Black Copper Marans discussion thread

[Wynette]

I have wondered about eye color also and like you I had thought pearl eye meant a whitish pearl color

I have one boy whose eyes are very dark, nearly black at 6 months. What would that be called and would it be a fault or a DQ?

Maybe someone could post pictures of eyes that are correct and those that are DQ or faults?

It's common in Marans...I have birds from a breeder where EVERY one of them had eyes that looked practically black. It's just yet anoter of the things that we need to cull for.

It's difficult for me, as I always want them to be a darker reddish brown - they call for "bay" - in a horse, the color bay is dark reddish brown - very dark. In Marans, the eye should be pumpkin colored - orange, if you will. Let me see if I have any close enough pics. If I do, I'll post in a bit; if not, I'll get some tonight of some that are too dark, and some that are correct.

 

[Scottyballs]

How do my girls look?

 

[PrairieK]

Hi, I bought 6 straight run BCM from a local breeder. 2 have feathered legs and the rest do not. I am not familiar with the breed and am new to chickens. I originally got them only because of the color eggs they lay. But reading how proud everyone is of their birds gives me more appreciation of the breeds themselves. I have two that look like this. I'm assuming they are roosters. It's the two with the feathered legs. They are not the greatest pictures but what do y'all think?

This is all the same bird. They are about 10 weeks old.

 

[Zanna]

Hi, I bought 6 straight run BCM from a local breeder. 2 have feathered legs and the rest do not. I am not familiar with the breed and am new to chickens. I originally got them only because of the color eggs they lay. But reading how proud everyone is of their birds gives me more appreciation of the breeds themselves. I have two that look like this. I'm assuming they are roosters. It's the two with the feathered legs. They are not the greatest pictures but what do y'all think?



This is all the same bird. They are about 10 weeks old.

Cockeral.

 

[starlingdaly]

Hi you guys! I am starting a breeding flock of BCMs to the SOP (well, French standards anyway) and have 15 eggs in the incubator due to hatch this weekend. I will not be keeping all of them for many reasons (1, I'm sure they won't all be SOP 2, I want a flock from many sources to prevent inbreeding and already have three sources)
So I was wondering what we the most obvious DQ that I could see in the first weeks? Eye color? Toe hairs? Too much white in the wings?
I ask because there is a flock swap soon in town and I would love to be able to cull the obvious ones and sell them while they are young.
Thanks for your thoughts!
Super new to the pure breeding game.

 

[Zanna]

Hi you guys! I am starting a breeding flock of BCMs to the SOP (well, French standards anyway) and have 15 eggs in the incubator due to hatch this weekend. I will not be keeping all of them for many reasons (1, I'm sure they won't all be SOP 2, I want a flock from many sources to prevent inbreeding and already have three sources)
So I was wondering what we the most obvious DQ that I could see in the first weeks? Eye color? Toe hairs? Too much white in the wings?
I ask because there is a flock swap soon in town and I would love to be able to cull the obvious ones and sell them while they are young.
Thanks for your thoughts!

Super new to the pure breeding game.

In the first couple of weeks you can't tell a lot. I would cull for any visible comb sprigs, mossiness (brown feathers), feathers on the middle toe or no feathers at all on the legs. White in wing feathers is normal and usually molts out later, eye colour changes until the birds are older. Now in saying that, last year I culled all chicks at hatch with middle toe feathers and questioned whether I should have (both Mom and Dad had correct feathering). This year I am test mating two new boys that both have tufts on their middle toes, none of my hens do. I am hatching greater numbers this year and am keeping all of the young for much longer before my first culling (3-4 months old). I have not kept track of all the details in all of the chicks but I know that some that were hatched with a middle toe feather lost it and they have the correct feathering now. A few looked mossy at 2-3 weeks old and I was looking at them last night on the roost and none look mossy, just a few pullets so far with a little colour on their chest where it should not be. They are going to a layer home Friday My experiences are limited to my own and I am learning as I go so hopefully this helped and not confused you!

 

[starlingdaly]

In the first couple of weeks you can't tell a lot.  I would cull for any visible comb sprigs, mossiness (brown feathers), feathers on the middle toe or no feathers at all on the legs.  White in wing feathers is normal and usually molts out later, eye colour changes until the birds are older.  Now in  saying that, last year I culled all chicks at hatch with middle toe feathers and questioned whether I should have (both Mom and Dad had correct feathering).  This year I am test mating two new boys that both have tufts on their middle toes, none of my hens do.  I am hatching greater numbers this year and am keeping all of the young for much longer before my first culling (3-4 months old).  I have not kept track of all the details in all of the chicks but I know that some that were hatched with a middle toe feather lost it and they have the correct feathering now.  A few looked mossy at 2-3 weeks old and I was looking at them last night on the roost and none look mossy, just a few pullets so far with a little colour on their chest where it should not be.  They are going to a layer home Friday   My experiences are limited to my own and I am learning as I go so hopefully this helped and not confused you! 

It helped a lot!!
I will try only culling for comb sprigs and clean legs until they are older
I am hoping none hatch clean legged but you just never know!!
Oh well, I can technically get more out of them if selling when they are older, though I won't sell many roos so they will just have to be dinner

Also, when not breeding to SOP, what have been your favorite BCM crosses? I thought it would be fun to have a couple of true Ameraucanas, a Welsummer, and a Barnevelder in the BCM group (all pullets/ hens so I can see by egg color).

 

[heirloomorps]

I like crossing with Ameraucanas - the babies will be Olive Eggers. Just another fun color to add into the egg box!

 

[starlingdaly]

I like crossing with Ameraucanas - the babies will be Olive Eggers. Just another fun color to add into the egg box!

That is exactly what I would like next year

 

[Brada Puhi]

Aloha kakou,

I am a newbie and all, but just remember, people like the marans for the dark dark eggs. So to us regular people, the darkness of the egg should be the number one consideration in culling females.

One more thing, not sure if it is possible, but if there ever was a rooster who didn't crow, he'd be the sire of all my chickens hoping the mutation would transfer to the next generation. Us city folks would love a non-crowing rooster, even if he was ugly.

peace out, puhi