Black Copper Marans discussion thread

[BevDavis]

Quote:
Hi

The French Club was contacted about the under color of the Marans and in France both white and gray is acceptable. There isn't anything in the standard that mentions the under color.

The Blue gene is a leaky gene and sometime white will show through.

The standards committee are going through the standards of all the Marans colors but it takes time and a lot of discussion is required. We are trying to work to the French standard but at the same time have to put it in the terms the APA require. It's very hard discribing a particular color that fits the French standard, the APA terms and the color of the bird. If you are unsure of what to breed for then follow the French standard because that is what our standard is trying to copy.

Bev

Hi Bev! Thanks for commenting on this! Sue and Don...thank you both for opening up this conversation in such a nice, open and friendly way, hopefully it will spark continued discussing and more will comment as well.

Bev~ So, understanding that Blue is a leaking gene, then the 2 white feathers that are mentioned now in the current posted proposed color standard draft for the Blue Copper will remain acceptable in the future? Even upon acceptance?
Thank you!

Hi

The standard for the copper blue has not been discussed yet by the standards committee. However, it's a good thing to try and breed the white out as much as possible. White in the tail is something that we have in Marans unfortunately. I have tried to breed for a darker bird which has got rid of the white in the tail but has made the bird too dark in this generation. In the next generation I'll try to balance the color by using a lighter colored rooster and hope for the best. The unfortunate thing is, the white doesn't show itself until the bird has his adult feathering.

Bev

 

[pinkchick]

Hi

The standard for the copper blue has not been discussed yet by the standards committee. However, it's a good thing to try and breed the white out as much as possible. White in the tail is something that we have in Marans unfortunately. I have tried to breed for a darker bird which has got rid of the white in the tail but has made the bird too dark in this generation. In the next generation I'll try to balance the color by using a lighter colored rooster and hope for the best. The unfortunate thing is, the white doesn't show itself until the bird has his adult feathering.

Bev

Thanks!

I am working on the same balance issue right now that you are, after finding the same thing about using the darker bird and the darker offspring from that.

Good luck to you and I look forward to seeing what your outcome is.

On another topic but still related to Blue Coppers while your here.....how is the hackle color in your females coming along? Mine are still too young to tell.

 

[BevDavis]

Quote:
Thanks!

I am working on the same balance issue right now that you are, after finding the same thing about using the darker bird and the darker offspring from that.

Good luck to you and I look forward to seeing what your outcome is.

On another topic but still related to Blue Coppers while your here.....how is the hackle color in your females coming along? Mine are still too young to tell.

Hi

I lost a lot of my copper blue Marans to a bobcat and have the ones that are left in with the dark BC male. In another pen I have got a copper blue male that shows quite a bit of gold on his breast. I am told this is a good male to get gold in the hackles. This male is with some black hens that are not showing any gold in their hackle feathers. The experiment is to see how much gold is passed onto the female offspring. The chicks are young at the moment so can't tell if it's worked or not. I will use this male shortly with my black copper hens to lighten their hackle feathers. He has excellent type, good tail set although has a small bit of white in the tail.

I am using this male with gold in his breast because I know what genes he is carrying.

Bev

 

[pinkchick]

Quote:
Thanks!

I am working on the same balance issue right now that you are, after finding the same thing about using the darker bird and the darker offspring from that.

Good luck to you and I look forward to seeing what your outcome is.

On another topic but still related to Blue Coppers while your here.....how is the hackle color in your females coming along? Mine are still too young to tell.

Hi

I lost a lot of my copper blue Marans to a bobcat and have the ones that are left in with the dark BC male. In another pen I have got a copper blue male that shows quite a bit of gold on his breast. I am told this is a good male to get gold in the hackles. This male is with some black hens that are not showing any gold in their hackle feathers. The experiment is to see how much gold is passed onto the female offspring. The chicks are young at the moment so can't tell if it's worked or not. I will use this male shortly with my black copper hens to lighten their hackle feathers. He has excellent type, good tail set although has a small bit of white in the tail.

I am using this male with gold in his breast because I know what genes he is carrying.

Bev

This is where I am at...the chicks that I am hoping show more copper in the hackles are all still too young to tell. Waiting on feather color and for them to hurry up and grow is sometimes as hard as waiting for their first eggs. Right?!

Hurry up and wait.....hurry up and wait.

 

[BevDavis]

Quote:
Hi

I lost a lot of my copper blue Marans to a bobcat and have the ones that are left in with the dark BC male. In another pen I have got a copper blue male that shows quite a bit of gold on his breast. I am told this is a good male to get gold in the hackles. This male is with some black hens that are not showing any gold in their hackle feathers. The experiment is to see how much gold is passed onto the female offspring. The chicks are young at the moment so can't tell if it's worked or not. I will use this male shortly with my black copper hens to lighten their hackle feathers. He has excellent type, good tail set although has a small bit of white in the tail.

I am using this male with gold in his breast because I know what genes he is carrying.

Bev

This is where I am at...the chicks that I am hoping show more copper in the hackles are all still too young to tell. Waiting on feather color and for them to hurry up and grow is sometimes as hard as waiting for their first eggs. Right?!

Hurry up and wait.....hurry up and wait.

Hi

At the moment I have pens of small chicks just to see what they look like. Breeding chickens is so interesting!

Bev

 

[snowbird]

Quote:
Don't misunderstand me, I'm not saying that the white is ok, I'm just saying that in some breeds white is not a dq. The standards committee is reviewing each variety one by one, they will get to the blue eventually. My gut feeling is white won't be allowed, but that is my opinion.

The more people that get involved with ideas, etc. the better.
Sue

Don

It is very rude criticize the judge. The judge we had is a very respected judge not only by the APA but by the poutry community as a whole.

Bev

*Comment removed by staff*

Do's
* Be friendly and courteous to all members at all times

.​

 

[snowbird]

Just to remind everyone that just because something is not in the proposed Marans standards does not mean it is acceptable. Anything not covered in the Proposed standards is covered in the front of the SOP under cuttings for defects. This is the reason it is important that as much as possible is included in the proposed standard. The white wing and tail feathers and the white undercolor are in the front section of the SOP. The standards committee has stated that these white feathers are a DQ. Don

 

[Medicine Man]

Read the rules. Especially the one about trolling and flaming

 

[miss heny]

i been wanting to know somethings about this breed, and one of them is there a bantam version of this breed?

 

[BevDavis]

Hi

Yes, there is. A few people have them and are working to get the egg color better as well as the birds. One breeder has had some success in increasing the egg color.

Bev