Black Copper Marans discussion thread

[pinkchick]

Question--how do I test a rooster to know if he is a FBCM? I have a group of 4 black coppers growing up with a motley crew and I'm not sure if some are FBCM or sons of my black sexlink roosters. Is there a clue on the wings???

Hi Arielle! How old are they? Also if you have photos of them we should be able to help you figure them out.

 

[Arielle]

THe boys were hatched last fall --about 6 months old. Of course everything that hatched was a rooster! LOL

 

[pinkchick]

THe boys were hatched last fall --about 6 months old. Of course everything that hatched was a rooster! LOL

The first thing you should look for is feathered shanks. The Marans should have feathered shanks....but some Marans do not have feathered shanks. Did yours have them when you purchased them?

Also, I don't believe the Black Sexlinks will have any copper on their wing bows or their saddle feathers. (Please look up Black Sexlinks roosters....as I am guessing here and have never seen one myself.)
The bottoms of the Marans feet should be pink, but really it looks white if you ask me.

Marans leg color can be white and or slate (dark slate or light). Sexlinks, I believe, will have yellow legs and should be clean shanked. If I am wrong I hope someone corrects me.


Hopefully these couple of things to look for will help you narrow it down a little before posting photos.

 

[Sphinx]

I am so happy to be back you guys! Last fall, I had something get into my coop and kill my entire flock, save my BCM rooster. I felt like it would be cruel to keep him alone, so I rehomed him to someone locally.

About 5 weeks ago, I hatched two BCM chicks. I believe I have a pullet and a cockerel. The poor cockerel is about the homeliest thing I've ever seen, but hopefully he'll get more handsome as time goes on. He does make me miss my old rooster though; he was such a handsome boy.

Isn't he just kind of sad right now?

 

[Arielle]

Quote: Yes, they have the leg feathering. some are street sweepers others are fairly sparce. THe legs are slate with pink bottoms. I have a number of BLS x EE that look exactly like the BCM except for the muffs, beards and comb. Sure which the leg bands hadn't fallen off.

If they could have been pullets, the egg color would be a dead giveaway!

 

[marquisella]

Yes, they have the leg feathering. some are street sweepers others are fairly sparce. THe legs are slate with pink bottoms. I have a number of BLS x EE that look exactly like the BCM except for the muffs, beards and comb. Sure which the leg bands hadn't fallen off.

If they could have been pullets, the egg color would be a dead giveaway!

That is why I don't have any other breed that could remotely look like Marans...so easy to confuse birds that way..

 

[Arielle]

Quote: LOL I can understand now why to avoid look alikes!! At the very least I am examining them all in great detail!!

 

[Jenikate]

Hi everyone....newbie here and wondering if you could help me guesstimate the age of my Black Copper Marans.
I only have one....and it is a wonderfully sweet bird...a little skittish but other than that seems to be a nice bird.

The breeder that I got it from could not clarify the age. At the time said one to 2 weeks...he was in the middle of several hatches that all go into the brooder together....but I am not familiar with how these feather out.

Right now I have 4, 4 wk old EEs and 2 , 6 week old Buff Brahmas. Here is a pic of "Coco" from today, who I have had in my possession for 6 days. For the life of me I cant get Coco to stand for a picture....just wants to sit/roost all the time!


Thank you all for any help you can provide...no real importance for needing to know the exact age, just curiosity. This thread has been wonderful to learn about the breed!

 

[pinkchick]

Quote:
Looks just like a Marans this age should look like. Looks like you are right and that you have one pullet and one cockerel.

 

[pinkchick]

Hi everyone....newbie here and wondering if you could help me guesstimate the age of my Black Copper Marans.
I only have one....and it is a wonderfully sweet bird...a little skittish but other than that seems to be a nice bird.

The breeder that I got it from could not clarify the age. At the time said one to 2 weeks...he was in the middle of several hatches that all go into the brooder together....but I am not familiar with how these feather out.

Right now I have 4, 4 wk old EEs and 2 , 6 week old Buff Brahmas. Here is a pic of "Coco" from today, who I have had in my possession for 6 days. For the life of me I cant get Coco to stand for a picture....just wants to sit/roost all the time!


Thank you all for any help you can provide...no real importance for needing to know the exact age, just curiosity. This thread has been wonderful to learn about the breed!



Hi! Looks to me that this little pullet is probably about 4 weeks or so of age.