Black Copper Marans discussion thread

[Sphinx]

Julie, I am outraged that you don't have pictures of your new FBCM! I want to see!

Zanna, I'm so sorry for the loss of your rooster.

 

[sgtmom52]

Quote:
I will try to get pictures up ASAP ~ they are still in the bator drying and I have a few others pipped so I am afraid to open the bator ~ don't want to shrink wrap anybody. There are now 3 hatched and 2 pipped along with some EEs and Bantam Cochins in there too. I also have Ameraucanas hatching in the other bator/hatcher.

 

[Zanna]

Quote:
Thanks for the kind words. I always seem to get attached to the "underdogs" but I want to do this breeding thing right so have to stay tough

It helps that I have a practical nature!

 

[math ace]

Quote:
Thanks for the kind words. I always seem to get attached to the "underdogs" but I want to do this breeding thing right so have to stay tough

It helps that I have a practical nature!

Ain't that the way it always goes ?

 

[sgtmom52]

Here are 6 FBCM chicks that hatched yesterday (3 unpipped eggs still in the bator) the actual due date is today. I have my fingers crossed that more hatch. They are Jean/Presley lines.

 

[sabella]

So my chikkies are 16 and 18 weeks. Now it's a few days since Sherman's inaugural "uhhhhAHHH!" and he has found his crow.

And thank Heaven we can't hear him in the house. BUT the funny thing is that he only crows in the morning before I let them out of the coop. So between the plywood walls and the metal roof, their little chicky ears must be ringing!

BUT the slackers still don't roost! They still pile up in a ball of feathers with four heads to sleep. When should they start roosting? The girls all have visible cloacas, but they're not big yet. When I bough them the breeder said they should start laying in June but could it be sooner? I'm expecting them to start any day now. June seems kind of late. But they're not maturing all that fast so maybe he's right.

 

[math ace]

Quote:
The one issue has NOTHING to do with the other . . .

Roosting is something you might have to help them with. I have had a few that I have had to go in there at night and place them on the roost to teach them that this is where you are to sleep. Some get it the first night you help them . . . some take a few nights of consistently placing them on the roost.

Your roost may be too high and they don't feel comfortable with the height it. You might want to try a ladder type structure. . . As they feel more comfortable, they will move higher up the rungs.

My chicks roost as early as 3 weeks with out any troubles - -- - It is a small roost, they can hop up and down off of it.
When they get bigger and move to the Big Girls house - - - They get on the higher roost automatically.

WHEN will they start laying - - million dollar question here!
My girls tend to start SQUAWTING about a week or two before laying. You may even see the roo start trying to mount them a week or two before they start laying. I think you are looking June or July before they start laying. Marans are not known as EARLY layers like leghorns, sex links, etc.

 

[Sphinx]

Oh, Julie, what gorgeous little chicks! I hope your other eggs hatch too.

I've never raised a BCM from a chick before, but I have heard the same as Math Ace- that they are really late to lay. I am not planning on my chicken laying til at least August (unless she starts crowing before then, and then I won't expect it any time soon).

 

[sgtmom52]

Quote:
Thanks ~ they are really cute!

These are my first FBCM , but I also have Ameraucanas which are also late to lay. I expect to see eggs sometime around Halloween!

 

[Avrilon]

Hi BCM experts

I've gone through most of this thread trying to learn about Black Copper Marans since hubby just up and brought some 4-week-olds home two weeks ago because he fell in love with their eggs.

. They are my first chickens ever (

) and look like monsters now next to our little 3-day old BO's and Light Brahmas we got yesterday. They are 6 weeks now... maybe a bit older, and are looking really raggedy as their feathers are coming in. I have no idea where the little poultry store that my husband bought them from got them and if they are from any of the good lines out there I've read about. I'm not looking for show birds, but I wouldn't mind knowing if mine are mutts or not since they seem to have more white on them than others their same age that I've seen here. They are great birds... very active and happy and they make me smile - and I really don't care if they are the "best" or not, if you know what I mean.

Below are some pictures that I hope some of you experts can decipher for me. They aren't the best since there wasn't much light when I shot them, so are slightly blurry, but hopefully they are clear enough. Could you tell me...

1. Will the white on them go away as the feathers continue to come in?
2. Can you tell at this point if there any roos in the mix? The pictures might not be good enough to tell.
3. Are feathered legs considered "better" or just different from those from Europe? I have some who are feathered and some who aren't.
4. Are they the most raggedy birds you've seen? I loved PrincessChicken's "velociraptor" description of her bird a few pages back, but I think some of mine look worse!

Any information will be most appreciated.

These first two shots are of a chick who has gray head. All the others have black with some white.

Is s/he a mess or what? lol... Look at that hairdo!

The other two pictures are of the rest of the birds. First one is typical of what they look like close up and then there is a group shot of everyone. None of the combs are red; they are all flesh colored and are about the same size... though do vary slightly. And I don't see wattles of any kind coming in yet on anyone.

The bird on the right was moving, so its head is a blur.

Thanks for any info guys!

Avrilon