Black Copper Marans discussion thread

[TammyTX]

I think my BCM is getting close to POL!!!! She will be six months old at the end of November. I have never had a BCM egg before so I am very excited!!

 

[hosspak]

I think my BCM is getting close to POL!!!! She will be six months old at the end of November. I have never had a BCM egg before so I am very excited!!

She still looks young (very small comb)... Our first eggs were from our BCM.... love, Love, LOVE those dark brown eggs and chocolatey taste. You are in for a treat...

 

[Brada Puhi]

Chocolatey taste?

 

[Ihilani Coffee]

Chocolatey taste?

Methinks there is some leg-pulling going on here, Puhi

 

[hosspak]

Chocolatey taste?

Old wive's tale... lol

 

[Ihilani Coffee]

I think my BCM is getting close to POL!!!! She will be six months old at the end of November. I have never had a BCM egg before so I am very excited!!

In my limited experience, the BCM take looooooooooonger to start laying. My golden buff pullets are starting to lay at 20.5 weeks right now and the BCM are starting more like 28 weeks.

 

[DMRippy]

My marans are more often than not the first to start.... unless they are with leghorns haha. I have a pen out back and there are Barred Rocks Wyandottes...... and it is a Marans that has started laying first. Same in another pen. I have Dottes, rocks, orps, Exchequers (they are younger) and the marans started laying first. Now my Isabelle Splits are taking FOR EVER to start laying.

 

[Ihilani Coffee]

My marans are more often than not the first to start.... unless they are with leghorns haha. I have a pen out back and there are Barred Rocks Wyandottes...... and it is a Marans that has started laying first. Same in another pen. I have Dottes, rocks, orps, Exchequers (they are younger) and the marans started laying first. Now my Isabelle Splits are taking FOR EVER to start laying.

I have heard from others that they are slower to mature. In all fairness I have to say that my BCM and BBS Marans were purchased as pullets so the delay may be about the stress of moving. I can speak to my home-raised Marans next year.

 

[Ihilani Coffee]

ihilani - that is very interesting. Do you happen to have any pics of your system that you can share?

We sprout barley in the living room (see the 'bator in the background?) in the winter and outside in summer. Sure helps with the processed feed bill and the meat birds grew well with it too. We just use the nursery trays (that is the top layer of a plastic shelf system you see) and a pump-up sprayer. We water the barley 4-5 times a day and any excess drains into the trays that have no holes (double layer trays).


We always have 7 trays going, since it takes about a week after initial 24 hour soak to get the best nutrient profile. The double reddish trays are on day 7 and will be fed tomorrow. Since adding fresh feed like this "dilutes" the balance of a commercial feed's vitamin/mineral profile, from time to time we add Dynamite Exotic Bird Formula. dynamitespecialty.com/candijohnson for info on that. The moistened barley sprouts are a good base to sprinkle the vitamins on. In stress situations, we can also sprinkle electrolyte powder on them. Hope this helps!

 

[TammyTX]

Methinks there is some leg-pulling going on here, Puhi

WHAT?? No chocolate taste??? ..but.I.LOVE.chocolate. What is the point, then?

hahaha!

I could use a Mocha Cappuccino right NOW !!