Black Copper Marans discussion thread

[Dearsrock]

Mean rooster! My boy (Roo 1) now 6 months is taking cheap shots when my back is turned. I'm bummed b/c he has the nicest body of the roos I have. I thought to maybe make him his own pen to keep him in till I want him for breeding next year. I'm concerned that the temperment will come across in the breedings. Or will he settle down as he matures? He also have a crow louder than a foghorn.... I think I posted some pics on another Marans thread, but I post again in case someone has feedback for me. I have no idea what to do with the Wheaten. He seems ok but I can't find any hens, pullets or eggs to go with him.

Roo 1

Roo 2

Roo 3

Thanks!

Renee
S CA

 

[jeremy]

Some updated photos of my two Marans.

Ponyo.

Ponyo being a "jungle chicken".

My Black Copper, she's harder to photograph than Ponyo so these aren't the greatest pictures but you get the idea...

 

[Raven1]

Jeremy~ That is some beautiful copper on your girls NICE!

 

[AngelzFyre]

Quote:
Have you tried picking him up by the feet and hanging him upside down til he gives in and then carrying him around with you? I find this works the best with the young roos and shows them who's boss with the least amount of trauma...to him..or to you! I carry mine around with me regularly even though they are all 'trained' now, just to remind them. I especially start off in the spring doing this when they seem to forget a bit as the breeding season starts in earnest. I also do this with the older roo when he needs a little attitude adjustment.

 

[Debbi]

Quote:
Renee,

Is your Wheaten the one in the second pic?? I'm not seeing a cinnamon wing triangle, are you sure he is not a golden hackled BCM? The first and third pics are really too hard to see anything, being they are so small and clicking on them doesn't enlarge them.

As for the mean roo, at 6 months, he is in rare sexual, teenage form! Give him another month or three, if he doesn't come out of it then, he won't. I have two meanies here, and that carrying them around stuff is for the birds! Folks will tell you it's the way they were handled as chicks, that's crap too. One of my manfighters was a lone hatchling, and was doted on and protected for a long time from the other birds. The little ingrate sees me now as his target, althought he's never come in contact...yet. Let me advise you here, NEVER wear red or orange colors in front of roos like this!! Luckily, I walk with a cane or he would've pecked my eyes out. Needless to say, after his third attack, he was, ahem, out of the ball park. The other roo that has just recently decided to be bad, I believe has copied the behavior of the first one. He had an accident off of his roost and is now lame in one leg, so he is not so quick as the other one. I can usually just point my cane at him, and he stops and backs up, but he will seek me out when in the yard, and do the "dance". This one was not handled to extremes as a chick. The two huge roos I have that are very gentle and calm, can be picked up anywhere, at any time without a fuss, and have never given me any cause to worry. They were handled a LOT as chicks. With the first roo, I had tried all the supposed remedies; picking up and carrying, holding upside down, caged seperately, nd left to free range. He is still a pain, and I won't turn my back to him without a careful eye out looking behind me. He reacts negatively if I point my cane at him, but usually if I just growl at him in a stern voice, he backs down. Not easy to live with for sure, but it's just me here, and he keeps me on my toes!

He will be soup when my Son gets home in the fall, along with several others. They are all individuals, so treat them as such. Just watch your back, or if you have children, cull or rehome the roos. They can inflict some damage quite easily, both physical and mental. I can still remember the brown Leghorn roo that tormented me as a kid...

 

[Dearsrock]

Renee,

Is your Wheaten the one in the second pic?? I'm not seeing a cinnamon wing triangle, are you sure he is not a golden hackled BCM? The first and third pics are really too hard to see anything, being they are so small and clicking on them doesn't enlarge them.

quote]

I don't know what I did to those pics that made them small, but I try again. He does have the wing triangle. He's a sweetie too, hope I can find him a home. Or some girls

And the meanie

Roo 2

I haven't tried carrying them around. I don't know that I have the energy to chase, catch, carry. These were hatched from eggs from the Bev Davis line. I didn't hatch them, so don't know the egg color. I just want to keep the most correct. I am leaning towards Roo 2. I have another roo about 3 months old and new hatchings (yesterday) and another batch under a hen, so I will have more which are Wade Jean/greenfirefarm. So will have more later to choose from. '

I also have 2 Buff roos and a barred rock roo. Sheesh! Too bad you can't sex an egg

Renee

S CA

 

[OwensMom]

I'm glad to find this thread and hear your story of the fierce roo. We have a roo named Jon louis. He is nasty peice of work and was headed for the gallows. He would take a cheap shot at your back, attempt to chase us and once flew up at my face. Lucky for me or him I had my sunglasses on. He did no damage. Then I got a Jersey Giant rooster who was 11 mo old. He lives in the pen next to Jon Louis and all the hens love him. Well Jon louis decided to go mano a mano with this 26 in tall guy. Indigo (the Jersey Giant) was not at all impressed. He grabbed Jon louis by the back of the neck, threw him to the ground and stomped om him good. Now if I want to make a point with Jon louis I just lure him into Indigo's pen and let nature take its course. I don't know why I have a marans roo since all I want are the eggs so my tolerance level for Jon louis antics is very short, Another incident and see ya. I will keep Indigo because he is so docile but another marans roo........maybe not

 

[Dearsrock]

Quote:
Well happy to announce that I have potential buyers for both the meanie and wheaten. This was my third attempt and honestly would have given them away. Glad to get a buck or two to add to the feed jar though! The only reason I decided to get a roo is because I've spent a fortune buying fertile eggs this year.

Renee
S Ca

 

[Germaine_11.20]

Quote:
Well happy to announce that I have potential buyers for both the meanie and wheaten. This was my third attempt and honestly would have given them away. Glad to get a buck or two to add to the feed jar though! The only reason I decided to get a roo is because I've spent a fortune buying fertile eggs this year.

Renee
S Ca

From the time mine are old enough to need to be caught, I catch them with a large fishing net. As they get older if they give me any attitude I just carry the net with me and they "know". For some reason they respect that net. It saves me alot of time and I can pet and coddle them if I want to after I remove them from the net. Unless it is a bird who doesn't mind being picked up, the net works the best for me and also keeps them in line. They can be all outside sticking heads out of the pen but when they see the net, it is over to the far side for them.

I have only had one Lav Orp Roo who I couldn't get to behave and had to send to freezer camp.

Your roo is in his hormonal stage however and it is a Roos job to protect his hens. Perhaps give him another two months or so and then rehome if he is needed for fertile eggs. They do get better with age. Also, if they are hungry they will get more aggressive as you go into the coop. I always toss some feed far far away from me so they run over there to eat first and then I can get to the feeders without issue. Full birds are typically happy ones. Good luck to you.

 

[Wynette]

I've been thinking about getting a fishing net, too. I'm getting way too old to chase and chase and chase them!