Black Copper Marans discussion thread

[AyeUpChuck]

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They're doing really well! I'll get some pics of them later today and post them! They're a happy little clan. They still aren't roosting which is hilarious. They just pile together. I've tried putting them on the roost but with no joy. They'll figure it out eventually!

 

[newlyweds]

Hi All,
I have a young rooster, about 15 weeks old, hatched him on March 15th. I think he is looking fairly promising, and he is very tall already, no crowing, or dancing yet. Still has lots of filling out to do, let me know what you guys think of him.

If he seems to be holding his wings strange it's because I took these pictures in the heat of the day, it's also why he has his mouth open.

Meet Stoney La Rue.

 

[FOGELLY]

Hi everyone.
It has been some time since I have posted on this thread. My current BCM's are 9 months old.
I have a couple of questions.
My last remaining roo woke up one day and decided to grow out a huge upright tail. Being my only roo do I need to just get rid of him and start over, is the tail a strong trait that he will pass on? Tail does not lean to side as it appears in pic the wind was blowing. Also comb has black on it from the metal waterer he uses.
I have a couple of hens that have good tails but are overly black.

 

[AyeUpChuck]

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Tell ya what! If you don't want him, my parents are flying up here from New Orleans in two weeks. He can catch a ride on the jetplane and come and live on my ranch!!!!

 

[VillageChicken]

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He's still a bit young for a good evaluation - what color are his eyes?

 

[newlyweds]

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He's still a bit young for a good evaluation - what color are his eyes?

I will have to look again, but I think they are a light brown. They look dark in the pictures, but I know they aren't that dark.

 

[Bravo]

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Thanks Kim. He's a super friendly guy and quiet to boot so I guess he can stay around for a little while longer

I may even test mate him to his mother/aunt parent stock and see what I get before I make any decisions.

Out of the past 10 cockerels I've hatched, he has the best overall body type by far. Hopefully the coloration all falls into place

Thanks guys!

 

[edgarmongold]

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Well, I won't be cursing your type of breeder. Not me. For the record I've never sold or given away a Black Copper Marans. And mine are spectacular. No, really. A sight to behold.

Yes, I drool over my main rooster as I watch him lead his ladies around the place. Well, most of the BCM hens stick around the coop, but some go out with him. No, I'm not posting a photo.

That's not the point.

There is nothing wrong with selling Black Copper Marans for the color of their eggs. And the "committee" you refer to doesn't even care what color the eggs are that the Black Copper Marans produce. How's that for ironic?

Just because they are a utility strain of Black Copper Marans doesn't mean they're not BCMs. Sell a lot of them. Those folks who buy a utility strain may at some point become interested in showing and then they can pay a show breeder, as opposed to you who are a commercial producer, for a trio of perfectly plumed birds that may quite likely be worthless at producing a lot of eggs because that's the way it almost always eventually works with SQ chickens.

I welcome you to the BCM fold with open arms. I hope that doesn't sound snooty or anything.

TDM, to change the topic slightly, have you been able to increase egg production at all? Mine lay only about 14 a month during Feb and March, which I'm not too impressed with, especially when I consider feed costs and what BCMs must eat to maintain themselves (I have a huge strain*). Winters are pretty dismal as egg production goes way down even for the young hens. Are you trap nesting and keeping count? Or do you have another method of improving egg production? Are you removing broody hens from your laying flock? It would be great to have a strain that doesn't go broody if eggs are the only goal. I've had a couple of broodies since April (some have quit and others have started, but two total at any one time).

Edit: huge strain = the BCMs I have are huge birds. Big, Big, Big.

The MCCUSA's Standard Committee does care about the egg color produced by exhibition quality stock.

That is why the MCCUSA sponsors egg shows at open poultry shows around the US.

We still do not consider a Marans a Marans unless it produces a #4 egg.

Proud member of the MCCUSA's Standard Committee.

 

[ccshambhala]

I bought 4 "black copper marans" chicks about 9 weeks ago. One appears to be tailless??? Could this be an anomaly? (Fogelly your roo is GORGEOUS!)

the other 3 :

 

[Arielle]

In reference to POST #3228 above:

I'm a newbie with chickens and have been lurking and reading the back posts of this thread. I'm still learning. Will spend a lifetime learning, I'm sure. I recently bought 10 FBCM chicks, for the eggs; didn't know they had become APA with an SOP. I wanted pretty eggs to sell; but I'm a practical Mainer, and I want the birds to pay for themselves.

I read the Marans SOP forum to understand how to keep my birds looking like FBCM, but I don't expect to win at shows or have SQ birds. I have birds for the EGGS.

In reality, how many birds match the SOP perfectly. IMHO the SOP is a guide to maintain the specifics that identify the FBCM, or any other bird; for me it is not my only goal, it's one of many. So hats off to you and your birds TDM. Besides, reading and understanding the SOP, which I am truly trying to do, makes my head ache! I keep at it though.

Thank you Sparklee, for making us feel welcome. I hope I haven't been too rude.

Q? is 14 eggs in 30 days average? Maybe a few people can post the egg sizes and numbers that their birds produce? For those that want to share, that is.

And can someone tell me what a #4 egg is??