Black Copper Marans discussion thread

[scflock]

With the level of experience and knowledge that I've seen here, I doubt it, but I guess there's always the chance, Sherman's new home won't be ready to take him until mid-April so I've got some time to spend with the little guy, and the gender will be absolutely unmistakable by then. Will keep ya posted!

No, I was being serious. The wattles were what made me think rooster, but some of my own hens have surprised me

 

[WashingtonWino]

No, I was being serious. The wattles were what made me think rooster, but some of my own hens have surprised me

I guess we'll find out! If I hear crowing, I'll post back. When do hackle feathers grow in usually?

 

[snaffle]

Thanks everyone! My little rooster has a great home lined up for when he gets a bit bigger. I'll keep him until he starts to crow (or by some miracle, decides to be a pullet, very unlikely). The thing that is throwing me off is that a few days after posting that picture, several of the other pullets' combs popped out and went pink, and several sets of wattles appeared. How bad could sexing be on five lousy chickens?! How confusing.

Thanks for your input on my little guy! I really appreciate it.

Last summer I wanted to make sure I kept 4 females out of the last batch I was planning to sell. I checked wing feathers. Two rows means one sex...a single row means the other sex. I was so sure I had it right. As those 4 chicks grew I realized I had kept 4 roosters...and not 4 hens.

 

[DMRippy]

Quote:
OR since feather sexing has to be breed for by breeding a slow feathering bird to a fast feathering bird (not sure the order of that but it has to be the right way) that random feather sexing really does not work.

 

[johnderosa1]

Need some help from the experts. I am ready to set some really round eggs and cant tell which end is which... The only clue I have is that one end is darker than the other...some pigment spots etc. Any thoughts on which end would have the air cell?

 

[Alaskan]

Need some help from the experts. I am ready to set some really round eggs and cant tell which end is which... The only clue I have is that one end is darker than the other...some pigment spots etc. Any thoughts on which end would have the air cell?

you need a very strong flashlight, and then you should maybe be able to find the aircell.

It is however, VERY difficult, either guess, or if you aren't at all sure, then incubate sideways for the first 2 or 3 days, at which point maybe the aircell will be large enough that you can see it, and then you can switch to incubating upright.

The main reason that you want to incubate upright is that sometimes the air cell looses its anchoring... so it floats about... you want that air cell to re-attach in the correct spot, or you might loose chicks at hatch.

 

[FVRM]

Need some help from the experts. I am ready to set some really round eggs and cant tell which end is which... The only clue I have is that one end is darker than the other...some pigment spots etc. Any thoughts on which end would have the air cell?

try feeling it with your hands and close your eyes. thats what i did and they all felt bigger/fatter on one side (air cell) than the other.

 

[johnderosa1]

try feeling it with your hands and close your eyes. thats what i did and they all felt bigger/fatter on one side (air cell) than the other. 

They really are very symmetrical...i am certain that the coloring is a clue. Just not sure which end is darker. I am thinking it gets lighter as it passes through. If that is the case, does the large end come out first or the small end?

 

[DMRippy]

Quote:
The fat end comes out first..... the opposite of what you think.

 

[johnderosa1]

The fat end comes out first..... the opposite of what you think.

Makes sense...lighter on the s end??? I read that the egg rotates to large end right at the end... When is the final coat of " paint " added in BCMs?