Black Copper Marans discussion thread

[Natalijaasbj]

Hi! I am a new chickens owner who intends to breed and let my chicken reproduce themselves in order to have a sustainable flock. I have a "lead" Copper Maran rooster now (all my chickens are about 4 months old) - very beautiful colors, perfect for the breeding, but quite "bossy" . I also have other roosters who are calmer but not so "perfect" in their colors and body shape. I mean they are fine, but he is the MOST beautiful ffor sure. I have heard that this "bossiness" is pretty usual for adolescent rooster trying to "affirm" his leading position. How long should I wait for him to settle down when I CAN say that it is his "constant" trait or not. Because I wish him to be a main "breeding" bird(I can not have multiple roosters - seems I have 6 from 11 chickens now). I think though that it is important for breeding to have a "calmer" character, not only perfect coloring and body shape.
Thank you for ANY advice on breeding)

 

[Natalijaasbj]

edited

 

[Theocons123]

I do not know how to determine what type of hen I have, I think it is a copper black maran. It has a copper neck and its feathers shine from black to blue in the sun. But her eggs are mid brown and this eggs colour is completely different ,I have had a few chalky shell from her this always happens if she hasn't laid an egg the day before.
The eggs has the same ring around it everytime and though it is just occasional it is odd as her other are darker than the strange ring! Can anyone help me find out what is wrong with my eggs? Or what type of hen she is?

 

[Scottyballs]

Both the whitish and brown eggs are both from my sex links..

 

[Runawaylobster]

I do not know how to determine what type of hen I have, I think it is a copper black maran. It has a copper neck and its feathers shine from black to blue in the sun. But her eggs are mid brown and this eggs colour is completely different ,I have had a few chalky shell from her this always happens if she hasn't laid an egg the day before.
The eggs has the same ring around it everytime and though it is just occasional it is odd as her other are darker than the strange ring! Can anyone help me find out what is wrong with my eggs? Or what type of hen she is?

I can't tell you why but i CAN tell you that i have a couple of Marans pullets doing the same thing, nor sure about the second day thing because they are all in the same pen.

 

[DMRippy]

I get eggs linked that when I find them in the run or the coop floor. I don't know why. it is not extra calcium. there is a chemical reaction to the poop that causes it I think. they will not hatch but taste like eggs.

 

[Theocons123]

I can't tell you why but i CAN tell you that i have a couple of Marans pullets doing the same thing, nor sure about the second day thing because they are all in the same pen.

Mine is a pullet that started laying a month ago! Maybe it is something that happens when they start laying? Some weird maran irregularity?

 

[Runawaylobster]

Mine is a pullet that started laying a month ago! Maybe it is something that happens when they start laying? Some weird maran irregularity?

I would also concur with DMRippy, definitely there is a chemical reaction from the run floor. But I do find them in the clean nest boxes as well so
I think we may be looking at two different problems. I just decided that i would never set any of those eggs so that one day whatever it is, if
it's genetic it will be eliminated from the flock. Actually i just made myself a rule to only set the darkest eggs now as well.

 

[Broad St Farm]

T

I would also concur with DMRippy,  definitely there is a chemical reaction from the run floor.   But I do find them in the clean nest boxes as well so
I think we may be looking at two different problems.     I just decided that i would never set any of those eggs so that one day whatever it is, if
it's genetic it will be eliminated from the flock.      Actually i just made myself a rule to only set the darkest eggs now as well.

I personally think its more dietary issues. Either to much calcium, to low protein, poor quality food or a combination. My birds never laid eggs like that. Since I know Marans need higher protein levels I will mix chick feed in with layer feed. I had to skimp for a time because money is tight. I just used cheap layer feed. I started getting a lot of those chalky eggs. When I switched back to better food, less calcium and higher protein it went away within 2 weeks.

 

[DeltaBluezTess]

I had couple of those chalky eggs so marked them and put them in the incubator to see what would happen. They were not fertile and just rotted. The other dark eggs pretty much hatched.... I could not figure out what happened but the only two things I could come up with where either one hen was broody then started laying and was thin from being broody or the other hen was off her feed for a day....not sick but mopey, then was fine. They had layer, oyster shells, COB and greens.

It happened in the late winter and not anymore. Both were on the ground and not in the nest box and one was next to the water bowl and the ground was wet.