets and 1 Marans hen and the whiting cockerel. I’m not positive, but either the pullets were roosting outside the coop or the auto door had a piece of mulch blocking it from closing. A neighbor leaves cat food on her porch for them
Magic the rooster was rehomed before we left.

 

[TexasBlues]

Nice earthy tones today. Waiting for the the first eggs from the 17 wk old pullets. I’ve got 2 black copper Marans pullets, 1 easter egger, and 1 olive egger. My luck went south and I didn’t get a black copper marans rooster this last hatch. @wrathsfarm are you able to ship eggs this way?

 

[TexasBlues]

This is one of my 2 young Marans and Whiting True Blue crosses.
Got some of his chicks hatching out today.

 

[TexasBlues]

Lots of Cute chicks 28 out of 31 have hatched out so far.

 

[wrathsfarm]

Lots of Cute chicks 28 out of 31 have hatched out so far. View attachment 4253389View attachment 4253390View attachment 4253391

That's a great hatch, my friend.

 

[TexasBlues]

That's a great hatch, my friend.

thanks Wrath, 1 more hatched overnight to make it 29/31. Most of the chicks are olive egger and fibro Easter egger mixes and and about 6 of them are black copper maran backcrosses.
I’m happy to have some diverse patterns in the chicks, my flock only has 2 duckwing birds and the other 14 are black and black copper birds.
What do you think about about my 1/2 BCM rooster? I like the way he came out. A little leaner and more upright than a pure BCM with nice balance. I have a second rooster I’m keeping, but it’s hard to get a good shot, he’s got better eyes and comb than this one, but not quite as upright in his stance.
You were right about letting broodies raise the roosters. These haven’t shown an inkling of human aggression. They just move out of my way and mind their business.

 

[TexasBlues]

Got 29 healthy babies moved out to the outdoor brooder.
Lots of diversity as far as colors, muffs, fibro, combs, and egg color genetics. Plenty of directions I could go in making selections.
If I could put all the traits together into one flock they would be a chipmunk patterned chicks for good camouflage, clean face without beard and muff, dark fibro skin, pea comb, and dark green tinted eggs.