Black Copper Marans discussion thread

[marquisella]

The hackle should not chan ge color from the head to the tips. The feathers should all be uniform. So, yes, IMO, its too yellow. Some people will blame the sun, but in my experience, the sun does not bleach out the tips. I think it shows the influence of the Wheaten variety.

The black copper thread is probably the right place to ask this...

Is this hackle too yellow? To my untrained eye it seems like it gets really yellow towards the bottom. Is this still in the copper realm or has it gone to yellow? Of course in the sun it looks very yellow but the color is truer to life around the front. Just trying to get a mental image of what I am looking for.
Thanks!

 

[Christie Rhae]

The hackle should not chan ge color from the head to the tips. The feathers should all be uniform. So, yes, IMO, its too yellow. Some people will blame the sun, but in my experience, the sun does not bleach out the tips. I think it shows the influence of the Wheaten variety.
Quote: Thank you! He is not in an unusual amount of sun so I don't think his feathers are bleached out. Where I live we rarely get a full day of sun. I think this is his real colors. I had a feeling it was too yellow just needed someone else to confirm.

 

[Arielle]

Quote:
Pink how do you select for color and uniform eggs, short of collecting from only one hen. LOL

 

[Arielle]

Quote: Thank you! He is not in an unusual amount of sun so I don't think his feathers are bleached out. Where I live we rarely get a full day of sun. I think this is his real colors. I had a feeling it was too yellow just needed someone else to confirm.

Christie Rhae--thanks for asking this, I have been wondering about a couple of my boys with a bit of almost yellow at the end of the hackles; I do have a couple that are evenly colored like a dark gold, of course there is something else that needs improving on those! LOL

 

[geebs]

I would not use it for breeding unless I didn't care about the wheaton influence.

 

[canesisters]

Got a chick question.

Are maran chicks - in general - more difficult to brood than other breeds?
I've got 7 of various breeds - about 3.5 - 5 weeks old. Two of them are marans and I've had nothing but trouble with them. Both very small, not growing, not gaining weight. Finally got one of them (BCM) going but the other (wheaten) is still very skinny and TINY.
I did a search for threads about 'failure to thrive' and almost all of the threads I found were about marans or maran-x.

Everyone else is growing and doing great. Is there anything special that I should be doing for these 2 little girls?

 

[DMRippy]

Got a chick question.

Are maran chicks - in general - more difficult to brood than other breeds?
I've got 7 of various breeds - about 3.5 - 5 weeks old. Two of them are marans and I've had nothing but trouble with them. Both very small, not growing, not gaining weight. Finally got one of them (BCM) going but the other (wheaten) is still very skinny and TINY.
I did a search for threads about 'failure to thrive' and almost all of the threads I found were about marans or maran-x.

Everyone else is growing and doing great. Is there anything special that I should be doing for these 2 little girls?

I have never had that problem. My Marans get bigger than all the other chicks quick. I feel that marans need more protein than normal breeds of chickens. All my chickens actually get higher protein, but Marans in general need more. Try upping it with some eggs or something. I up mine with spent barley (very high in protein) at about that same age they are still on starter. So really I am no help.... but give them some eggs.

 

[Jenikate]

Wondering if any of you have had any experience or info with Michigan Marans? (http://mimarans.webs.com)
My sister is wanting some BCM's and this is one of the places she is looking to have them shipped from.
ANy info is appreciated!

 

[seabreeze]

OK, lets see if this will work

https://www.backyardchickens.com/gallery/image/view/album/6032561/id/5125811/sort/display_order

 

[Arielle]

I would not use it for breeding unless I didn't care about the wheaton influence.

Is it ok to use siblings to those roosters with the yellow in the hackles? What other effects do the WHeaten have on the FBCM besides the off color in the hackles?