Black Copper Marans discussion thread

[fiddlebanshee]

I'm new to black copper marans chickens. I have 8 6 week olds that I bought straight run from Whitmore Farm in Emmitsburg, MD. All of them have developed pinkish combs. Can someone post pictures of a definite boy and a definite girl at that age so that I can have a sense of how many boys/girls I have. With my luck I may have 8 boys, lol. I will post pictures a little bit later, have to finish my third coop first so that I can make that into a bachelors pad.

 

[marquisella]

I'm new to black copper marans chickens. I have 8 6 week olds that I bought straight run from Whitmore Farm in Emmitsburg, MD. All of them have developed pinkish combs. Can someone post pictures of a definite boy and a definite girl at that age so that I can have a sense of how many boys/girls I have. With my luck I may have 8 boys, lol. I will post pictures a little bit later, have to finish my third coop first so that I can make that into a bachelors pad.

If all your chicks have pinky combs the same now, they are boys....pullets combs stay pale for a much longer time.

 

[fiddlebanshee]

NOT what I wanted to hear, lol.

I will post pictures and take a closer look but I'm starting to feel this pit in my stomach. Pios probably forthcoming later this weekend.

 

[jenniebean123]

Im about to get some chicks from a breeder near ne they are only $3 a piece and i wanna make sure im getting a good chick hers all lay nice dark chocolate colored eggs and she said i can look at her flock but im not sure what i should be looking for i. The chick or her flock i dont know much about the breed what would you be looking for to make sure your getting nice chicks

 

[Alaskan]

It depends on what you want.

If you want a laying flock that will give you good dark eggs, I would
1. Ask her how well they lay for her on average, and also the average age that they start to lay.

Then

2. Look at the eggs, do you like the color. Remember that Marans eggs do get light the longer they have been laying. They are darker after a rest from laying.

If you want to show the birds, then the easiest thing is to look through this thread for good pictures and explanations of what to look for.

 

[Alaskan]

Oh, I should mention that Marans that lay really dark eggs, tend to lay fewer eggs per week.

So, Marans are not egg laying machines, at the same time, it is nice to have some idea of what you should be able to expect from her flock.

 

[sherry1313]

I am new to marans. I want to start a breeding program/flock. I currently have a nice black cooper marans and a white non-mutan marans. Could somebody give me some critques? Thanks!

 

[Wynette]

Hi, Sherry1313 - I'm not sure what a white "non mutan" Marans is...but, it's difficult to provide good feedback based on the pics you posted. They really need to be standing still in a natural pose, and the pics should be taken from the side, at their level if at all possible. Pics from the top (looking down at them), from the back, and from the front are also helpful.

The black copper does seem to have a "halo" on his hackle feathers (where it turns lighter toward the end of the hackle feathers), which is undesirable; however, it's not a very prominent one. His tail is a bit long and may be a bit too upright. Shank feathering appears to be nice.

 

[sherry1313]

Sorry I meant to type non-mutant! I heard there is a difference beween a mutant white marans and a non mutating one that is self-white. Thanks for the information. I have some black cooper marans hens and a couple of blue copper marans hens too. Here are some of their eggs.

 

[DMRippy]

someone on eBay was selling mutant white Marans. I think for an attention getter. recessive white can just pop up. recessive whites are better whites than dominate whites. whites are white no matter.