Black Copper Marans discussion thread

[mstricer]

Out of 4 self hatched BCM I have gotten 3 eggs in 4 days. Each egg is darker than the one before it. I don't think they are from just one hen, but I'm lovin' it! Rinda, I followed your advice and used some of my granddaughters play food containers and it certainly made a difference.

One looks like an Olive Egger, one next to it is lovely

 

[redwood]

DMR
Your saying there is still hope? As I said I am new to the breed but I knew something didnt look right. At what age did/should it molt out? Also 2 of them don't seem to have it.
Thanks

 

[dirtylittlefly]

Update! You guys were right, 2 roos and one hen. One is pretty dark, and will be taking a trip to freezer camp soon. Also he's a big jerk and my older hens won't put up with him. The other one is gorgeous, very sweet, and very gentle with his lady friend. It makes me sad to seperate them, but I'm not sure I can truly get away with having a rooster. I'm allowed to have one, but since I live in such close proximity to neighbors I can see the noise becoming a problem. We'll see. Let me know what you think of the color on this boy, If I can get away with selling him instead I may go that route. He's 19 weeks now.

 

[DMRippy]

DMR
Your saying there is still hope? As I said I am new to the breed but I knew something didnt look right. At what age did/should it molt out? Also 2 of them don't seem to have it.
Thanks

Yours have lots of color, but don't give up yet. I cull for that now, on hind sight wish I had not. The pullets I culled for being mossy turned out really nice. Marans are not a breed you can rush.... they will have a molt at 4-6 months and then you can reconsider. If it is a pullet and she is laying and still red like that she should not be breed.

That roo, I was going to keep him for a breeder, but he was injured and didn't seem to get any better. He is redneck.... get it!

 

[redwood]

Do you have any pics of what the mossy chicks turned out to be. Most of mine have the mossyness like the pullet in your pic. One in particular though has a lot of red color to it.
Thanks again for the information.

 

[redwood]

And did you hatch your mossy chicks or did you buy them from a breeder?

 

[DMRippy]

Do you have any pics of what the mossy chicks turned out to be. Most of mine have the mossyness like the pullet in your pic. One in particular though has a lot of red color to it.
Thanks again for the information.

Most of my hens are SOLID black, just a tad of red in the hackles but you have to look hard for it. The roo in my avatar is in those pics somewhere.

 

[DMRippy]

And did you hatch your mossy chicks or did you buy them from a breeder?

Hatched them. I have not introduced any NEW blood to my flock. I had 2 unrelated roos and I have been working from there. I think I know where the mossy chicks were coming from and they are gone... I don't think I have had any mossy pullets since. I have a pen FULL of colored roos about 6-8 weeks. I will let them grow out some more before I cull. These will be the first batch of ROO I have grown out this year for me.

 

[jmanderson777]

Where is the best place to get Fbcm eggs/chicks from? I wanted to get on bev's list but from what I've read she sold out to greenfire and I believe Wade got out too. I think I want to scrap my whole flock and start over focusing on one breed instead of several.

 

[stoopid]

This isn't a breed that you can just buy good birds and be done.
Money doesn't buy experience, and people that have been through the learning stages won't part with good stock so easily.
There is more to improving the breed than just selling off good birds. Those birds need to go to others that will also work to improve them.
It is hard to put a price on all the heartache and time that alot of us have been through.
Just my own opinion....