Black Copper Marans discussion thread

[xlboergoats]

Omg!! As I was typing that she left me this!! Haha and she layed it in my shed

Bless her little heart. I told you that it shouldn't be long. Who would have thought it. Congratulations!!!!!!

Ernie Haire
Arp, Texas
www.Marans2XL.com

 

[Chickengirl1304]

Bless her little heart. I told you that it shouldn't be long. Who would have thought it. Congratulations!!!!!!


Ernie Haire
Arp, Texas
www.Marans2XL.com

Haha thanks I never knew how happy I'd be to get a chicken egg lol

 

[ResQsue12]

My BC Marans

 

[snowbird]

My BC Marans

If you would like a critique it will take some picture that are more clear.

 

[xlboergoats]

If you would like a critique it will take some picture that are more clear.

Unless there is something that can't be seen in this picture, I love your pullet. She has the body and "type" that we breed for. I can't tell much about her color, but I am sure that it is fine. I like females with nicely colored hackles, but will take "type" over color anytime.

We had a well known judge who judges alot of Marans put it into words for us at a show one day. After he had judged all of the chickens we asked about a the way that he placed a particular set of our chickens. He placed the one that we loved below the one that we liked. The one that we liked was a really nice bird, but had very little color in her hackles. He said that he made his decision based on "type". He said, "type makes the chicken, color makes the variety". Since that day, we have lived by his rule.

Regards,
Ernie Haire
Arp, Texas
www.Marans2XL.com

 

[snowbird]

Unless there is something that can't be seen in this picture, I love your pullet. She has the body and "type" that we breed for. I can't tell much about her color, but I am sure that it is fine. I like females with nicely colored hackles, but will take "type" over color anytime.

We had a well known judge who judges alot of Marans put it into words for us at a show one day. After he had judged all of the chickens we asked about a the way that he placed a particular set of our chickens. He placed the one that we loved below the one that we liked. The one that we liked was a really nice bird, but had very little color in her hackles. He said that he made his decision based on "type". He said, "type makes the chicken, color makes the variety". Since that day, we have lived by his rule.

Regards,
Ernie Haire
Arp, Texas
www.Marans2XL.com

Ernie, what about the white ear lobes showing. Male might even have them also. We need a picture. There are Judges of all types.

 

[xlboergoats]

Ernie, what about the white ear lobes showing. Male might even have them also. We need a picture. There are Judges of all types.

I see the frosty looking ear lobes and hope that it is the picture. White ear lobes are a real problem. That is one of the things that I was thinking when I wrote, unless there is something that I cannot see in the picture. Sprigs on the combs would also be something that I cannot see in this picture.

Pictures can always be deceiving. If you look closely at the Black Copper in my avatar, he seems to have a white tail feather. It is not white, it is the light in the barn. He is the same cockerel that was Best of Variety, Best of Breed, Best Continental, and Overall Reserve Champion Large Fowl at the State Fair of Texas.

As far as judges, we have seen all types. There are and will always be some whose opinions I value more than others. It is always there job for the day.

Regards,
Ernie Haire
Arp, Texas
www.Marans2XL.com

 

[SIMZ]

Hi everyone!

Within the last week I've noticed that my 9 month old BCM rooster has a half-white feather in his tail.

At first I thought it was dirt/poop, but now I see that the bottom half of the feather is white.

I've always understood this to be a DQ, and a white feather on a BCM is the end of the world (from breeding that bird, anyway). Am I correct or does this fall under a fault and he can still be worked with.

Thanks!

 

[xlboergoats]

Hi everyone!

Within the last week I've noticed that my 9 month old BCM rooster has a half-white feather in his tail.

At first I thought it was dirt/poop, but now I see that the bottom half of the feather is white.

I've always understood this to be a DQ, and a white feather on a BCM is the end of the world (from breeding that bird, anyway). Am I correct or does this fall under a fault and he can still be worked with.

Thanks!

Sometimes, white feathers will grow in where a black feather was. Many times, this is in a place that has been injured. If you pull the white feather out, a new one will grow back in a few weeks. As long as it is there, it will not be replaced until the bird molts. Don't get too discouraged. There is hope.

It has been a big discussion lately amongst the Marans breeders who show, We were working on writing a set of Standards for the Black Birchen when white feathers came up in the discussion. There is nothing in our Standards about disqualifying a Black Copper Marans due to a white feather. I did not believe it myself, but I looked it up.

Again we are back to personal preferences and goals. We have always culled birds that had white feathers as adults if they were not replaced by black feathers when removed. I have seen Black Coppers with white in their tails or wings place well in shows and always wondered how a judge could do that. Now I know.

Ernie Haire
Arp, Texas
www.Marans2XL.com

 

[Stephaniemac]

hi all! I am pretty new to this site and to hatching BCs. I had a dozen BC eggs shipped to Maine from TN at the end of December and on Friday (day 23! in the incubator) we had a little one hatch. This is the only baby that hatched, humidity and temp were all monitored daily with two different thermometers and were always fine! I know it is very hard to tell but any guesses on if we have a hen or roo? Any pointers on keeping a single chick healthy and happy? Do their legs typically darken as they grow or did I get a mutt? It doesn't matter to me either way except for when we start hatching eggs to sell chicks we just wouldn't sell babies from "her" eggs as true BC's. We will be setting more eggs this week from our BC girls this time, no more shipped eggs! So hopefully in a few weeks we will have some playmates for this little one!