Black/Blue Copper Marans: Help me select the best cockerel for my flock

[sussexchick123]

Hi Everyone,

I have raised 4x black/blue copper marans chicks from a week old to 12 weeks today. 3/4 turned out to be cockerels so I would like to select the best to keep as my rooster and eventually cull the others . Based on the photos please could you advise which looks to be the best?

https://imgur.com/a/heMZdUH

Cockerel no1: My favourite so far, blue copper, the first to start adolescent crowing, people friendly, clearly the dominant chicken and regularly see him keeping the others in check. He is not the largest cockerel out of the three but looks solidly built. Active, inquisitive character.

Cockerel no2: My partner's favourite, black copper, he is the biggest in body, quite a lazy bird, and seems more people-shy. Not as dominant as no.1 but clearly nobody else in the flock messes with him due to his giant size. Loves eating and lying around. He is undeniably the most handsome, but I am not sure he is the best example of the breed as legs are super feathery.

Cockerel no3: The middle of the pack, blue copper. He is pretty relaxed, somewhat people shy but starting to warm up to eating out of hand. Sometimes chases the hens off the feeder but on the whole nowhere near as dominant as the other two. Feels heavy in body when you pick him up. Currently earmarked for the pot.

Maybe its too early to say, but I would love to know what you think?

 

[peeper89]

oh a rooroo! he pretty @JacinLarkwell @MysteryChicken @Weeg can help pick

 

[Weeg]

I would always pick a rooster based on how good he is with people, and how he is with the hens. My rooster is afraid of people, (so not aggressive) but immediately leads all the hens into the bushes when theres a large bird in the sky. Then he doesn't tell them to come out until he's absolutely certain its gone. Thats what you're looking for unless you want a cockerel for another reason.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

oh a rooroo! he pretty @JacinLarkwell @MysteryChicken @Weeg can help pick

No, I can't help. Don't raise those so I wouldn't know what to look for besides obviously not an aggressive one

 

[peeper89]

No, I can't help. Don't raise those so I wouldn't know what to look for besides obviously not an aggressive one

nobody wants mean rooroos!

 

[JacinLarkwell]

nobody wants mean rooroos!

Well if they're the only one that's available and is fitting to the project, a mean male is better than no male, at least for me.

But obviously OP doesn't have that issue

 

[Minky]

So I like the one standing on the grass facing to the right. The other blue copper has lots of "fluff" at the base of his tail. This is not great for marans type. I would keep the big lazy relaxed non aggressive blue your parents like (hopefully its the one standing on the grass).
For any Marans questions, Chooks Man (on this site) is you go to guy. Good luck!