Black Copper Marans discussion thread

[kcrandall]

Belle 4 weeks old.

She has almost no feathers on the side of her neck. She was getting picked on by my ducks. But I separated them about 2 weeks ago. Any ideas?

She will grow new neck feathers, it just takes time that's all. She'll go through a juvenile molt at about 8 to 14 weeks old so it may take that long until her neck feathers grow back. She looks healthy so she should be fine.

Good Luck,
Keith

 

[RobandSue2]

I am incubating BCM eggs right now (first time incubating) and I have heard because of the the shell that the humidity should be lower during the first 18 days 30-35% . Rather than the 35-50% I have read most ppl do during the first 18.
Any thoughts? Thanks!

 

[BobletFarmBirds]

I am incubating BCM eggs right now (first time incubating) and I have heard because of the the shell that the humidity should be lower during the first 18 days 30-35% . Rather than the 35-50% I have read most ppl do during the first 18.
Any thoughts? Thanks!

In our last batch, we kept it at 45% humidity and 99 temp. We had a pretty successful hatch. At day 18 we bumped it to 65/70% and kept it at 99 temp. Good luck!!

 

[Flaisure]

She will grow new neck feathers, it just takes time that's all. She'll go through a juvenile molt at about 8 to 14 weeks old so it may take that long until her neck feathers grow back. She looks healthy so she should be fine.

Good Luck,
Keith

Thank you! Can't wait to see her all grown

 

[Elemes]

1. Is it possible that a marans hen does not carry feathered shank gene?
2. Has anyone noticed or have feedback on a slow--feather shank? My Cockerel has feathered (albeit sparsely) shanks but my hen does not. He was not born with the clear feathering I see on photos here in the forum.

 

[Braxton Brigade]

1. Is it possible that a marans hen does not carry feathered shank gene?
2. Has anyone noticed or have feedback on a slow--feather shank? My Cockerel has feathered (albeit sparsely) shanks but my hen does not. He was not born with the clear feathering I see on photos here in the forum.

Shank feathering is just like most traits, some birds do not receive or carry the trait as well as we like. Yet, some carry far too much at times.

It's all about breeding him to a well feathered (maybe slightly over feathered) hen and then picking their chicks with the optimal phenotype to breed together. So on and so forth, breeding is a all about balancing everything until you reach as close to perfect as you can.

 

[kcrandall]

Shank feathering is just like most traits, some birds do not receive or carry the trait as well as we like. Yet, some carry far too much at times.

It's all about breeding him to a well feathered (maybe slightly over feathered) hen and then picking their chicks with the optimal phenotype to breed together. So on  and so forth, breeding is a all about balancing everything until you reach as close to perfect as you can.

Well said Braxton.

Keith

 

[DeborahSfbay]

Will a BCM Rooster over a Splash Marans hen produce Blue Marans chicks? This is how it works my Isbar chickens but I'm not sure if the copper will change the look (the Isbar black chickens have no copper).

Thanks,
Deborah

 

[Flaisure]

Belle 5 1/2 weeks

 

[LilJoe]

Here is my FBCM that I showed a couple weeks ago. I questioned earlier because she never really had a lot of white on her but now I know that is good. Very difficult to get a good picture they never stop moving! This was taken inside the coop as my chicks spent their first night outside. Does she look good? Does she look like a pullet? I only have one so I'm hoping for a pullet. "She" is about 4 1/2 weeks old.

ETA: I noticed yesterday she has a little copper coming in around her neck, does that indicate pullet or no?

Looks like a pullet to me. There's no copper on the back...but hey! I'm no expert! Hatching my first Coppers soon!