Black Copper Marans discussion thread

[geebs]

Yet another from the cull pile... Both ends of the spectrum. The rooster really is Christmas red... Amazing looking in person... But not good for the breeding pen...(this one is culled on sooooo many different levels)

 

[FOGELLY]

How hard is it correct tail angle. I have two 27week old BCM roosters. One has a good tail but is overly dark, he also has a narrow stance and bad feet.
My other one was looking good, but all of a sudden in the last month or so he grows pretty long sickles and now his tail looks almost 90 degrees. Other than the tail I think he looks good. Will the tail carry over to the next gen or can the hens play a part in this?

 

[youngbiddy]

Quote:
*gack* I really don't like the straw look. I wouldn't want to pass on that color even if it weren't against the standard. It's just downright ugly, in my opinion. snowbird has mentioned crossing a light colored BCM with mahogany birds, so does that mean more of a gold (warm yellow) color rather than (what I think of as) a straw (cool yellow)?

Here it is, sometimes a photographic memory comes in handy... (hubby still hates it, though

)
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?pid=4661082#p4661082

 

[Wynette]

Tail angle is soemthing that I think used to be more of an issue; seems like most have gotten rid of the high angle (or squirrel tail). I would not reintroduce it unless you absolutely cannot use the other - maybe post some pics of both, with your hens? It really is true that you need to pick your male based on your females (or vice versa).

Geebies - that hen looks....GORGEOUS! (to me at least)

 

[heather112588]

Can anyone please post or send me some pics of copper marans at about 7-8 weeks old.

2 reasons: 1) i bought some chicks from tractor supply that were suppost to be giants but have coppering on their feathers.
2) i received 3 free CM chicks, i suspect that one is a girl...

 

[Debbi]

Quote:
*gack* I really don't like the straw look. I wouldn't want to pass on that color even if it weren't against the standard. It's just downright ugly, in my opinion. snowbird has mentioned crossing a light colored BCM with mahogany birds, so does that mean more of a gold (warm yellow) color rather than (what I think of as) a straw (cool yellow)?

Here it is, sometimes a photographic memory comes in handy... (hubby still hates it, though

)
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?pid=4661082#p4661082

Go back a page and look at the second roo pic I posted. It is very bright out today, and his hackles look lighter than they are. Pip's hackles have a lovely copper on the top, that then fade to a very deep "golden" color. Staw colored is more of a flat, faded brownish/yellow color, pretty much like straw. I believe, but may be wrong?, that Pip's color is the one Don was referring to?? I had kept this roo back to do a test mating with one or two of my dark pullets to see what comes about. I'm now rethinking that due to his nasty "tude". Chicken and dumplings is sounding real good about now!

 

[Debbi]

Quote:


Wynette, I was thinking I sure could use that gal here too!

Here chickie, chickie, chickie...come to the dark side of town

 

[Bravo]

Quote:
*gack* I really don't like the straw look. I wouldn't want to pass on that color even if it weren't against the standard. It's just downright ugly, in my opinion. snowbird has mentioned crossing a light colored BCM with mahogany birds, so does that mean more of a gold (warm yellow) color rather than (what I think of as) a straw (cool yellow)?

Here it is, sometimes a photographic memory comes in handy... (hubby still hates it, though

)
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?pid=4661082#p4661082

I agree. I would never use a roo that was straw colored int he hackles. In my program, my foundation roo has lighter copper hackle tips and I use him over girls that have way too little copper. The female progeny all seem to have a nice balance. The variation I am seeing is in the cockerels. A few are coppering out just like their father, which is on the lighter side of copper but still acceptable, some are the ideal copper and I think I may end up with 1 over-melanized bird.

I should note that my foundation roo is only just over a year old so he hasnt molted. I am curious to see if that copper darkens with molt.

VC--I am super interested to see if your theory of hackle/saddle stripes help in producing a property colored bird. I totally agree about compensatory breeding; it would be nice to have stock that breeds true.

 

[Bravo]

Quote:
You can send that middle pullet down to me ANY day of the week!

 

[youngbiddy]

Quote:
Ah yes, that's a nice warm gold. Good to know, I wasn't keen on the idea of having to keep a straw-hackled roo or pullet as a breeder to get a consistent copper in the offspring. I'm going to concentrate on the body type and tails before I started working on the color but I wanted to get the terms clear in my mind so I know what to plan for down the line.