Black, Blue and Splash (BBS) Marans discussion thread

[DMRippy]

This is the better Breeder site. This is the club that submitted the standards that are in the APA. There is also a silhouette of what they should look like. I have seen better/Newer ones but they have not updated the site I guess.

http://maranschickenclubusa.com/StandardofPerfection.html

 

[LisaLouHoo]

Thanks for the critiques on my BIG (too big) blue marans. I read the SOP that rippy showed and my boy has clean shanks, which is a disqualifier and I do see that he has a very high tail set compared to the outline pic...which was helpful. But what do you all think about the leg feathering? I personally don't mind the clean shanks and his size, though intimidating, is quite impressive. So far he is a big gentle giant with humans, so he's staying here. He was hatched from eggs I purchased from a breeder in Michigan. I've since gotten 3 hens from her and 2 are clean legged and one has feathers. Are we moving away from feathered legs or is this still the goal?

 

[DMRippy]

Thanks for the critiques on my BIG (too big) blue marans. I read the SOP that rippy showed and my boy has clean shanks, which is a disqualifier and I do see that he has a very high tail set compared to the outline pic...which was helpful. But what do you all think about the leg feathering? I personally don't mind the clean shanks and his size, though intimidating, is quite impressive. So far he is a big gentle giant with humans, so he's staying here. He was hatched from eggs I purchased from a breeder in Michigan. I've since gotten 3 hens from her and 2 are clean legged and one has feathers. Are we moving away from feathered legs or is this still the goal?

The Standard is not going to change. Feathered legs are required and always will be. With that said, adding feathered legs is easy if you can find birds with them. Breed them all together and select for feathered legs after that. I know feathered legs must be easy to add...... 1 I have done it and 2 it shows up the first cross with Olive Eggers.

 

[LisaLouHoo]

The Standard is not going to change.  Feathered legs are required and always will be.  With that said, adding feathered legs is easy if you can find birds with them.  Breed them all together and select for feathered legs after that.  I know feathered legs must be easy to add...... 1 I have done it and 2 it shows up the first cross with Olive Eggers. 

Thanks. Good info and I appreciate it.

 

[Kbmr]

I hope I'm not crashing the party, I posted this in the "what are they" thread, but thought the Marans thread might have more insight. I have four new chicks I'm adding to my flock. The one in the back is a Splash Maran, the two in the middle are Blue Marans, (although someone on the other thread told me they might be Black Marans), and the front one is a Araucana. They are approx five weeks old. I'm thinking the Blue on the right is a cockerel, it's comb is shaped a little different, although the same size as the other one, and while the other one is yellow, this one is light pink. The yellow combed one I am not sure of at all.

 

[DMRippy]

I hope I'm not crashing the party, I posted this in the "what are they" thread, but thought the Marans thread might have more insight. I have four new chicks I'm adding to my flock. The one in the back is a Splash Maran, the two in the middle are Blue Marans, (although someone on the other thread told me they might be Black Marans), and the front one is a Araucana. They are approx five weeks old. I'm thinking the Blue on the right is a cockerel, it's comb is shaped a little different, although the same size as the other one, and while the other one is yellow, this one is light pink. The yellow combed one I am not sure of at all.

Both of the blues in the middle look like cockerels to me.

 

[Amina]

For my marans, I can pick out the cockerels by two weeks because their combs grow so fast. I have a four week old cockerel right now with a *much* bigger comb than any of your five week old chicks have. So don't give up hope just yet, especially for that blue one on the left. I don't see any pink in that one's comb.

 

[Kbmr]

Thanks to both of you for helping me out and especially Amina for giving me hope. . I really want a Blue Maran! I'm pretty sure the one on the right is a rooster, but holding out hope for the other.

 

[ChicagoClucker]

I have a question. Do BCM cockerels develop faster that Blues? My first hatch of BCM, I ended up with 2 cockerels and very quick comb and wattle development. My second hatch of Blues/black, are six days shy of a month old and in comparison to my BCM at the same age has very little comb and wattle development. I tried wing sexing, I thought I had 1 cockerel and 1 hen.
What do you all think?

First Pic of my Blue/black Marans they are 6 days shy of a month old. The black one has a little more comb than the blue, but not much to speak of. Since hatch, the blue was twice the size of the black.






Here are the pics of my BCM at 1 month, 6 day older than the ones above.

 

[Csoldan]

I have a question: Do Splash come from copper Black & Blue Marans or do splash only come from non copper Black & Blue Marans? I've heard both.
I have a splash Marans, she has no copper on her but from the same breeder I got copper black and blues when I asked for non copper black and blue Marans.

Thanks for any help.