Black Copper Marans discussion thread

[VillageChicken]

Hey Don,
I read that in your experience that curled toes are the result of wrong temp or humidity at hatch. I agree that those are factors, but in the last 100 or so eggs that I hatched, from the same incubator I had many with curled toes when my temp ran a little low. The interesting thing is that these eggs were all from single matings. Bresse and BCM and Araucanas. All the curled toes were from the same Bresse pair. None of the other Bresse chicks from a different single mating developed curled toes. These are curled toes that took about a week to 10 days to develop. So in this case I think there is definitely a genetic factor involved, that predisposes them to curling if the temps aren't perfect. Or maybe they would have curled anyway. I've gotten some good toes from this pair too.

So I wouldn't necessarily use a curled toe adult, believing that it was only because of bad temp/humidity at hatch.

Just my 2 cents.

Roger

 

[snowbird]

Quote:
The slipped wing : applies to defects inmanner of folding of primary feathers and carriage of the primary section of wing. Individual feathers may overlap in reverse order,i.e. over instead of under each other from outer to inner, or there may be a permanent tendency for entire section to be held outsides secondaries instead of under, either phrase or both is a Disqualification (pg. 33) ; (fig.35) 2001 SOP

If you breed fowl with a slipped wing and do not cull every generation the problem will get worse.

 

[snowbird]

Quote:
Roger, I agree with you about not breeding to a Crooked toe chicken. I always cull them, but if need be a I needed to single mate one I would go ahead.

The age of eggs and the low temp. will cause a lot of problems when hatching. In the spring let the pair set in a box right on the ground and see if any are crooked toe no bottom just dirt.

 

[VillageChicken]

Quote:
Roger, I agree with you about not breeding to a Crooked toe chicken. I always cull them, but if need be a I needed to single mate one I would go ahead.

The age of eggs and the low temp. will cause a lot of problems when hatching. In the spring let the pair set in a box right on the ground and see if any are crooked toe no bottom just dirt.

Interesting! What do you think makes the difference?

 

[BarnGoddess01]

What is "single mating"?

 

[snowbird]

Quote:
Roger, I agree with you about not breeding to a Crooked toe chicken. I always cull them, but if need be a I needed to single mate one I would go ahead.

The age of eggs and the low temp. will cause a lot of problems when hatching. In the spring let the pair set in a box right on the ground and see if any are crooked toe no bottom just dirt.

Interesting! What do you think makes the difference?

Roger, I believe by having the hen setting on the ground with bedding you will have moisture and that will help control the heat underneath. I believe you know I grew up on a large Gamefowl farm when I was a kid. MY dad would never think of using a incubator, They had to all be set under a hen.

 

[snowbird]

Quote:
When a person wants to be a serious breeder you have to either single mate or trap nest breed a single male over several female.

With the Parti colored Marans you will usually have to single mate to set up breeding groups. Single mating is one male and one female. I used one male to six female and moved the male at noon each day so every three days male was with a different hen. Do single mating makes it much easier to keep records so when a problem happens you know where it came.

 

[BarnGoddess01]

Quote:
When a person wants to be a serious breeder you have to either single mate or trap nest breed a single male over several female.

With the Parti colored Marans you will usually have to single mate to set up breeding groups. Single mating is one male and one female. I used one male to six female and moved the male at noon each day so every three days male was with a different hen. Do single mating makes it much easier to keep records so when a problem happens you know where it came.

Got it! Thank you, Don!!

 

[Schroeder]

I'm loving the eggs I'm getting from my BCMs. These are from 27 week old pullets. Also shown are 6 Lavander Orpington eggs and the first Wheaten Ameraucana egg.
The eggs have darkened in color somewhat since they started laying 4 weeks ago.

 

[bigshawn]

Love em..................