Black Copper Marans discussion thread

[Zanna]

Eggs were a very nice dark color, hatchmates all had copper, I had no reason to doubt he was black copper maran I had just never seen a male with NO copper before. I knew genetically he would not be a Black Marans which are very rare. I already have a boy I like a lot so I think I will let this one go. Getting another boy this weekend, too, in a quad- supposed to be much better hens than the ones I have.

For comparison here's his hatchmate brother, he's going, too- I'm sure he will only get MORE colorful since he's only 4 months. Kills me though, this is the friendliest little guy I have ever had.







And here's my keeper. I've been told he is Mahogany. His comb got froze and he could use better leg feathering, it's there but he's been free ranging so it looks really sparse right now. His tail angle could be a bit lower but he's a good match for my low tailed female. Eye color is good. Quite a hefty fellow. All in all not a bad place to start.


The hen has a touch of mossiness on her wings. Also her eyes are too dark. She lays a 6 on the color scale. I do not know the rooster's egg color. All in all I think they balance each other pretty well. I'm open to comments or suggestions? Excited to get my new ones this weekend and post pictures.

Why are you thinking the younger guy has too much colour? I enlarged the pics and maybe only see a speck or two of colouring on his chest. If he were mine I would keep him another month or two then reassess. They change a lot even beyond one year........

 

[lonnyandrinda]

Hm. Well I was going to take him to a swap tomorrow... so I have to decided tonight. He just appears too colorful to me, knowing he will probably get even more color as he grows... but I am so new to this. Here are some better pictures I just stepped out to take. Opinions?

 

[Zanna]

Hm. Well I was going to take him to a swap tomorrow... so I have to decided tonight. He just appears too colorful to me, knowing he will probably get even more color as he grows... but I am so new to this. Here are some better pictures I just stepped out to take. Opinions?

OK, in these pics his colour looks straw coloured (too light) on my monitor but they did not in the previous pics, is that what you mean by too much colour? Maybe someone else will chime in

 

[Zanna]

Here are two pics for you, 1st roo (2 1/2 years old), Mahogany coloured, and 2nd pic. (his son, 8 mos. old), more the desired SOP Colour for showing. My monitor makes him look a little straw coloured as well. He is not but the colour is not as even copper as I would think is ideal. I am just learning as I go as well Hope this helps.

 

[lonnyandrinda]

Yes I am noticing the grading in his hackles, too. It often (but not always) means Wheaten influence, right? This guy and the solid black guy and one nice looking pullet all came from the same batch of eggs. Hm. Now I'm going to keep a close eye on the pullet. How would I tell if there was a wheaten influence in the pullet?

 

[ashandvine]

Oh this sounds so familiar! One piece of advice I have been given is to mate your light/overly colored cock/erels to your solid black pullets/hens. Zanna, I am jealous of the second male.

 

[Zanna]

Oh this sounds so familiar! One piece of advice I have been given is to mate your light/overly colored cock/erels to your solid black pullets/hens. Zanna, I am jealous of the second male.

Thank you! Interestingly enough (to me anyways......) the Mahogany Dad was bred to a very dark, overmelanized hen and produced the 2nd male (Not of my breeding, I purchased these two boys at a show last Fall). I hatched over 100 chicks last year with a single mating pair of an overmelanized hen and roo (who I no longer have). The hackle colour in the different male offspring was a huge range of copper to almost straw like, no mahogany was produced. They almost all had dark/black earlobes. I kept one who has more copper like earlobes and am continuing to watch him grow out. None of the daughters had any copper to speak of, just a few feathers here and there around their heads only seen in the sunshine. The daughters (and their Mom) are getting single/test mated to these two new roos this year. I really don't get how their genetics work, like does not seem to produce like as often as I would think the odds should dictate............ But, what do I know It's all fun!!!

 

[Ray from PA]

Here are two pics for you, 1st roo (2 1/2 years old), Mahogany coloured, and 2nd pic. (his son, 8 mos. old), more the desired SOP Colour for showing. My monitor makes him look a little straw coloured as well. He is not but the colour is not as even copper as I would think is ideal. I am just learning as I go as well Hope this helps.

Nice step forward on your Roo ,,, looks like he's got some nice points,,, like his back length and tail set, is he as wide across his back as he looks ?

 

[Zanna]

Nice step forward on your Roo ,,, looks like he's got some nice points,,, like his back length and tail set, is he as wide across his back as he looks ?

Thank you for the compliment but the only credit I can take is getting the show program, finding the owners phone #, calling her the Sat. night of the show and asking her if she would consider selling the young cockeral to me. I ended up spending a chunk of change and coming home with the two roos and a daughter/sister and happy as a clam

And yes, he is very wide across the back.

 

[Chickengirl1304]

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