Black Copper Marans discussion thread

[RyeRanch]

Wow! Yes, he has NO color. What color egg did he come from? I have never heard of a totally black rooster. I don't even know that I have hens with that little color.

Maybe you could start a new variety - black marans!

 

[heirloomorps]

I see everywhere the posts and problems of TOO MUCH color on a rooster.... is too little just as detrimental? This guy hatched from e-bay eggs, his hatchmate brother is too colorful but this guy has NO color anywhere. The two hatchmate sisters looked great with copper hackles but one was dead in the coop yesterday morning. Hatched Oct 12 so almost 4 months old. Beginning to wonder if he is a late bloomer or maybe a mixed breed? He looks good in every other aspect given his age. Light feathering on his legs, you can't see it in this photo.

I have never seen a BCM roo with no copper before! I have hatched a few hens with no copper but no roos...

 

[DMRippy]

Wow! Yes, he has NO color. What color egg did he come from? I have never heard of a totally black rooster. I don't even know that I have hens with that little color.

Maybe you could start a new variety - black marans!

Not a new variety.... Blue, Black and Splash Marans exist.... not many but they are around.

 

[RyeRanch]

Shows how much I know.. Well congrats you are the proud owner of a very rare BLACK marans! Woohoo

 

[Raven1]

You DO NOT have a black Marans. If he came from/with parents or siblings that have copper he is a Black Copper. He just does not show it but it is in his genes. That is why Solid color Marans are so hard to find because people think if they can not see the copper their bird does not carry it. Believe me it is a big mess.

 

[pinkchick]

I see everywhere the posts and problems of TOO MUCH color on a rooster.... is too little just as detrimental? This guy hatched from e-bay eggs, his hatchmate brother is too colorful but this guy has NO color anywhere. The two hatchmate sisters looked great with copper hackles but one was dead in the coop yesterday morning. Hatched Oct 12 so almost 4 months old. Beginning to wonder if he is a late bloomer or maybe a mixed breed? He looks good in every other aspect given his age. Light feathering on his legs, you can't see it in this photo.

Hi! He is still relatively young and can change alot between now and the time that he is fully mature. I have had birds that do not start showing color until 5-6 mos. of age in both females and males. Give him some more time. If his hatchmates show copper then the odds are he is also copper. Does his tail always lean to the side like this as it is showing in the photo? Here's an example of a Blue Copper Marans cockerel that does not show copper, he carried melanisers that covered his copper making him appear as though he was a solid blue male. He was approx. 6 mos. old in this photo......I kept him until he was about 11 mos. old and by the time he was culled he only had 2 copper feathers in his hackle.

 

[pinkchick]

Sorry..double post.

 

[Runawaylobster]

You DO NOT have a black Marans. If he came from/with parents or siblings that have copper he is a Black Copper. He just does not show it but it is in his genes. That is why Solid color Marans are so hard to find because people think if they can not see the copper their bird does not carry it. Believe me it is a big mess.

is there a way you can test what genes he has by a single mating strategy?

 

[Raven1]

In this case it is not even needed. He said hatchmates, brothers and sisters were coppered and brother to much color so he is without a doubt Black Copper.

 

[lonnyandrinda]

Eggs were a very nice dark color, hatchmates all had copper, I had no reason to doubt he was black copper maran I had just never seen a male with NO copper before. I knew genetically he would not be a Black Marans which are very rare. I already have a boy I like a lot so I think I will let this one go. Getting another boy this weekend, too, in a quad- supposed to be much better hens than the ones I have.

For comparison here's his hatchmate brother, he's going, too- I'm sure he will only get MORE colorful since he's only 4 months. Kills me though, this is the friendliest little guy I have ever had.







And here's my keeper. I've been told he is Mahogany. His comb got froze and he could use better leg feathering, it's there but he's been free ranging so it looks really sparse right now. His tail angle could be a bit lower but he's a good match for my low tailed female. Eye color is good. Quite a hefty fellow. All in all not a bad place to start.


The hen has a touch of mossiness on her wings. Also her eyes are too dark. She lays a 6 on the color scale. I do not know the rooster's egg color. All in all I think they balance each other pretty well. I'm open to comments or suggestions? Excited to get my new ones this weekend and post pictures.