Black Copper Marans discussion thread

[Zanna]

Actually, i would look into breeding the offspring back to the parent. I have not been doing it long enough to get some of my second generation to the point of lay yet but my research (reading) indicates that if you cross different lines the eggs may become lighter but can darken again if line bred back to the parent. maybe someone else can comment on this but this IS one of the things i am working on and discussion would be awesome

I have a Father and Daughter BCM that I purchased last Fall at a show, wanted the Dad and the Daughter was part of the deal. She lays a 4. Because I was doing lots of single matings this year figured breed her back to Dad and see what happens. One of their daughters just started laying and she lays a 6 +. Obviously the genetics are there in this case. Also noteworthy is that this particular now hen lays 5-6 eggs per week. My girls that lay less eggs per week have darker eggs and I think the reasoning is that if they stay in the hen longer, they get more paint. Can anyone else comment on this?

 

[Wynette]

I have a Father and Daughter BCM that I purchased last Fall at a show, wanted the Dad and the Daughter was part of the deal. She lays a 4. Because I was doing lots of single matings this year figured breed her back to Dad and see what happens. One of their daughters just started laying and she lays a 6 +. Obviously the genetics are there in this case. Also noteworthy is that this particular now hen lays 5-6 eggs per week. My girls that lay less eggs per week have darker eggs and I think the reasoning is that if they stay in the hen longer, they get more paint. Can anyone else comment on this?

Yes, that is thought to be true. It's also why we prefer the spherical shape to the eggs; it's thought that a spherical egg will physically take longer to "push" through the system, thus - longer time in the hen, more opportunity for a darker coating to be applied.

 

[chicken pickin]

picken, they look lovely to me!

Thanks! Do you have any idea what number color they range between?

 

[marquisella]

Quote:

 

[marquisella]

Quote: I agree, the faster they go through the painter, the lighter the eggs...slower passing through get more paint & are darker.

 

[happyfrenchman]

That is interesting Runawaylobster...... unfortunately , I do not have the parent. I bought the chicks from a fellow in Dublin Ga. Beautiful birds.... but I never did see the eggs themselves... And I think he got out of the sport because I saw the parent birds for sale about a month later and I should have bought them, but I always knew I was only really gonna be able to keep one Rooster. (I had 14 chicks and 10 roosters) I could have used the two hens to mate to the son. That would do it no?... Right now, there is nothing that I can see to cross back to unless I hatch some of these RIR looking eggs.. I have a seperate line of some Blue coppers. (hens only now). I gave the rooster to a friend of mine. He is gonna give me a BC hen that lays a dark egg... I was pinning my plan B on that... (Plan A was my hope that the eggs from my three Black Copper hens will get darker but they better start soon eh?). Is it possible that they just lay eggs that look like Rhode Island Red eggs.... ?

What is your strategy? What are you working with? I guess you have the Red and Brown Marans.... the Black Coppers? I am very experienced with birds in general and chickens in particular, however I have only ever had Rhode Island Reds and these Marans have more targets to shoot for as far as conformation. Right now I have 15 Blue Copper hen/rooster eggs in my incubator and I candled them and they seem to be good so far.... my blues lay a much darker egg than my blacks, but to be fair, the blacks have not yet laid but an egg or two. If I get a couple of blacks out of that clutch, it would be an outcross again. Maybe mate any black rooster if I get one, back to the blue mother?

 

[jenniebean123]

Ok so dont think im dumb but im new to chickens and really new to fbcm i just got two which unfortantly i think are roos heres hoping im wrong but why is the dark color so important does it effect the taste or chick or is it purely for looks ? Heres a pic of my two 4 week babies

 

[happyfrenchman]

In my opinion, an egg is an egg... they all taste the same...but.... they definitely taste better when you have your own chickens, especially when they can run around in the sun and eat bugs. The dark coloring is a novelty in this country. Alot of people are amazed to see the dark eggs.

But I don't think you will find out from these guys... I would guess you have too young cockerels there... I am more sure about the first one than the second. The second could still be a hen. But the stance is important too. I think the roosters stand up straighter. Like miniature ostriches... The hens have a more flat backed stance.

Mine I was able to sex by the combs pretty early, but I didn't want to believe it. (I counted 10 roosters to 4 hens). Turned out I was right though.

Good luck with your chickens... I hope you can get some hens.

 

[Blarneyeggs]

Just thought I'd post a pic…They looked so cozy together, I see that this boy's eye is too light, his lady's eye is too dark, and the straw color…..

 

[Runawaylobster]

Quote:
Well like most new starters i just tried to get the best i could to begin, but i ended up with several that are supposed to be cottage hill, and several that are supposed to be wade jean, and then a couple of blues that i don't know the line but they are lovely and big and fluffy. I In any case I have kept about 10% of the 120 birds i have been through (that includes wheatens, blue copper and and black copper). Currently I am really liking the ones that are marked cottage hill the best. The ones marked wade jean had alot of all black birds (showing no copper). While I know who is who I really didn't select matings by line and i am now just at the point where my F1 is getting close to laying eggs. So that being said i do expect that the eggs will be lighter but I am expecting if things go according to plan that the F2 bred back to the parent will regain the egg color. I'm about another 6-7 months away from verifying this. If I'm all wrong then i guess i have just wasted alot of time LOL! Meantime I am just having much fun. did you read Zanna's post about her line breeding experiment.. i found it very encouraging.