Black Copper Marans discussion thread

[Illia]

If his legs aren't feathered, they won't change. If his eyes appear black, yes they will change.

 

[Wynette]

I don't think they will necessarily change (eyes). Shank feathering can be bred in with hens that have lots of it. He appears to me to be overmelanised...per discussion at the beginning of the thread. Thoughts?

 

[pinkchick]

Yesterday,this is one of my girl at just over 6 mos. (please excuse her very pale earlobes, I know the pictures make them look white but they are not, I assure you, they are just very pale, noticed about 3 of the girls' earlobes looking pale yesterday, I've seen them do this one time before and in a couple of days they were normal red again. No changes in egg color, they eat, drink and run and play just fine.

They get their weekly goodie gruel today so maybe it's time for a vitamin boost.) Her copper is still coming. I have a couple of them like this and a couple that have very little copper and a couple that are have very dark copper almost indistinguishable from black unless in the direct sun light. I will have to get some photo's of all of them for you today if I can.

Here are a couple of girls, who show very little to only a couple of copper feathers in their hackles, it's there, but you have to look for it and a better picture would help too. I'll work on that.

Geebs' favorite girl doin' her thang!

(her eyes are not yellow, it is just the picture)

 

[sonew123]

Quote:
Always wanted the dark eggs layers to finish off a pretty basket

Last year I bought FBCM eggs from Ahappychick-Bev Davis lines-I only hatched a roo ( story of my life) I kept him for my OE roo he's a sweet boy

I had posted on the sharkie thread I might be interested in BCM eggs if anyone had some-WTHchristi needed a shipping tester-so I bought some through her all 8 I got I believe are growing and good- Eggs were so dark I cant see through them


Here are some photos and please feel free to critique-dont rip me too bad though I know he has white in his tail feathers-and I hate that-but not that many-enough to bug me though-so I also wanted to hatch out more roos from the BCM's to go in my olive egger pen to upgrade

what do yah think?

 

[Hens and Roos]

Okay maybe this has been asked but can you keep the black copper chickens with the blue copper chickens or do they need separate pens? Trying to figure out which one I would like to add and only have 1 pen space and I no can't add another pen

 

[Illia]

Quote:
Well the most obvious is that he has way too little coppering on his body, the next is his extra points on the comb, and after that - He looks pretty good, but I hope the first photo isn't his normal pose. He's spreading his feet quite a bit. Love the EE there!


Black Copper and Blue Copper are fine. Remember, the only difference is one allele, so the offspring will be exactly the same - Black Copper, Blue Copper. In fact, doing so can improve the Blue Copper egg color if the BC has darker genes.

 

[geebs]

Here's a cockeral I found locally, he's about 4 months old. Can you give me some feedback, I don't think the legs are feathered enough but the Roo they came from had plenty and his eyes are black, is that gonna change? I know the pics are bad but that's all I could do for now.

I agree with Illia: The leg feathering isn't likely to change for the better. However the color in the back is developing fine. I can say that the tail angle and the overall shape of the bird at his age is an asset. I would watch and wait. If you have hens that are a little to light... and good leg feathering... there is a chance for improvement using him.

Sonew123.... How could I rip into something that meatie... I do like the substance in your bird. I would wonder if he carries wheaton. His horn color and his lighter hackle color would make me think that you may end up with some wheaties as a bonus.

The reason I say this is that there is not a lot of black in the chest to account for the lighter eye color and leg color and the horn color... Usually when we see a lack of flames in the chest the result is more mahogany not less and more black in the legs and eyes not less. Keep me posted. It would be a benefit to use him on longer backed hens. Has he thrown wheaton?

to answer the question about Black and blue... YEP... I would use a BC over blue and black if you are wanting the copper gene in your blue line... It takes two crosses back to get the best color in the hackle on the blues but that is certainly one economic way of keeping two colors.. However it is hard to tell the eggs apart.. You will likely also darken the egg line in your blues doing it this way

Pink: Those are nice birds with good substance... yep I see the whitish thing. None of us has perfect birds or perfect pictures... Thanks for sharing them. They are a good example of the breed and remind us that they are "dual purpose"

... Since marans are not know for laying tons of eggs they probably should have some meat on them.

I think it is important that we remember that as we take our bird into the showring. The newness of the breed itself means that the judges go to the basics like looking at them with the dual purpose in mind. In some places they don't have much else to go on. We are a work in progress and the judges will evolve with us.​

 

[chicken stalker]

 

[geebs]

Happymnt: It may be too early in the spring yet.. Ppl are waiting for better weather... I don't know. You could ad another bird and up the price and see if a breeding trio isn't more enticing.

 

[sonew123]

Quote:
Well the most obvious is that he has way too little coppering on his body, the next is his extra points on the comb, and after that - He looks pretty good, but I hope the first photo isn't his normal pose. He's spreading his feet quite a bit. Love the EE there!


Black Copper and Blue Copper are fine. Remember, the only difference is one allele, so the offspring will be exactly the same - Black Copper, Blue Copper. In fact, doing so can improve the Blue Copper egg color if the BC has darker genes.

Thanks! At that time it was his normal pose--He got his foot hurt chasing another roo away from his girls? One minute fine- next limping pretty bad-he's all good now thank goodness. Extra points -check-( how many should there be?) more copper check...Thanks-The EE has a twin sister-I cant tell them apart except a funky feather on one of their chests-Love them!!!

Geebs-haven't seen anything that resembles a wheaton...I see the eye color now-so I want darker ( black) eye color and leg color in my BCm's Im hatching right?