Black Copper Marans discussion thread

[MARANMAN2011]

I think the top is a pullet, bottom roo

 

[scflock]

Definitely NOT and expert, but It seems that there is lot's of wheaten in them. Should be coppery, not yellow in color. Also much too much color for age. Should be almost all black at this age. But if for eggs, just enjoy

Two of my adult roosters..... I thing one is too dark even though I love the deep red, and one has too much color so I am still trying. The three lower pics are of some past young birds of mine.

Overall, BCMs are frustrating!

PS the one on the feeder looks like a pullet

I thought they were too yellow, as well. That's why I was watching the darker one. I thought it was a pullet for a while, but the comb and wattles are so much larger than the 4 that I am sure are pullets

My first BIG concern is that 2 of the cockerels have green feet. That means their skin is yellow and that is a HUGE NO NO. If they came from the same breeder 100% of the others carry yellow skin genes. It is recessive and will not express without 2 copies and for sure where ever they came from the sire carried the gene and one hen did too. I would eat them and start over.

Sorry, I know you didn't expect to hear that but yellow skin is a gene that is very hard to remove and you also don't have any idea where the yellow came from, no telling what is in the gene pool.

That's not what I expected to hear, but that's the kind of criticism I wanted. I don't have any experience with these birds, and I knew if there was something obviously off that someone here could point that out. My #1 goal was to get the dark eggs, but I will also be selling chicks, and if something is that off I don't want to spread that out in my area. I will keep them for now, and hope that their eggs are as dark as the ones they came from just for the color in the basket. As far as breeding and selling, I will do more research and maybe see if I can start over with some fertile eggs. I'm not experienced with correct birds, but I can hatch eggs, so it would be worth paying for expensive eggs if I knew they were going to start me off on the right foot. I have a few different flocks of birds that I sell for average laying hen prices, but the BCMs are the first I have ever had that I want to start selectively breeding, so thanks for the input.

PS- I hope the two roos in question are both pullets, but comparing to the others I think they are fellas

 

[berkeleysprings]

All the previous posts being said (written?)...properly feathered shanks and outer toes bred together will sometimes produce a clean-legged chick which does not meet SOP.  Those birds are still great dark egg layers with all the other wonderful Marans characteristics and are welcomed into layer and pet flocks.  Just not breeders!

I was taught if you breed two . With proper shank and toe feathering and every once I. A wile you get a Clean Shank chick its because one of the two parents. Carry only copy out of the 2 genes required for toe feathers. It will be very radom. 1 out of 10 or 20. Correct me if I'm wrong. And its hard to weed out of flock.

 

[snaffle]

They are both supposed to be the same age. But thanks for everybody's responses.

I wouldnt doubt for a second that they are from the same hatch. It is possible that one hatched earlier than the other (still from the same batch.)

I have had chicks hatch one day... and others in the same hatcher... finally hatch 2 or even 3 days later.

I think one looks like a pullet and one looks like a rooster. I betcha you will be able to tell easier in another week... maybe 2 weeks. I think it takes awhile for them to mature enough to tell anyway.

 

[Ebove06]

I wouldnt doubt for a second that they are from the same hatch. It is possible that one hatched earlier than the other (still from the same batch.)

I have had chicks hatch one day... and others in the same hatcher... finally hatch 2 or even 3 days later. 

I think one looks like a pullet and one looks like a rooster. I betcha you will be able to tell easier in another week... maybe 2 weeks.  I think it takes awhile  for them to mature enough to tell anyway.

Okay, I will post pictures of them in 2 weeks. Thanks!

 

[DMRippy]

Quote:
The 4 you posted were all cockerels. Just an FYI..... expensive does not correlate to good quality. I have seen some VERY VERY Expensive eggs being peddled as high quality and that is the farthest from the truth and you couldn't give me those eggs or chicks.

 

[DMRippy]

Quote:
I personally find leg feathering easy to fix when it does pop up. I don't cull for that quickly unless I have more to pick from. I would NEVER use a cockerel with clean legs.

 

[scflock]

The 4 you posted were all cockerels.   Just an FYI..... expensive does not correlate to good quality.  I have seen some VERY VERY Expensive eggs being peddled as high quality and that is the farthest from the truth and you couldn't give me those eggs or chicks. 

Yes, looking at my group of 8 it's obvious those four are cockerels. BCMs are hard to find in my area, so I have been looking online for a place to order from. I'm not in a hurry, so I have time to find just the right ones. I've checked here on BYC some, but haven't found much yet. I'm not real fond of gambling on eBay. I don't see a place on Bev Davis' site to order directly from her. The most interesting I have seen are what I think is Wade Jeanes original line that has changed hands, at least that's what I gathered from the website. I am definitely open to suggestions if anyone has recommendations. Like I said, I've been a hobby farmer for several years, but the BCMs are the first birds I have ever seen that I want to get serious about.
I thank you for your honest criticism of the ones I have

 

[berkeleysprings]

I personally find leg feathering easy to fix when it does pop up.  I don't cull for that quickly unless I have more to pick from.  I would NEVER use a cockerel with clean legs.

I don't know how to quickly or easily take care of it when you have one rooster in 12 pens I mean hens you have to separately breed each one 10 to 20 times and hatch the eggs and see which one throws A chick with clean legs what is your method

 

[DMRippy]

Quote: I am not sure I understand your question. I always make sure my cock/erels are well feathered. I don't worry too much about the pullets but do prefer they have some feathered legs..... I will use a perfect pullets with clean legs. I rarely get clean legs.

My cuckoo Marans (was VERY hard to get any with feathered legs) I have a HEAVILY feathered cock (middle toes too) and he NEVER throws clean leg chicks, even though some of the hens are clean.