Black Copper Marans discussion thread

[jmmre31]

I'm new to BCMs and I hatched 8 out 2 weeks ago. I noticed 5 of them are feathering out much quicker than the other 3. They all seem very healthy. The 3 that are feathering out slower are very slightly smaller. I was told that girls feather out quicker than boys. Could this be the difference? Are the 3 most likely boys? Is there any good way to tell sex with the Marans? thanks!

 

[math ace]

Quote:
Well, it seems it is harder to find a really good roo than a hen . .. . so it may not be so bad to start the game off in reverse like you have.

 

[math ace]

Quote:
If we are talking BCM, then the standard is

LEGS AND TOES:
Lower Thighs -- Black.
Shanks and Toes -- Shanks and toes Dark Slate, Bottoms of feet pinkish white.
Shank and Toe Feathers -- Black.

I do have another copy of the proposed standard that says - - -

LEGS AND TOES:
Lower Thighs -- Black.
Shanks and Toes -- Shanks and toes light to mid-slate, showing pink between the scales. Bottoms of feet pinkish white.
Shank and Toe Feathers -- Black.

Somebody will have to post what the final decision was - -- Mid Slate or Dark Slate!

This was the final description:

Shanks and Toes -- Shanks and toes light to mid-slate, showing pink between the scales. Bottoms of feet pinkish white.

You can read the entire BCM APA (preliminary approved) standards here:


http://www.maransusa.org/varieties/blackcopperstandard.html

Thanks Ruth

 

[Asgard Farms]

hello

I have my 1st BCM chicks and I was wondering at what age can you start to tell the boys from the girls?

Mine are right about 4 1/2 weeks old

Daria

 

[Zanna]

OK, 3 different 16 week old roos. The standard calls for bright red comb, face, wattles, earlobes. Does the bright red come in when they come of age as does with the hens just before they start to lay? My concern is the faces of these roos.
#1 has a lot of fine, black feathers -- will that make his face always look too dark?

#2 is so pale on his face it makes him look to me like he has some type of skin condition (I have one or two others like this as well)

#3 face matches comb and wattles in light colour, too light for this age?

Any opinions would be appreciated, also any comments on eye colour or anything else you see!

 

[Chilifur]

ADVICE PLEASE!

I have a few BCM's that I would really love to have feedback on. As a newbie, I can't post links or images, but perhaps I can let you know where to find the photos?

picasaweb.google.com/chilifur/Marans

Don't know enough about what is considered acceptable or faulty (the standard is one thing, human interpretation is another). I have seen some commentary on how colors change after molts - at what point do you decide your roo (or hen) fits the standard or not? When do their colors mature? Do they tend to go darker or lighter as they molt?

What do you think? Please be honest - I want to learn from this. I do not know which #color egg any of them were from; these are Greenfire birds.

Thank you so much!

 

[dressagediva]

Hello I am new to BYC and I have FBCMs. My favorite roo in the whole world is a drop dead gorgeous hunk named "Bubba" who is a lover and not a fighter (we taught him to hug).

Does anyone have great advise for shipped eggs?

 

[aussieheelr]

Zanna- I think you should wait until 6months at least before culling them, they still have SO much more to change in them. The red in their faces will likely get MUCH redder as they get closer to maturity. But I will say #2 is my favorite so far as far as color goes. The black feathers will likely thin out as that other one ages just taking him longer to loose his baby fuzz there. Hang in there just a bit longer

Chilifur- Your Monet has way too much color I just don't like him in general, although the name is very fitting

Gabrielle is overall fairly nice, only thing is I saw some brown leakage in her black feathers and I believe that is a DQ and is passed on. Culling for that is encouraged, if you keep a layer flock just for eggs that might be a good place for her.
Watch that TomTom chick. He looks pretty good so far. Wait for color to see how that goes but his baby build looks good so far. I like him a lot so far , he's a cutie

I saw some others in there with clean shanks, the proposed standard is to be feathered. They might be ok for breeding though if you use a feather shanked roo since the feathering in dominate.

 

[math ace]

Quote:
It looks eye color is still developing on your cockerels. Mine go from black to green to the orange / pumpkin color.

I would like to hear somebody weigh in on the faces of your cockerels, too. Zanna, I think we are going to LEARN alot with your cockerels.
I can't wait for the west coast to wake up and chime in here!

 

[math ace]

Quote:
Do you want to know how to package them for shipping ? ?

If so, I did a step by step PHOTO unwrapping a box of shipped eggs I received from the other side of the US that looked like somebody played kickball with the box. They were packed very well or they would not of arrived in such good shape.. . ..

The photos start at post # 12144 on PAGE 1215 on the Marans thread: Breed discussion and pictures welcome