Black Copper Marans discussion thread

[jeaucamom]

Heckel's Hens :

I think I read on here (maybe) that BCM girls have black combs at first and not the roos? Is that a way to tell them apart early? I have 2 with black nubs and 3 with tiny pinkish combs at 3 weeks old. Thoughts?

Well these are my first BCM and I only have two and they are only 3 weeks old. BUT.. my black combed one is a girl and the yellow comb as of this morning I am sure is going to be a boy. But weird because the girl is SOOOO much bigger than the other one all of a sudden and way feathered out. The little one's comb is starting to grow and his feathers aren't nearly as developed. I sure wish I had known that when I was picking them out!!​

 

[Debbi]

Quote:
Well these are my first BCM and I only have two and they are only 3 weeks old. BUT.. my black combed one is a girl and the yellow comb as of this morning I am sure is going to be a boy. But weird because the girl is SOOOO much bigger than the other one all of a sudden and way feathered out. The little one's comb is starting to grow and his feathers aren't nearly as developed. I sure wish I had known that when I was picking them out!!

Black and yellow combs?? At 3 weeks, they all should have pink combs. Yellow combs, legs, and feet are not a pure Marans, sorry!

 

[jeaucamom]

ok.. here are some pics... They are not the best pics.. it is hard to hold in hand and shoot with the other..

 

[pinkchick]

Quote:
Congratulations on your chicks! You have one boy and one girl. Pullet is the last photo.

 

[jeaucamom]

WAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!

I have too many roosters as it is.... and now I only have one dark egg layer.... CRUD!!!!!!!!!!!!



What about the yellow comb.. is he really not a purebred???

 

[math ace]

Quote:
Yellow combs are NORMAL in baby chicks. . . The cockerels will turn pink / red BEFORE the pullets do.
The Black comb comment confused me . . . . I didn't see any black combs in your pictures.

 

[math ace]

Quote:
Clearly, no one told you the marans 2011 motto -- -

Wait for it


Wait


Wait


Are U ready ? ?

Wait



THE 2011 MARANS MOTTO is . . . . . . .


HATCH BABY HATCH!

Keep hatching and you will get the pullets you are looking for !

 

[marquisella]

Quote:
Well these are my first BCM and I only have two and they are only 3 weeks old. BUT.. my black combed one is a girl and the yellow comb as of this morning I am sure is going to be a boy. But weird because the girl is SOOOO much bigger than the other one all of a sudden and way feathered out. The little one's comb is starting to grow and his feathers aren't nearly as developed. I sure wish I had known that when I was picking them out!!

Black and yellow combs?? At 3 weeks, they all should have pink combs. Yellow combs, legs, and feet are not a pure Marans, sorry!

That is not correct. Combs and feet are commonly yellow as young chicks and sometimes I have pullets with blackish combs before they turn red. The feet gradually change color as they age.

 

[Bravo]

Quote:
Black and yellow combs?? At 3 weeks, they all should have pink combs. Yellow combs, legs, and feet are not a pure Marans, sorry!

That is not correct. Combs and feet are commonly yellow as young chicks and sometimes I have pullets with blackish combs before they turn red. The feet gradually change color as they age.

This has piqued my curiosity.

Has anyone found that some lines show sexual dimorphism early on while others take several weeks longer?

I've hatched a lot of BCM's over the past year and with some of my purchased eggs I can sex the chick the second it had dried out from hatching. Girls had much less white coloring and their combs were dark. In other lines, including the chicks I am breeding right now, everyone looks like a boy (big fleshy combs) until they are about 5-6 weeks old.

Has anyone else experienced this?

 

[jeaucamom]

Quote:
Yellow combs are NORMAL in baby chicks. . . The cockerels will turn pink / red BEFORE the pullets do.
The Black comb comment confused me . . . . I didn't see any black combs in your pictures.

Well did the best I could to capture the black comb.