BCM with yellow feet- is this really a BCM?

[slg2007]

I just picked up a 9 week cockerel from a lady who told me he is a black copper marans. But right away I noticed he is different than my many other BCM hens and roos. He has yellow legs and feet, where all my others have black legs and feet. Is this just a genetic rarity? Or is he not actually a BCM?

 

[muddy75]

@RoosterML ??

 

[RoosterML]

I just picked up a 9 week cockerel from a lady who told me he is a black copper marans. But right away I noticed he is different than my many other BCM hens and roos. He has yellow legs and feet, where all my others have black legs and feet. Is this just a genetic rarity? Or is he not actually a BCM?

Yes Marans can have yellow feet BUT that is a flaw. Do not breed it. Umm sorry to say but that’s not a good looking Marans. Find I different source for your birds.

 

[RoosterML]

I disagree with the above post. If a bird does not comply with it's breed description then how can it be that breed? Marans have white skin period. A bird with yellow can not be Marans.

You can breed birds that are of different breeds and end up with a line of birds that breed true and have every character representation of an existing breed. Is it possible to call that line of bird the breed name? Absolutely. If it looks like a duck and quacks like a duck then it's a duck. Caveat being it must breed true.

Breeds have faults. Another common one is white feathers on a black. That doesn’t mean it’s not a BCM

 

[slg2007]

Thanks so much for both responses. I did read on one website that yellow feet in a BCM is considered a rare flaw. It's definitely an interesting conversation. I brought this guy into my flock to add different genetics, but now the only roos I will have to work with are offspring of my original two BCM roos. If the offspring mate with siblings next spring, will I need to worry about problems with inbreeding next year? How often should I introduce new rooster genetics into my small backyard flock. I'm really only doing this as a hobby, I'm not a professional by any means!

 

[Egghead_Jr]

I disagree with the above post. If a bird does not comply with it's breed description then how can it be that breed? Marans have white skin period. A bird with yellow can not be Marans.

You can breed birds that are of different breeds and end up with a line of birds that breed true and have every character representation of an existing breed. Is it possible to call that line of bird the breed name? Absolutely. If it looks like a duck and quacks like a duck then it's a duck. Caveat being it must breed true.

 

[RoosterML]

Thanks so much for both responses. I did read on one website that yellow feet in a BCM is considered a rare flaw. It's definitely an interesting conversation. I brought this guy into my flock to add different genetics, but now the only roos I will have to work with are offspring of my original two BCM roos. If the offspring mate with siblings next spring, will I need to worry about problems with inbreeding next year? How often should I introduce new rooster genetics into my small backyard flock. I'm really only doing this as a hobby, I'm not a professional by any means!

Yes do not use him

 

[afieldssnowyegger]

He's a BCM, looks like he just got landed with that rare recessive trait unfortunately. If you are working on breed quality improvements in your flock, you shouldn’t breed him. However, if you just have a laying flock and need some more babies, I don’t see how breeding him will be a problem.

 

[LaFleche]

I just picked up a 9 week cockerel from a lady who told me he is a black copper marans. But right away I noticed he is different than my many other BCM hens and roos. He has yellow legs and feet, where all my others have black legs and feet. Is this just a genetic rarity? Or is he not actually a BCM?

This cockerel looks like a mix to me, maybe Leghorn x Marans or the like. White ear lobes, yellow legs, wrong posture and steep tail angle, long tail feathers already at young age etc.

Just because he sports some fluff on his shanks and toes, does not mean he is a pure BCM.

 

[LaFleche]

This is how a true French Black Copper Marans would look like:

http://www.marans.eu/ncui.htm#ncui