Black Copper Marans discussion thread

[gotro17]

Hi! I'm new to this thread and have read through many of the pages... Great information~ thank you!!! Here's my question- I have a mixed flock and am trying to choose cockerels to keep based on temperament (we have small children who love their chickens!). While I know every bird is different, I'm hoping some of you can shed light on the best to keep. I've been growing out a sweet BCM, a lovely Bielefelder, a hyper CCL and am thinking of keeping a lavender Orpington.... Ringo, our BCM boy, has been a sweetie from the start. We have 22 girls, with CCL, Lav Orpingtons, Swedish flower hens, gold laced and blue laced red Wyandottes, EE, australorps and lavender Cochins. I'm interested in keeping the boys mainly for protection of the flock and occasional hatches. They are all currently the same ages...except the lavender Orpington (he's a week old). We have a separate run we can utilize for breeding too. Any suggestions are welcome! Thank you!

 

[One Chick Two]

Hi! I'm new to this thread and have read through many of the pages... Great information~ thank you!!! Here's my question- I have a mixed flock and am trying to choose cockerels to keep based on temperament (we have small children who love their chickens!). While I know every bird is different, I'm hoping some of you can shed light on the best to keep. I've been growing out a sweet BCM, a lovely Bielefelder, a hyper CCL and am thinking of keeping a lavender Orpington.... Ringo, our BCM boy, has been a sweetie from the start. We have 22 girls, with CCL, Lav Orpingtons, Swedish flower hens, gold laced and blue laced red Wyandottes, EE, australorps and lavender Cochins. I'm interested in keeping the boys mainly for protection of the flock and occasional hatches. They are all currently the same ages...except the lavender Orpington (he's a week old). We have a separate run we can utilize for breeding too. Any suggestions are welcome! Thank you!

gotro17, I love BCM roosters. They are usually (at least the lines we've had, and we have had many) docile, easy going, affectionate, sweet natured, great with the hens... integrate great with other males- even of other breeds- if they are raised together. They can be good friends with each other- even sleeping on the roost at night next to each other, and hang out together in groups to help freerange the hens.

I've heard there are some lines that can be aggressive (as in any breed of bird) but, we personally have never had an aggressive BCM male- from any source. We do socialize ours at least a small amount daily, and they are all, everyone, sweet boys who can be scooped up without struggle, and most enjoy some attention. However, with roosters and children in general, common sense caution should always be used. My advice...always be Calm, Cautious and Consistent. Never run from them or allow them to chase people.

It has been my experience with BCM that when the males are exceptionally easy going and nice, they usually stay that way (some can go through teenage "testing," or something can happen, etc.) A lot of how the male acts will depend on how we cope with challenging times. Most often, those males who "chose" to be my special boys never changed their attitude toward us, even when they grew well into adulthood.

Usually you will want 1 male to 7-10 female ratio so the hens don't become too overmated.

Good luck with your group!

 

[chickengr]

gotro17, I love BCM roosters. They are usually (at least the lines we've had, and we have had many) docile, easy going, affectionate, sweet natured, great with the hens... integrate great with other males- even of other breeds- if they are raised together. They can be good friends with each other- even sleeping on the roost at night next to each other, and hang out together in groups to help freerange the hens.

I've heard there are some lines that can be aggressive (as in any breed of bird) but, we personally have never had an aggressive BCM male- from any source. We do socialize ours at least a small amount daily, and they are all, everyone, sweet boys who can be scooped up without struggle, and most enjoy some attention. However, with roosters and children in general, common sense caution should always be used. My advice...always be Calm, Cautious and Consistent. Never run from them or allow them to chase people.

It has been my experience with BCM that when the males are exceptionally easy going and nice, they usually stay that way (some can go through teenage "testing," or something can happen, etc.) A lot of how the male acts will depend on how we cope with challenging times. Most often, those males who "chose" to be my special boys never changed their attitude toward us, even when they grew well into adulthood.

