Black Copper Marans discussion thread

[snowbird]

Ah, ok, so you are not necessarily recommending raising the temp just for hatching but rather throughout, to bring them out of the egg faster?

Barb, In a few days I will post a Picture of the chicks I have already. I see a lot about them I do not like so will picture them in my profile page under chicks. Will post a picture at least once a month. Normally I would cull these right off but will grow out these and two or three other hatches just to see how they change. My Marans usually have a lot of leg feathering but these are not very well feathered. They will work ok for a study.

 

[bribre]

I just hatched out some chicks from a locale breeders eggs and I got a little white one. Is this a wheaten marans?

 

[bribre]

I just hatched out some chicks from a locale breeders eggs and I got a little white one. Is this a wheaten marans?

 

[bribre]

Sorry double post I don't know how to take the one down...

 

[BarnGoddess01]

Quote:
If you aren't getting any development at all, I would question your boy's fertility. For whatever reason, he doesn't seem to be getting the job done. To be sure, you could try AI but that may not be your cup of tea. How old are the birds involved? What is his diet and that of the ladies? Have you ever seen him doing the deed?

 

[BarnGoddess01]

Quote:
I've got 11 Blue Coppers and 11 Blue Birchens growing out right now. They are just two weeks old. Many with some SERIOUS street sweepers. Just one clean legged Blue Birchen and only a couple more with sparse feathering. LOADS of black. Just 1 splash in the whole lot and very few blue. I haven't got a clue what to expect from the Blue Birchens but I am curious to grow them out. Definitely some chunky little monkeys in the brooder this time around. Southern birds, it seems, are full of beans!!

 

[marquisella]

No, wheaten chicks are yellow. It might be splash, hard to tell though.

I just hatched out some chicks from a locale breeders eggs and I got a little white one. Is this a wheaten marans?

 

[marquisella]

Quote: Bulls eyes indicate that the semen from the rooster entered the yolk, it does not necessarily mean that his semen is viable. The test is whether you are getting chicks or not. No chicks means the roo isn't fertile. Rooster sometimes go through infertile periods. Cold, too hot, maybe he is sick but not enough for one to notice. Put in another rooster & see if he makes chicks. If he does, then you know your original rooster isn't fertile for whatever reason. Or, sometimes a hen will not let a rooster breed her. But, you will get fertile eggs from the other hens in the flock. If you can separate a hen, mark her eggs, and then see if they develop, you will know if she is letting the roo breed her or not.

Shipped eggs are another matter all together. Who knows what they go through in transit. I find that Marans eggs for whatever reason, don't take shipping as well as other breeds do.

 

[bribre]

No, wheaten chicks are yellow. It might be splash, hard to tell though.

Sweet a splash that's kool. Why would a splash show up in a BCM line?

 

[Turkeytruff]

If you aren't getting any development at all, I would question your boy's fertility. For whatever reason, he doesn't seem to be getting the job done. To be sure, you could try AI but that may not be your cup of tea. How old are the birds involved? What is his diet and that of the ladies? Have you ever seen him doing the deed?

yes that is my thought, but then I thought that bullseyes meant it was fertile AND viable (until I read marquisella's comments below). He does mate with them; he is probably 1 1/2 years old (person I got them from said he was a year old then). I wouldn't have a clue how to do AI LOL! I'd rather get another rooster and have been looking around with no success so far. His diet is FF, 18% and 25% waterfowl and turkey grower, ACV, sprouted wheat and barley grains, scraps, & mealworms and free ranging. He is shiny and healthy and full of energy.

Bulls eyes indicate that the semen from the rooster entered the yolk, it does not necessarily mean that his semen is viable. The test is whether you are getting chicks or not. No chicks means the roo isn't fertile. Rooster sometimes go through infertile periods. Cold, too hot, maybe he is sick but not enough for one to notice. Put in another rooster & see if he makes chicks. If he does, then you know your original rooster isn't fertile for whatever reason. Or, sometimes a hen will not let a rooster breed her. But, you will get fertile eggs from the other hens in the flock. If you can separate a hen, mark her eggs, and then see if they develop, you will know if she is letting the roo breed her or not.

Shipped eggs are another matter all together. Who knows what they go through in transit. I find that Marans eggs for whatever reason, don't take shipping as well as other breeds do.

thank you for this; I am definitely going to have to get another rooster to check this out if the next lot of eggs don't hatch either! He is such a good roo, it's a shame; lovely with the hens, finding them food, watching out for danger, etc. He seems very healthy - so you are saying that the sperm count in roosters can go down if they get too hot or cold?? Like in humans? I'll need to get him to stop wearing those tight underpants...