Black Copper Marans discussion thread

[snowbird]

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Do you think the comb imperfections are easier to fix than the color? A sprig in the comb is also something I consider a genetic flaw, but it is still secondary to feather shanks right now as long as they both come from dark eggs. The dark egg is what defines the Marans to me. Although the original blue/cucu roo I had has sprigs he is BEAUTIFUL in type and feather wise, so the sprigs were overlooked. He also produces dark egg layers in blue and cucu.

Almost every chick I decide not to keep gets sold to someone that wants them for eggs or pets. I only had to butcher 8 extra cucu roos last year out of maybe 300-400 chickens of different breeds. The one thing I seem to get asked the most about from people wanting to buy them this year is that they have the feathered legs. I realized it would be easier to sell my extras if I concentrated on this first. Selling my chicks and eggs pays for everything I need for the ones I do keep.

I keep waiting for a comment from someone. I just can not believe what has been stated .

 

[geebs]

I cull for side sprig ALWAYS.... IT is not an acceptable trait to breed forward and I personally believe it speaks of origins that bring other traits to light that are undesireable to not only the showring but to marans ownership in general... I still need pictures of this... Please send them to my email...

I would cull every bird based on a side sprig alone.... I am NOT a comb hound... I don't think a pretty comb makes or breaks the bird but the genetics within do. Just my personal opinion here.. Others may vary.

 

[snowbird]

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Geebs, thank you

 

[Hens and Roos]

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Cograts! What a cutie glad to hear all are doing well!

 

[math ace]

Quote:
Do you think the comb imperfections are easier to fix than the color? A sprig in the comb is also something I consider a genetic flaw, but it is still secondary to feather shanks right now as long as they both come from dark eggs. The dark egg is what defines the Marans to me. Although the original blue/cucu roo I had has sprigs he is BEAUTIFUL in type and feather wise, so the sprigs were overlooked. He also produces dark egg layers in blue and cucu.

.

I cull for DQ's - - Side Sprigs immediately. It takes priority over leg feathering - at my place anyways. I have nicely feathered roo and a couple of hens with little to no leg feathering. When I cross these, I get some with no feathering, some with very light feathering and some with correct feathering. I use the ones with correct feathering for future generations. The girls with no leg feathering or light leg feathering only get kep if they were better in body shape or color than the mother.

I am only in my second generation of breeding. . . . I am hatching very, very, very, few females. I don't have the MASS numbers that others have.
I am evaluating each precious pullet that I hatch individually. I will only keep the pullets with poor leg feathering if they are bringing improvements to the breeding table for the next generation. I would like to see my hens get bigger in size - - - I don't want to cull a really nice large hen that has better coloring than her mother did due to leg feathering. My roo is nicely feathered and is producing offspring with nicely feathered legs. As I hatch more pullets, I should quickly get to a place that I am using only feathered leg hens. I am thinking the next generation will have the increased size that I am looking for. Then I will be able to cull the non-feathered pullets too. If I had mega chicks to work with, I would cull for leg feathering immediately too.

 

[math ace]

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OhBigmamma,

I don't know if I understand this very well. .. . .

I am the queen of hatching roos in this neck of the woods. . . . I hatch more than 8 roos when I am only setting 12 eggs

So, were you able to sell all the roos from the 300 - 400 chickens ? ?

Why do you think people are wanting the feathered legs ? ? Are these folks interested in breeding and are looking for SOP chicks ? ?

Your roo has a side sprig ?? How many of his offspring have it too, is it a high or low percentage?

How many birds do you keep from the 300 - 400 chickens ? ?

I don't think I understood what you were trying to say in this paragraph . . . .

 

[VillageChicken]

Thanks everyone for your kind congratulations. I'll let you know after the two year grow out period if I hatched another chicken lover.. I've got video of my 2 year old throwing scratch for the hens... it's hilarious. So far he's not an early crower.

 

[Sphinx]

Oh, VC, your son is so gorgeous. Congratulations!!!

 

[onthespot]

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I would LOVE to see video! My friend Andrea has a two year old that LIVES to toss scratch to the chickens. The second cutest thing he does is try to wrangle a big ol' halter, as big as he is, and a leadrope like an anaconda out to the fence so he can poke his nose through and yell "HO-Seeeee!!! HO-SEEEeeeee!!!" to the minis, that are total cuteness in their own right. DO (when you feel up to it and have time of course) post the video! For now milk it for all its worth and get waited on hand and foot for a few days, more if you can.

 

[LarissaCluck]

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With mine, you can tell the difference in combdevelopement by 3 weeks of age. Other folks have birds that develop slower and have to wait longer.

You might be better off to post a few pics and let us help you decide what you have

Thanks! They do seem a little slower in size and wing development than the hatchery EE's I have. I will post later though and see if you guys can tell...or at least tell me what to look for!

Ok here is Thing 1 - Pullet?

and Thing 2! - Cockrel??

They are still a little scrawny. Can any of you tell the gender or do you think I need to wait a couple more weeks?