Usually you will want 1 male to 7-10 female ratio so the hens don't become too overmated.

Good luck with your group!

great pic!

my bcm boy is a puppy too.

 

[OneMountainAcres]

I want to apologize in advance as this is a very picture heavy post but I was out taking pictures of all my juveniles and I wanted to get some opinions. I know they're still young (I think about 8-12 weeks?) but if anyone sees any obvious faults, please point them out.

But first, since I happened to be in the right place at the right time, here is Merci, right after she dropped her egg lol.



And now the juvies. Look like I have about 9 pullets and 6 cockerels.

 

[Red Banks]

I want to apologize in advance as this is a very picture heavy post but I was out taking pictures of all my juveniles and I wanted to get some opinions. I know they're still young (I think about 8-12 weeks?) but if anyone sees any obvious faults, please point them out.

But first, since I happened to be in the right place at the right time, here is Merci, right after she dropped her egg lol.



And now the juvies. Look like I have about 9 pullets and 6 cockerels.

Nice looking babies. I like all the photos. My oldest are 8 weeks. Yours look older than mine.

 

[OneMountainAcres]

Nice looking babies.  I like all the photos.  My oldest are 8 weeks.  Yours look older than mine. 

Thank you there are only a couple that are about 8 weeks old. Honestly, I don't remember exactly when most of them hatched lol. I do know the oldest are from the new years hatch though

 

[Sylvester017]

Hi! I'm new to this thread and have read through many of the pages... Great information~ thank you!!! Here's my question- I have a mixed flock and am trying to choose cockerels to keep based on temperament (we have small children who love their chickens!). While I know every bird is different, I'm hoping some of you can shed light on the best to keep. I've been growing out a sweet BCM, a lovely Bielefelder, a hyper CCL and am thinking of keeping a lavender Orpington.... Ringo, our BCM boy, has been a sweetie from the start. We have 22 girls, with CCL, Lav Orpingtons, Swedish flower hens, gold laced and blue laced red Wyandottes, EE, australorps and lavender Cochins. I'm interested in keeping the boys mainly for protection of the flock and occasional hatches. They are all currently the same ages...except the lavender Orpington (he's a week old). We have a separate run we can utilize for breeding too. Any suggestions are welcome! Thank you!

My only suggestion with any birds is to watch them interact and see which ones behave to your satisfaction. I had 3 Leghorn hens - one White and two Buffs. I gave one Buff to a friend who loved the light pink eggs for egg-selling. I kept a Buff that was sweet as a pullet but at one year she turned into a cannibalistic terror on the gentler hens in the flock and we re-homed her immediately. The White Leghorn was a very sweet alpha for 3 years in the flock and then after her 3rd year molt went bonkers on her flockmates -- we gave her a chance to settle down but decided to re-home her. We had a Cuckoo Marans that was a sneaky nipper and plucked the feathers off the Silkies on the roost. She challenged the White Leg for pecking status but was put in her place by the Leg. The last straw was when the Marans outright injuriously attacked a Silkie pullet so we re-homed the Marans (she was only 18-mo-old) she was just a bully. My friend re-homed her BCMs because they were so big and bossy to the smaller breeds. Her Buff Orp was assertive too but she kept the Orp a little longer before re-homing her too. Her 3 rescued Red Sexlinks all died before she had them 6 months. She loved her Ameraucana and EEs but they were so noisy that complaints shut down her flock. Watch your flock and you'll soon decide which birds will meet your temperament/breeding requirements.

 

[marchick]

This is my favorite Black Copper hen. She is the only one of that batch that has good copper.

 

[snowbird]

This is my favorite Black Copper hen. She is the only one of that batch that has good copper.

Very nice BC female.

 

[marchick]

Very nice BC female.

Thank you! If only I had a nice BCM Rooster! I kept one out of that batch. He died in a freak accident! I am getting chicks from Julie akers. I hope to get a nice rooster out of the batch.