Black Copper Marans discussion thread

[math ace]

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When I started in with chickens a year and half ago. . .. I bought a couple of this and couple of that to figure out what I really liked.

Well the Marans stayed and the Welsummers hit the road shortly after they started laying. . .. YAcK YAcK and nasty to other chickens too!

 

[Wynette]

Mine were scared of their own shadows but I swear those hens cackled in their sleep. And don't even TRY to wonder about what they sounded like when they laid an egg!

 

[kara_leigh]

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He probably is. He came from the same person that I got my Ameraucana and Easter Eggers from, and it seemed to me like she let them all breed with each other. The other BCs that I got had black legs. I had a really pretty female that had black legs but she was taken by a hawk last week.

The only breeding I plan to do with him is for meat birds for my own personal use. If I do get an over abundance and end up selling them, then they will just be marketed as "mutts." It honestly doesn't matter to me what his offspring look like, as they will end up being named Stew, Roast, BBQ, etc.

I'm sure they will all taste the same, regardless. lol

 

[math ace]

UPDATE on my limping BCM rooster / cockerel .. . . .

He is trying to put more weight on it today

I examined his leg closely this morning. . . .

GEEBS - -I can not feel any heat difference between one leg and the other
I did notice a small gash just below the knee. So, I am thinking that buddy boy was running / chasing his brothers through the PALMENTTO bushes, tripped and strained or sprained or otherwise injured the leg. Hence, the gash and limping. He is moving around more today and even tried to hop after ( instead of running after) the other two boys first thing this morning.

 

[math ace]

Quote:
He probably is. He came from the same person that I got my Ameraucana and Easter Eggers from, and it seemed to me like she let them all breed with each other. The other BCs that I got had black legs. I had a really pretty female that had black legs but she was taken by a hawk last week.

The only breeding I plan to do with him is for meat birds for my own personal use. If I do get an over abundance and end up selling them, then they will just be marketed as "mutts." It honestly doesn't matter to me what his offspring look like, as they will end up being named Stew, Roast, BBQ, etc.

I'm sure they will all taste the same, regardless. lol

The black legs do not gaurantee a pure marans. My EE was breed to my BCM and the result is an olive egger that looks just like a BCM pullet with muffs and a beard.
She is black with the pretty little copper necklace. Her legs are a beautiful shade of slate. She does have a pea comb too!

 

[flgardengirl]

Quote:
He probably is. He came from the same person that I got my Ameraucana and Easter Eggers from, and it seemed to me like she let them all breed with each other. The other BCs that I got had black legs. I had a really pretty female that had black legs but she was taken by a hawk last week.

The only breeding I plan to do with him is for meat birds for my own personal use. If I do get an over abundance and end up selling them, then they will just be marketed as "mutts." It honestly doesn't matter to me what his offspring look like, as they will end up being named Stew, Roast, BBQ, etc.

I'm sure they will all taste the same, regardless. lol

The black legs do not gaurantee a pure marans. My EE was breed to my BCM and the result is an olive egger that looks just like a BCM pullet with muffs and a beard.
She is black with the pretty little copper necklace. Her legs are a beautiful shade of slate. She does have a pea comb too!

x2 I have a blk/split lav orp x bcm hen that can totally pass for a marans hen. She is a little bigger than the marans hens but looks exactly like one including her coppering, comb, leg coloring and she lays a #4 to 5 egg depending on her laying cycle lol. Good thing I can tell the difference.

Then I have a ameraucana x bcm cross hen that has the muffs, beard, black coloring but her body is more the shape of an ameraucana. She has a backwards V copper necklace on her chest instead of on her hackle. She has the peacomb and lays a nice dark olive egg though.

 

[VillageChicken]

Quote:
VC,

You got some explaining to do . ... . How is the chickdown and juvenile feathering different ( distinct) ? ? ?


THANKS

The conversation started with "where did the Wheaten come from in BC lines?" I speculated that it came along with a lot of the Penedesenca blood that folks are finding (carnation combs and sprigs), since Penes come in wheaten but not in black copper.

It's been stated that folks confuse the Wheaten and Black Copper roosters, but they are only somewhat confusing as adults. I have watched both grow up alongside each other as hatchmates, and they are VERY easily distinguished even up to 3-4 months old. Wheaten chickdown is white. They retain much of the lighter coloring even into adolescence, and IMO they get the red head and hackle earlier than most BC roos. They start out white/cream and the black and red slowly come in over several months. This is opposite of BC who start out black and the color comes in through the black much later I think in most birds.

So I wasn't saying you could "see" the recessive wheaten hiding in a BC/wheaten cross. Just that I find it hard to believe that SO many people mistakenly put a Wheaten rooster with their BC hens, unless they really have no idea what they are doing. I don't know... maybe I just can't imagine buying an adult rooster and using him in a breeding program without knowing what he is. If it were hatched from an egg, there's no reason they can be confused.

 

[BarnGoddess01]

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Interesting. I find them to be not fat, not stupid, not loud, and a treasure to own.

Yep, mine are pretty dang smart! LOVE my main BCM roo. . . . Super smart boy. I TREASURE him so much that if I replace him with a better quality BCM for breeding purposes..... Well, this boy gets a permanent home at my place - - No Freezer camp in his future!

LOUD may not be the best adjective. My girls are peaceful ones unless they want to tell me something. Then they get louder the more they have to repeat themselves BECAUSE I am too stupid to understand what it is they want!

Well at least you are happy now MM

Mine definitely have colourful voices. I'm finding that part of Marans most enjoyable. I had no idea. A veritable symphony orchestra all in one breed!!

I find the Marans a bit slower to trust but I wouldn't call them stupid. In fact, cautious and slower to trust probably suggests they are a bit smarter than the average bird.

And they ARE big. They do like to eat!!!!

 

[geebs]

I LOVE MARANS>>> ALL COLORS (yellow not my fave) but I do find them friendly and good company... They don't get smart with ya and treat ya bad as a rule....like ppl can... They are always underfoot with something nice to say.. and Family values... WOW.. they are the cat's meow... JMHO

 

[AyeUpChuck]

Pics of one of my pullets? and two roos - all juvenile - 9wks?
Pullet

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#1 & #2

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