Black Copper Marans discussion thread

[OleMissChic]

He's a splash, you will get 100% blues.

Woohoo! thank you!

 

[marquisella]

Quote: Yes, they are mine. Unfortunately all my hens eggs aren't as dark.

 

[banjomoon]

We just got 5 BC Maran chicks! They are a little over a week old and are so far doing very well. We brought them home from the farm in a bucket!

 

[OleMissChic]

Yes, they are mine. Unfortunately all my hens eggs aren't as dark.

Wow, spectacular egg color!

 

[OleMissChic]

We just got 5 BC Maran chicks! They are a little over a week old and are so far doing very well. We brought them home from the farm in a bucket!

Super cute!

 

[maryhysong]

So I am now down to 5 BCM boys to sort out, from three different breeders. I'll post one or two at a time and would like to hear all comments, the good bad and ugly.

These first two boys were hatched from shipped eggs on Nov 15 so now 6 1/2 months. They were the only two that hatched so I have no related pullets.

First up is Mr. 50, for comparison he has on a #12 bandette. Two weeks ago Mr 50 weighed 6 1/2 pounds, the largest of all my boys. There is no white on him; you are seeing some flash reflection and where somebody pooped on him.
















Mr. 50 Pros:
Bigger than the rest, including his hatchmate. nice and wide across the back, he also has thunder thighs, this boy has legs! His back is very flat, has a nice deep chest tho it could be fuller. Correct leg color and full feathering down the outside toe. In the pics it looks like his butt fluff has a brown tinge but I don't see this in real life. Mr 50 is the sweetest boy of the 5. While he isn't a lap chicken he is also not at all skittish and doesn't seem to mind if I reach down for a pat on the back, tho he does walk away. He's the easiest boy in the coop to catch. Am I right in thinking his body type is pretty correct?

Mr. 50 Cons:
Well of course he has too much color and shafting on the breast. A little bit of shading in the hackles, his eye is too dark. I am not sure, is his tail too upright? I think his comb is a little too big and of course it has too many points. I *think* his ear color is ok, it is copper but it has like little black hairs, especially towards the back, but I"m thinking that's ok. Have I missed something?????

Next up is 49er, Mr. 50s hatchmate. Two weeks ago 49er weighed almost exactly one pound less than Mr 50. He is taller than 50 by a smidge. (the yellow/white on his tail feathers in this first pic is some Nustock which I put on to help control feather mites, seems to smother the nits. the other white is light reflections)











49er Pros; He has better coloring, a solid black breast with the exception of 2 or 3 colored and shafted feathers right at the base of the neck, where the hackles part. He is almost as big as Mr. 50, fully feathered down the outside toe (molting right now). His eye color is good and his ear is about the same. 49er is more standoffish, does not want to be too close to me and is the only boy in the pen that has ever tried to jump at me. This occurred twice a couple weeks ago and each time I picked him up, petted and talked to him and carried him around a few minutes. He hasn't tried it since. His comb isn't quite as big as Mr 50s but still too many points. Also I'm wondering which is more correct at the back, how Mr 50s comb curves and follows his head or how 49ers sort of sticks way up out in the air?

49er, Cons: He is shaped differently, standing more up right and with more slope to his back. His legs are a lot lighter colored and even when his feathers are all in they are not as heavy as Mr 50s. He does have some shading in his hackles. What else am I missing?????

edited to correct hatch date and age

 

[Wynette]

Mr. 50 - yep, the shafting would be a deal breaker for me. I think (am not sure, though) that this is a wheaten influence/indicator(?) You are correct on your other comments from what I can see in the pictures. His back appears to be horizontal; it should angle up from his tail up toward his neck at a slight angle. His shanks do not appear to have the pink undertone that they should have. He does have nice color balance, and since size is lacking in many lines, that could be useful.

I personally prefer 49 much more to 50 - just my opinion and I do not claim to be an expert. But - his topline is much cleaner, much more to type (he has the correct angle that I mentioned about that 50 does not have). Eye color is good, shanks are excellent in color. Comb should not follow the head, however, 49 DOES have an exceptionally long blade at the back. I do not believe this would be a fault. I like the fact that he's standoffish & a bit feisty; those make the very best breeders and protectors. By the way, GREAT job on the many different pics/angles - very helpful!

ETA: I like the tail angle on 49 better than 50 also - at least from the pics. Sometimes they don't tell the full story, but I quite like 49.

 

[maryhysong]

Mr. 50 - yep, the shafting would be a deal breaker for me. I think (am not sure, though) that this is a wheaten influence/indicator(?) You are correct on your other comments from what I can see in the pictures. His back appears to be horizontal; it should angle up from his tail up toward his neck at a slight angle. His shanks do not appear to have the pink undertone that they should have. He does have nice color balance, and since size is lacking in many lines, that could be useful.

I personally prefer 49 much more to 50 - just my opinion and I do not claim to be an expert. But - his topline is much cleaner, much more to type (he has the correct angle that I mentioned about that 50 does not have). Eye color is good, shanks are excellent in color. Comb should not follow the head, however, 49 DOES have an exceptionally long blade at the back. I do not believe this would be a fault. I like the fact that he's standoffish & a bit feisty; those make the very best breeders and protectors. By the way, GREAT job on the many different pics/angles - very helpful!

ETA: I like the tail angle on 49 better than 50 also - at least from the pics. Sometimes they don't tell the full story, but I quite like 49.

Wynette, thank you. OK, so shanks should be a bit lighter with a pink undertone, more like 49? (I was thinking 49s was a bit too light ;-) On the back angle I was thinking that flatter would be better, but you are thinking that at least the way he's standing in the pics it looks more correct on 49. I am still learning what to look for and am slowly wading through the things that are good and bad on my birds.

PS I realized I had the wrong hatch date and corrected the original post, should have been Nov 15, so 6 1/2 months

 

[Wynette]

Check the drawings below for comparison - this is what's been posted on the Marans site (the site that gained Marans approval by the APA) to sue for "perfect" type:




Here's from the SOP regarding shank color: Shanks and Toes : Shanks and toes light to mid-slate, showing pink
between the scales. Bottoms of feet pinkish white.

I know that some on here disagree with this, but this is what the SOP says we should breed to; of course, anyone can breed as they see fit.

 

[lonnyandrinda]

I like 49 better, too, although I like the way the comb sits at the back on 50 better. Too bad he doesn't have the weight of 50! Also does 50 have a wry tail or is it just his stance in the photo?