Black Copper Marans discussion thread

[geebs]

This question is for Tim: Why do some females have white toenails where others are grey??? What does this tell us about our females?

Bev: do you know??? Does this speak of extended black?

 

[Zanna]

The cock bird s what you would want to breed to the pullets you already had. His big fluffy tail will help with opening up the tail on the female.

Really appreciate the input Vicki and Don!! My pullets and Hen all look so similar and are related so would you single mate to this cock or not worry about it? Of course I have no idea what is hidden that this roo may bring to the table. I hatched over 150 chicks from my original pair (still have about 15 more growing out) and all the pullets were so similar to Mom, just larger than her. Maybe I need to hatch a ton this year, cull,cull,cull and single mate my best birds next season???

Any good reason to breed the pullet not related to mine back to her full brother (the cockeral)?

Would love an answer to geebs question as well..............

 

[snowbird]

Really appreciate the input Vicki and Don!! My pullets and Hen all look so similar and are related so would you single mate to this cock or not worry about it? Of course I have no idea what is hidden that this roo may bring to the table. I hatched over 150 chicks from my original pair (still have about 15 more growing out) and all the pullets were so similar to Mom, just larger than her. Maybe I need to hatch a ton this year, cull,cull,cull and single mate my best birds next season???

Any good reason to breed the pullet not related to mine back to her full brother (the cockeral)?

Would love an answer to geebs question as well..............

I would not breed the spare pullet back to her brother. If you have the space I would single mate the cock bird with the three pullets.

 

[Zanna]

I would not breed the spare pullet back to her brother. If you have the space I would single mate the cock bird with the three pullets.

I have the space and that was my original plan. What about their Mom? Play with her and the cockeral or try her with the cock as well? What would you do for the sake of experimentation if nothing else? Vicki, any opinions? I am just happy to have some options after 5 years!

 

[gilavina]

I have the space and that was my original plan. What about their Mom? Play with her and the cockeral or try her with the cock as well? What would you do for the sake of experimentation if nothing else? Vicki, any opinions? I am just happy to have some options after 5 years!

I gotta admit, I'm not following what you are asking all that well, but I am feeling terrible tonight and took a night medicine and now my brain is empty. I'll come by and look again in the morning. Hopefully I won't feel like death warmed over.

 

[Zanna]

I gotta admit, I'm not following what you are asking all that well, but I am feeling terrible tonight and took a night medicine and now my brain is empty. I'll come by and look again in the morning. Hopefully I won't feel like death warmed over.

Thanks Vicki! I know, I posted a lot of pics and asked a lot of questions! Don Says to single breed the pullets (3 pullets) of my breeding all to the Cock. I was wondering about their Mom, (the look alike to yours). Breed her to the cock as well or his son (the lighter coloured cockeral)? Hope you are feeling better in the morning!

 

[geebs]

Zanna, What would you be hoping to gain by the breeding? If you are trying to double up genes that is one way to do it... It may also tell you what they hold by doubling them. I see no reason to breed forward using a full brother. I would like to know why you would want to.

As long as you are keeping record of the crosses and you have the room, it is fun to find out what each bird brings to the table genetically. I have a pen full of "mistakes"... They aren't really mistakes.... just learning curves. In order to find out what my males have I kept a few birds that I knew carried genetics for wheaton, birchen, and partridge/wild type. I could use the birds to help me find a suitable male... It takes me about 2 years to know whether a male is good for breeding forward... I have to wait for the hens to grow and for the egg color as well.... I have a couple new prospects this year. Have been growing them up since I lost my main squeeze. Sad to say they don't measure up to what I had before but I couldn't use the male offsprings back on their mothers because of doubling up some of the genes...

 

[Zanna]

Zanna, What would you be hoping to gain by the breeding? If you are trying to double up genes that is one way to do it... It may also tell you what they hold by doubling them. I see no reason to breed forward using a full brother. I would like to know why you would want to.

As long as you are keeping record of the crosses and you have the room, it is fun to find out what each bird brings to the table genetically. I have a pen full of "mistakes"... They aren't really mistakes.... just learning curves. In order to find out what my males have I kept a few birds that I knew carried genetics for wheaton, birchen, and partridge/wild type. I could use the birds to help me find a suitable male... It takes me about 2 years to know whether a male is good for breeding forward... I have to wait for the hens to grow and for the egg color as well.... I have a couple new prospects this year. Have been growing them up since I lost my main squeeze. Sad to say they don't measure up to what I had before but I couldn't use the male offsprings back on their mothers because of doubling up some of the genes...

Yup, just to find out what they hold......... If I concentrate on breeding my original hen and her pullets to the Cock, the cockeral will be out of use for a while so thought it might be helpfull to find out what the genes would show if doubled them up with his full Sis (These 3 birds are new to me). I already have chicks on the ground from the Cock and this pullet who is his daughter. Hope you can make sense of this, I am getting groggy, probably confusing the heck out of people.........

Glad to hear you are up and running again!!!

 

[geebs]

Hey thanks... I don't know about that up and running but I have some "toys" in the yard again... I have 3 male prospect that are local and some across town in a holding area to watch them grow. Maybe we can exchange some toys this spring.. .I can give up some of my birds that the mysteries are solved on if you are looking for them and you may have something to play with...or male tradies... I already know one of my males carries wheaton but he is a full brother and genetically if I have rolled a good number I have to carry a spare. I didn't get much this year but I will move forward anyway.. Nothing like a complete do over right!!??

Have fun with it Zanna.. At the end of the day... ribbons tarnish and birds die and we must enjoy ourselves right... party on chickies.

 

[Zanna]

Its all fun!!! Some "exchanging" sounds great! Early Spring I hope to have lots of up and comers on the ground Turning in for the night........