Black Copper Marans discussion thread

[Red Banks]

I have 5 hens and 3 roos, the roos are different ages as I got two batches of 10 from them, none are laying yet. I will try to get better photos, 3 of the hens have hardly any copper on them at all but they are all friendly and healthy. Funny enough when I first got them home they all followed my son around like he was their mama, I have never seen that with chicks before especially from ones we didnt even hatch, I'll have to find the video and post it.

Here are 2 of our hens and our biggest roo


I love this photo because of the way my bielefelders are posed in the background, funny!

Love the photo bombing Bielefelders!

 

[chickengr]

In North America the first variety that made its way across the sea was the the Cuckoo Marans. The Fugate line of Cuckoo arrived in 1960 several other Cuckoo lines were brought over from Europe in the decades that followed. The Black Copper Marans has only been in North America for about 15 years. All the White Marans in North America were developed from sport whites from Cuckoo and Black Copper lines in the USA. The Wheaten Marans lines in the USA all decend for sports too. The Black Tailed Buff are breed from the Wheaten Lines, The Silver Birchen are breed from crosses of Cuckoo and Black Copper Lines. I am not sure on the Black Variety but it could also be breed from Cuckoo Black Copper crosses. I am also not sure about the blue variety some of the imports must have had some blues in with them. The silver and gold duckwing (golden Salmon) were started from sports from other lines. Some of the varieties that are not recognized by the French Maran Club like the Isabell color were created buy outcrossing Marans to other breeds and then attempting to breed them back to the standard. Out crossing ruins the breed in my opinion. I know a breeder that out crossed his Marans to increase vigor then spent 5 years trying to breed them back to the breed standard but could never get the darker egg color back so he got rid of the flock. If you want "real Marans" stick with the lines that are not outcrossed.

I tried to find information about the origins of marans. it seems that black and wheaten were among the first colours. I hate outcrossed breeds, too. I have BCM pullet and cockerel that look good and hope to mate them. I have just lost another pullet that didn't have good colouring but was meant for OE. I plan to cross 2 araucanas, 1 NN and maybe silky/araucana cross (besides BCM) with my BCM boy. I cannot wait to have a colourful basket!

 

[OneMountainAcres]

I've started plotting to fire up the incubator again. The garage brooder got empty again after this weekend so obviously, I had to put something in it again lol. My new Marans roo is getting picked on pretty good by the flock so I decided, I'll hatch out some marans babies. 1. I can see how dark of an egg color he carries, 2. I can see how well the babies grow out from him and how their color is, and 3. If he's never accepted into the flock, one of his sons can replace him since it's easier to integrate a young cockerel than an adult. I have my two Marans ladies out there in the brooder now. As soon as their eggs are infertile, I'll add Tucker then work on collecting to hatch maybe I'll be able join the new years hatch along with them

 

[chickengr]

I have been given these eggs to hatch:


this pic is not good, their colour is around #4 or #5. they have been laid by hens that are not too young. when I was at the breeders place in february the marans's eggs were a bit darker. if I do hatch some pullets will they lay a bit darker eggs?

 

[LogCabinFarm]

i[/B]this is fat boy and he is almost 1 yr old ,his father is Nashville - I been working with this cottage hill Line for a few years now and I am pretty happy with it

 

[Ravynscroft]

i[/B]this is fat boy and he is almost 1 yr old ,his father is Nashville - I been working with this cottage hill Line for a few years now and I am pretty happy with it

Very nice looking boy!!

 

[Red Banks]

i[/B]this is fat boy and he is almost 1 yr old ,his father is Nashville - I been working with this cottage hill Line for a few years now and I am pretty happy with it

I had a Bouvier named Fat Boy! He is gorgeous!

 

[LogCabinFarm]

Thanks guys as you know there is always room for improvement. I would like darker eggs from my hens

 

[Chooks man]

Hi there. nice rooster with mass ,can you please take a close shot of him, his comb, side shot ,his legs ,his back and the rear so we can evaluate him thoroughly . thanks

 

[thick chick]

Is it normal for a french black copper maran chick at 4 weeks to have a few white wing feathers