Black Copper Marans discussion thread

[nicalandia]

ok i posted pics of our marans rooster a while back and most said he was mixed with most likely wheaten. i have hatched several chicks from him and most were black when hatched (the one cockerel i have now has way to much red like his dad) but then one just hatched out about 10 mins ago and looks like this (dont mind the 2 bantams in the back). does this look like it's a wheaten color? i will post another once the chick is dried off more. i do know this does means our black coppers are mixed. so with that does anyone have some nice dark pure marans eggs for sale and if so can you please send pics of what the eggs look like and your stock thank you. (this one hatched out of a nice dark egg)

yep... thats wheaten(eWh/eWh), seems like your BCM at some point in their genetic history got mixed with wheaten marans, but thats not a bad thing, as long as you kee and breed only the Black ones this will eventually go away(dont use this wheaten chick)


edit. Birchen is dominant to wheaten and most of the time you cant tell the difference between ER/ER birds(pure BCM) and ER/eWh(BCM crossed with Wheaten Marans) because both BCM and Wheaten Marans are basically Wild Type birds(except for their none wildtype E alleles, but the rest is mostly wildtype) and dont have any could change their wildtype nature(black breasted red type for both BCM and Wheaten roosters, except BCM have Black wing triangle)

 

[hdowden]

they were supposed to be french black copper marans from bev/davis lines and i'm getting all these off chicks. some with feathers on their legs like they are supposed to and some without like the last 2. i know the featherless shanks can pop up so not to worried about that just wont breed them as well. it's just frustrating that none of the chicks that i have hatched (like only 10, i know not a lot) look anything like a pure black copper marans supposed to so i really want to start fresh with good stock from good breeders. it is a cute color and i cant wait to see what it starts to feather out as will take pics then and post on one of the other marans threads since this one is for the black copper variety

 

[snowbird]

Ahhh, the math of genetics, you can have a hundred blacks, and that 1 off color tells a different tale. I'm hoping snowbird or a much more experienced person than I can confirm your suspicions.

I can not say much or will gone again. There are lines out there that are being sold that produce wheaten and chicks that end up with wheaten influence. In five year with the Jeane and pressley BC I had did not hatch any wheaten in over 3000 chicks, I did hatch some with the wheaten influence though.

The only thing you can do is cull any showing the wheaten influence. The soft feathers below vent will be brown tinted and will breed forward. These are very easy to spot once you see one. I culled all the white legged males from my breeders. This is stuff for another post someday.

 

[Arielle]

Look forward to reading a more detailed post!!

 

[ashandvine]

Still trying to find a nice FCBM cockerel to work with here. Perfect is not necessary but good is helpful.

 

[lonnyandrinda]

I would like to have some honest critique of my FBCM cockerel I am thinking of using for a breeding program, he is about 16 weeks now. FYI I THINK my 4yo may have pulled out some of his tail feathers because it only recently started looking "short." The feathers on his back are NOT white, it is just the way the sun was catching them through the leaves. I know his leg feathering could stand to be heavier, and I am a little concerned he is going to end up TOO colorful.

I have about 7 cockerels to choose from but the others are from different (poorer) stock and each of those has their own issues (leg color, non-feathered leg, lack of copper, no tail, etc). Of the FBCM traits, which are vital to have right in breeding stock and which are somewhat "easier" to improve upon?

 

[snowbird]

I would like to have some honest critique of my FBCM cockerel I am thinking of using for a breeding program, he is about 16 weeks now. FYI I THINK my 4yo may have pulled out some of his tail feathers because it only recently started looking "short." The feathers on his back are NOT white, it is just the way the sun was catching them through the leaves. I know his leg feathering could stand to be heavier, and I am a little concerned he is going to end up TOO colorful.

I have about 7 cockerels to choose from but the others are from different (poorer) stock and each of those has their own issues (leg color, non-feathered leg, lack of copper, no tail, etc). Of the FBCM traits, which are vital to have right in breeding stock and which are somewhat "easier" to improve upon?

Hi, I would very much ask that you do not breed this male if you are breeding for SOP young fowl. Way too much brown in chest and does not appear to have very much type or body. I would never breed a Marans male with this small amount of shank and foot feathering. Much cheaper to try and find some better quality Marans that try and make these better. Post pictures of some of the other males or females and lets see what you have.

 

[ashandvine]

If you have seven the above advice is good advice. This one you posted has a nice face and comb but lets see some others and profiles as much as possible.

 

[lonnyandrinda]

Thank you for the advice that is exactly what I wanted to know. Just came in from taking more photos these are my other two candidates. They are 2-3 week younger but the same size as the last cockerel. Again not as much leg feathering as I would like. They may be too young to be sure how they are going to turn out but it looks to me like I should at least get a feel for whether I should freeze them or hold off. Also the second has much more of an earlobe is that a problem?

Candidate number 2:

same cockerel:


And number 3:


My one that I like the body best has yellow, unfeathered legs. Unfortuntely I did not study the breed out before I bought these as chicks or else I probably would have known from looking at the parent stock that they were NOT breeding SOP, just breeding willy nilly. I am not averse to starting over with new stock in the spring, just hate to lose the year's growth and if I can work with what I have of course I want to!
As a comparision here is the group, don't know if this helps any:

 

[snowbird]

Thank you for the advice that is exactly what I wanted to know. Just came in from taking more photos these are my other two candidates. They are 2-3 week younger but the same size as the last cockerel. Again not as much leg feathering as I would like. They may be too young to be sure how they are going to turn out but it looks to me like I should at least get a feel for whether I should freeze them or hold off. Also the second has much more of an earlobe is that a problem?

Candidate number 2:

same cockerel:


And number 3:


My one that I like the body best has yellow, unfeathered legs. Unfortuntely I did not study the breed out before I bought these as chicks or else I probably would have known from looking at the parent stock that they were NOT breeding SOP, just breeding willy nilly. I am not averse to starting over with new stock in the spring, just hate to lose the year's growth and if I can work with what I have of course I want to!
As a comparision here is the group, don't know if this helps any:

#2 in the second picture appears to have a split wing showing and would be a DQ. #3 looks best of all but looks like he will be real Dark. They all look like they will have white ear lobe. It would be easier to just start over and try for an upgrade on Quality