Black Copper Marans discussion thread

[sgtmom52]

Thanks for the heads up. I have a couple of those chalky eggs I was going to put in the incubator. They were laid in the run. *sigh* I have no idea what makes them chalky like that. Is it a chemical reaction or something? I don't find these chalky eggs in my nest boxes, just on the coop floor and in their runs.

The chalky eggs have a heavy "Bloom" on them ~ all eggs have a bloom, some hens are just over achievers when it comes to adding the bloom.



Quote: http://ag.ansc.purdue.edu/poultry/multistate/koelkebeck1.htm

 

[pmwilson3]

Are Marans a duel purpose bird? Does anyone have a breeding regimen that s improving carcase along with dark egg production? I am tryig to decide on a duel purpose breed to establish a new flock. I love the idea of the dark egg.

 

[SIMZ]

Hi everyone!

I've been busy hatching this year from my flock. I'm just getting started and really hoping to improve things for next year. My rooster and one of my hens both have feathers between their middle toes -- just a bit, but they're there. (I'm hoping to start over this year with new stock, by the way.)

Questions:

1)A few of my chicks have light feathers DOWN their middle toes. Will this go away? Stay? Result in that little sprig in between the toes or what?


2) I'm noticing that some of my 2-4 week olds have white tipped feathers on their chests. Is that normal at this age or is that another problem?

I'm limited on space and would like to learn to spot the problems right away.

 

[DeltaBluezTess]

I recently added more BCM to my flock. I see a differences in the lines. I got BCM from three sources.

Of the 8 Ray Valentines lines (chicks) , two have a white feather in their wings....(they are being sold to friends for eggs layers)...two others that are males that look ok BUT I am on the fence on them as they are only about 2 months old....and the last two, one has partial feet (a male and soon gone) and one is stunted.......so the last two hens may make the grade- not white feather, color on neck only and looking square....(I assume white wing feathers are not-standard)....I saw the parents and they looked very nice.

Of the first set of Bev Davis/Jean lines, they are looking nice.....no white that I could as of yet but they are 5 months old ...waiting on them to grow up.....looking to see who is square and proper feathers.....and colorings...none have color on chest, only on the neck....what else should I look for?

The last set are Thom Dean lines and by far, the nicest of the lots. The breeder has have over 4 plus years and hundreds of chicks and weeded out a lot. I got 7 laying hens and 2 roosters....she took the time to explain what she had.... Wide hips, nice vents, dark eggs, the laying process, neck color, no color on chest for hens, rooster size and hen size....that made me go look at my other lines even closer...I really like these as they superb hens and roosters


the eggs that I am getting, I put the darkest to the lightest one, next to a leghorn egg


bad pix of my new hens - late at night.....

Any more tips/education would be greatly appreciated.

Diane Pagel
Carnation, WA

 

[ellymayRans]

I recently added more BCM to my flock. I see a differences in the lines. I got BCM from three sources.

Of the 8 Ray Valentines lines (chicks) , two have a white feather in their wings....(they are being sold to friends for eggs layers)...two others that are males that look ok BUT I am on the fence on them as they are only about 2 months old....and the last two, one has partial feet (a male and soon gone) and one is stunted.......so the last two hens may make the grade- not white feather, color on neck only and looking square....(I assume white wing feathers are not-standard)....I saw the parents and they looked very nice.

Of the first set of Bev Davis/Jean lines, they are looking nice.....no white that I could as of yet but they are 5 months old ...waiting on them to grow up.....looking to see who is square and proper feathers.....and colorings...none have color on chest, only on the neck....what else should I look for?

The last set are Thom Dean lines and by far, the nicest of the lost. The breeder has have over 4 plus years and hundreds of chicks and weeded out a lot. I got 7 laying hens and 2 roosters....she took the time to explain what she had.... Wide hips, nice vents, dark eggs, the laying process, neck color, no color on chest for hens, rooster size and hen size....that made me go look at my other lines even closer...I really like these as they superb hens and roosters


the eggs that I am getting, I put the darkest to the lightest one, next to a leghorn egg


bad pix of my new hens - late at night.....

Any more tips/education would be greatly appreciated.

Diane Pagel
Carnation, WA

In my reading and experience the few wing feathers with white tips are common and expected to molt out by juevi molt..mine that had white tips on wing feathers molted them by their..mmm.. 4th or 5th month of age. This is the same truth with any "mossyness"; I've had that also...also molted out.

 

[Chickengirl1304]

Marans eggs should have a smooth, shiny finish. Not matte/dull.

Ok good because I was seeing some matte ones on here and wondering if my girls shiny eggs are good or bad lol. They're beautiful none the less

 

[DMRippy]

Quote:
I have thought the same thing! The ones I find in the coop are like that but not in the nest boxes. I find the egg to be rough in texture too. She does not lay all the time in the coop but when she does it gets a rough texture and the bloom changes color. I have had eggs with just a thick bloom, these are different. They don't hatch... I don't even try.

 

[maryhysong]

I wanted to tell you... My batteries were really weak on the 400 lumens FL from China. So we bought 2 packs of 3 each 250 Lumens FL from Costco's even came with batteries. So I grabbed one and put the water bottle top on it and it was SO BRIGHT I had to use the lower setting on it.

good to know and if Costco wasn't 70 miles down the road I'd pop right over and grab some

 

[DMRippy]

Quote: They ship

 

[AyeUpChuck]

I have thought the same thing!  The ones I find in the coop are like that but not in the nest boxes. I find the egg to be rough in texture too.  She does not lay all the time in the coop but when she does it gets a rough texture and the bloom changes color.  I have had eggs with just a thick bloom, these are different.  They don't hatch... I don't even try. 

X3 SO glad it's not just me!!! It's like this crazy white bloom! I actually see it in the olive Eggers at times as well? Diet, weather.....extra calcium maybe? But it's like an even spray where most times with other layers the excess calcium seems to just be dotted/speckled over the egg.

Those is milder areas do you find that your color is really dependent I the weather? I'm finding that when we have these crazy weather swings IE Oregon all year my eggs can Go from a 6+ to a 5. It drives me crazy!