Black Copper Marans discussion thread

[Chad Cool]

Can someone please explain what Halo everybody talks about is? Can you please post a good Halo and Bad Halo please?

 

[Maggiesdad]

Can someone please explain what Halo everybody talks about is? Can you please post a good Halo and Bad Halo please?

I'll second that question... Here's three sets of hackles to to start with.

 

[Wynette]

Can someone please explain what Halo everybody talks about is? Can you please post a good Halo and Bad Halo please?

There are no good ones; this is something you do NOT want to see in your flock. I haven't the time right now, but if you scroll back through this thread, you'll see some pictures. It's when the copper colored hackle lightens up toward the ends, giving a "halo" effect. It's said to be an indicator of wheaten blood in a Black Copper, which you would not want to breed forward.

ETA - Maggiesdad - the male in the middle of your pic has a "slight" halo; compare him to the male behind him to the right (as well as the one to the left) - see how the male in the background has a hackle the same color, from top to bottom (at least from what I can see).

It's a personal decision on whether to use a male with a halo or not; in my personal opinion, if the halo is NOT pronounced, and IF the male is exceptional in other areas, or has a feature that you desperatedly need to breed into future generations, I would use him. I would not use a male with a VERY pronounced halo. My personal opinion.

 

[chickobsessed]

This girl is 7 wks old and was sold as a BC Marans but I'm not so sure now that I have seen some photos She looks like a cuckoo marans for sure.

 

[Chad Cool]

There are no good ones; this is something you do NOT want to see in your flock.  I haven't the time right now, but if you scroll back through this thread, you'll see some pictures.  It's when the copper colored hackle lightens up toward the ends, giving a "halo" effect.  It's said to be an indicator of wheaten blood in a Black Copper, which you would not want to breed forward.

ETA - Maggiesdad - the male in the middle of your pic has a "slight" halo; compare him to the male behind him to the right (as well as the one to the left) - see how the male in the background has a hackle the same color, from top to bottom (at least from what I can see).

It's a personal decision on whether to use a male with a halo or not; in my personal opinion, if the halo is NOT pronounced, and IF the male is exceptional in other areas, or has a feature that you desperatedly need to breed into future generations, I would use him.  I would not use a male with a VERY pronounced halo.  My personal opinion.

Thank you very very much. Glad you spoke up and tought that class on haloes.

 

[Chickengirl1304]

What does it mean if a
Week old chick has copper on the wings?

 

[Wynette]

What does it mean if a
Week old chick has copper on the wings?

I'm guessing what you are seeing is mossiness; does it look sort of stippled, like a smatering of copper dots? If so, that is mossiness and an indicator of wheaten influence in the line.

See the pic below (I've posted this pic before as I think it's a really good example to see mossiness). These chicks are probably 6 weeks old here. The 2 chicks to the left are not my line, and are EXTREMELY mossy. See the brown in them? The chick to the right is from my line; see how much difference there is? Suffice to say, I did not keep any birds from the breeder I got teh chicks to the left from.

 

[Chickengirl1304]

Thank you. I will post a pic in a bit, too

 

[Chad Cool]

What do you mean by wheaten?

 

[Chickengirl1304]

Here it is