Black Copper Marans discussion thread

[Wynette]

VC, thank you so much for your feedback & info. - I ALWAYS look forward to your posts!

Yes, my flock is dark. I introduced one female that has red in her chest in hopes of offspring that's a bit lighter for the next generation, but I have yet to be able to tell the results.

This male I speak of with pink legs is now I believe 10 weeks, and looks very similar to the one you posted (I'm very sorry you lost him - nice male). I will get closer pics of him this weekend.

This time of year is difficult for getting decent pics, as I work full time...it's dark when I leave for work and dark when I get home, so I fill waterers & feeders with a flashlight, do a quick head count in each pen, and then look forward to the weekends to see how my birds are REALLY doing!

FL - I have not noticed any females with the pink legs, though this hatch I separated the males and females - they females are outside and the males are inside, in a horse stall. Easier to check on the males as my barn is lit - outdoor pens are not. I'll check on that this weekend as well.

 

[VillageChicken]

I hear you on the short days and ever increasing darkness. Here in Hungary we are on the far east side of the time zone, unlike you Michiganders who are fortunate to be on the far west side. In December on our shortest days, it is dark at 3:30pm, and dawn is somewhere after 8.

 

[flgardengirl]

Thank you VC for having patience in explaining all this to us. I also look forward to your posts!
How are your young uns doing? Your 'new' baby must be getting big by now! This is your youngest's first Christmas this year right?

 

[Wynette]

Goodness, dark by 3:30?

It is "BHB" that folks have previously been talking about, not BTB (black-tailed buff) - but many thanks for the BTB explanations!!! BHB is an acronym for a woman who sold Black Copper Marans eggs on eBay that were almost as nice as marquesilla's in her avatar. Her user ID on eBay was BayHorseBonne (hence BHB).

 

[flgardengirl]

I had asked him about the BTB that I got from the BHB line lol ! I know it gets confusing with all the B's LOL!

 

[VillageChicken]

Quote:
Yes, Sammy is 6 months old and ready to go mobile on us any day. It will be a fun Christmas as my 2 and a half year old will actually know what's going on this year.
They keep me really busy, but they're awesome kids, a total blessing and i wouldn't trade the privilege of parenthood for all the chickens in the world.

I was stupid and hatched before winter again, so I'm trying to get some weight on a ton of chicks in the basement so I can get them outside into the barn. But I was in the U.S. til Sept, so what could I do? Fortunately my wife never goes into the basement. I have crazy makeshift enclosures made of old corrugated cardboard boxes, dog kennels, tarps... and I still have a few eggs in the incubator! Help!

 

[flgardengirl]

The kids are so much fun at that age. My kids favorite thing around that age was probably the Christmas lights.
Its fun reliving the holidays through new innocent sets of eyes! Children really appreciate the simple things when they are younger.

I have been trying very hard to avoid hatching this fall/winter. I don't know if I'm gonna make it though, everyone keeps posting so many cute fuzzy butt pics that it will probably be impossible not to set some eggs lol- Pure Torture

 

[BarnGoddess01]

Quote:
No worries, you two!!!

The Canadians are taking over the hatching nonsense. Chicks will be in the house ALL winter. (All kidding aside - I'm LOVING the education I'm getting on this thread .... keep that info coming .... Wynette knows ALL the right questions to ask!!!)

Dark by 3:30 is early, even by my standards ....

 

[Arielle]

Dark is 4:30 here in MA; much too early. Give me 16 hr days--I must be part chicken!

 

[math ace]

Quote:
HOLD OUT, GIRLFRIEND! BE STRONG!
I am not setting eggs unti Jan 1. They won't hatch until Jan 21. . . . Which means we will only have a couple of months of nasty weather to raise them up in.
They will start around June and we will still have time to raise a second generation of chicks BEFORE the cold hits in the fall. . . . .

I raised some last year that hatched in November and it was terrible dealing with them in Dec and Jan's cold ( and fowl pox - -

)
I set some on New year's day and was much happier raising those guys. Of course, this winter is looking pretty mild thus far.

I like waiting until Jan to set eggs because then I am not worring about chicks when I am trying to do the Holiday stuff too.
I am using this time to get my stuff in order so that I have the space to raise that Jan hatch in....

Also, selling your culls in MARCH is EASY peasy, too.