Black Copper Marans discussion thread

[nicalandia]

Any progess on the "Lemon Blue" maran project?

 

[Arielle]

Based on Don's breeding recommendations, am I the only one with copper spots on the breast, or is this a common occurrence and one of those things that needs fixing. Can anyone direct me to a breeder that has males with black breasts?

 

[culler]

Arielle, Will be off line for a while and give others a chance to comment. I can give you a lot of info on this subject as I used no males with copper in breast last two year except one that I acquired and was untested.

 

[BarnGoddess01]

Ace, I kinda disagree with you on the mossy Marans. The color that shows up on the breast is usually not Mossy. The mossy usually is on the back and will appear as mealy mostly. This appears mostly on female. The copper spots that are on the Black Copper male breast are not considered Mossy.

Is the colour on the back of my young pullet as I have described it the "mealy" you are referring to, Don?

 

[chicken-whisperer]

Based on Don's breeding recommendations, am I the only one with copper spots on the breast, or is this a common occurrence and one of those things that needs fixing. Can anyone direct me to a breeder that has males with black breasts?

I have bred two generations of BCMs with no copper on the chest of the roos, but out of the five males third gen I kept (out of 29 hatched) one has developed a chest spotted with copper. Only one of the other four is going to make it to the hens. Any way, all breeders should have males with black breasts but maybe over melanized?
Is that a DQ also?

 

[culler]

Yes, she would be mealy, not much difference in the Mossy and mealy in BC Marans. Mossy has a little more specks on the feather.

 

[culler]

Barb, Now the pullet might shed all the mealy-Mossy feather with the adult Molt, I just do not like to keep them even if they clean up later. These will produce males with more Brown.

 

[culler]

Just to bring up and remind everyone that it does not take a show quality pen of fowl to breed show quality young. With the parti colored fowl like the BC there are different things involved in breeding good show quality fowl.

 

[culler]

Now that we have some interest in this thread, would like to bring up some things that will save everyone a lot of culling and headaches later on in their breeding program.

The white in Wing and Tail and the white undercolor can be eliminated if we are serious about raising good quality Marans. The first thing that has to be done is cull all Marans with these faults and DQ's. Last year after two years of culling I virtually eliminated the white feather from my BC Marans. The only thing I still had was a small amount of white in shank and toe feathering which is also a DQ.

 

[stoopid]

Don, the white in the wings usually moults out as they grow up.
You have been culling them?