Black Copper Marans discussion thread

[math ace]

I've got to go take the kids to school, so I will have to finish the rest later . . . but this should take care of the need for cute babies!

 

[sonew123]

Mine are hatching as we speak ( BCM's) I will post photos when I take them out-Math Ace how do you sex them that early??? I can see comb difference in yours -is that how you say sex??? I can tell you the first chick out is monsterous-Im guessing roo for sure-which is good I needed a new one if he is a good candidate

 

[ADozenGirlz]

Quote:
Can you share the wing sexing information? Mine are all less than 10 days old. Just banded them on Sunday. Stay tuned for more fuzzy butt photos!

 

[math ace]

FIRST - - - let me say that this can not be done with all marans lines. It works on mine and others have had success with it too.

HERE is an excellent web site for wing feather sexing. Pictures are great on this web site.
I think it is easier to do this around day three or four as opposed to earlier

http://www.ca.uky.edu/smallflocks/Feather_sexing_practice.html

LET's hope PINK is out there too. She has some really good pictures of what the difference in slightly older chicks ( around 7 to 10 days) looks like.
If she doesn't repost them by the end of the day . . . I will take some tonight.

Mine are 10 days old . . . . so the difference is still there at this age.

 

[ADozenGirlz]

I haven't named them yet b/c I want to know the genders first but they all have different tags from one another. The eggs were from 6littlechicks, who posted photos of the parents earlier in this thread.

Who cares to weigh in on the genders?

This BCM is 9 days old today: (red zip tie, right leg)

This one is 11 days old today: (green zip, left leg)

All of these were hatched on 1/18/11 or 1/19/11, so they are 14 days old today
Band#8:

Band#5

Band#4

Band#3

Band#2

Band#1

 

[pinkchick]

Quote:
These are my guesses at genders:

red tag - pullet
green tag- pullet
#8 cockerel
#5 cockerel
#4 pullet
#3 undecided
#2 cockerel
#1 pullet

 

[stickers]

Ruth, what beautiful hens you have, love the coppering! Thanks for the compliment on my rooster Aussieheelr. And yes I do advertise on Craigslist, its great to be able to share these birds and their eggs. I love to see peoples reactions when they see the eggs. To put my two cents in regarding the infertility and frostbite I only hatched 1 out of 24 eggs this last batch. My rooster has pretty significant frostbite as our electricity shorted out on one of the coldest nights of the year. Unfortunatly I was working nights and did not catch it until too late. Also he has been pretty active with the girls so I makes you wonder...
p.s. my broody hen adopted the single chick!

 

[ADozenGirlz]

Quote:
These are my guesses at genders:

red tag - pullet
green tag- pullet
#8 cockerel
#5 cockerel
#4 pullet
#3 undecided
#2 cockerel
#1 pullet

Thanks for your assessment pinkchick. I'm going to try to wing sex them at this late date and see what happens. I'm tracking our guesses and we'll see what becomes of them in a few months!

 

[pinkchick]

Quote:
These are my guesses at genders:

red tag - pullet
green tag- edited to cockerel
#8 cockerel
#5 cockerel
#4 pullet
#3 undecided
#2 cockerel
#1 pullet

Thanks for your assessment pinkchick. I'm going to try to wing sex them at this late date and see what happens. I'm tracking our guesses and we'll see what becomes of them in a few months!

BTW: after another look at the green tagged chick I am changing my mind and calling cockerel and edited above.

You still might be able to see the difference now on some of them, but by this age their wing feather growth starts or has started to even out and not be as noticeable. At this age , I watch the feather growth on the shoulder area just below the base of the neck and just above where the wing attaches to the body, on my females these feathers tend to come in faster than males, also my females tend to get their tail feathers faster than the males. (this is not to say that this is an accurate way to sex them, it is just signs and clues that one can perhaps watch for and study each generation of offspring and learn your birds, you may find that your birds do not show these specific traits at all. From what I uderstand though with using a fast feathering male it is something that can definately be bred in and refined by the breeder to a certain degree of accuracy. Females that have these traits get them from their father who would have the fast feathering gene.......I read some info on it and will have to dig it out for you and link or paste, but I cannot do that for you today. I do know of one reference of this over on the Delaware thread not too long ago....Math you remember that conversation?

 

[geebs]

Mathace... Good morning Lisa!!! ...... let me thank you for posting that information. The way that feather linking works is for ppl to breed for it. A breeding strategy that would make it easier in the long run for all is to make sure we cull the hen feathering males and the male feathering hens. Great link!!! I am going to have to do some serious catch up this mornng.. Lots to see...

Okay this is what I see... Please critique it and find the "holes" in it... I can edit and we will archive it... Everyone chime in here with a critical eye...this is a class project... What did I miss or not see...

Pullet 1: 10 day old
Note there is not much white around the eyes
Black shanks with pink toes
Small comb
Thick shank
Dark horn
Undercoating is a more gray than white or yellow
Red leg band
Has a tail…very small

Cockerel one: 10 days no legband
Minimal white
More under eye than the liner above it
Gray undercoating
Thick shank
Big comb
More color to beak.. less black than first bird
White wing tips
More white under neck and underside of body…color is more whitish
Dark legs with pink toes though more pink than bird one
White at the wing bow.
Really white primaries…several very complete white ones
Has no tail and short wings

Pullet 2: no band 10 days old ( I will call rooster)red/pink band with yellow one also
White around eyes
Small comb
Less black over top of bird.. more mousy and showing mossy tendancy
Undercolor is gray and minimal
Narrow shank
Legs black with pink toes..lots of pink on toes
Cant see a tail has long wings.


Pullet 3 pink/blue band 10 days old
Long legs
Dark black body
White only at the corner of eye an in the spot
And white at the corner of mouth
Wide white bib
Mossy wing stripes
Lots of feathers on a thick shank
Legs are very dark with pinkish toes
This bird has an upright posture and a wide stance.
Long legged.
Dark beak and
Has tail and med/long wings.

Cockerel 2 yellow band 10 days
Very dark on top
Large comb
LOTS of feathers
Lots of pink on toes with gray shanks
White almost circling the eye
White around beak
White on the wingbow
White on outside primary
Short legged
Very wide white
Short toes for a male
Thick shanks.
This bird exhibited more white at the bend in the hock
(forward part) a very noticeable difference
Very orangey comb..
Very attractive (eyeliner) eye.


If someone wants to make a spreadsheet to chart progress that would be cool...