Black Copper Marans-no feathers on legs?

[HeatherLH0917]

Hey guys,

I bought hatching eggs that were supposed to all be golden cuckoo Marans. I ended up with a golden cuckoo, two black coppers, and a solid black. One of them has no feathers on her legs or feet (one of the black coppers). Do I sell her, cull her...? I'm not sure what the protocol is, but I do know I want to stick with breed standards.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Hi, welcome to BYC!

What you should do depends on your goals.

If you are breeding to the French standard of perfection.. yes, cull from your flock. However, cull doesn't have to mean dispatch. Selling is perfectly acceptable.

If you're just keeping layers, keep her if you like her. If you aren't breeding, faults are irrelevant.

Even the highest, best quality, show stock will not produce 100% fault free birds. So it's par for the course.

No reason IMHO EVER to dispatch a young female... other than injury, egg eating, illness, behavioral issues, to old to lay, or other physical impairments.

Also note, the American standard (or English), I don't believe calls for feathered legs.

For ME, for Marans.. I require feathered legs because I am BREEDING to the French SOP. Out of my most recent hatch of 9, I got 2 girls and 1 of them doesn't have feathered legs. I do currently have them for sale locally.

But remember the ONLY right way is the way that works for YOU. So weigh it all out with YOUR goals in mind and make the best decision you can with the info you have. If it doesn't work out, switch it up next time.

If dark eggs is your goal, it might be easier to correct non feathered legs, than egg color if breeding. But if just enjoying, I would wait to see egg color before selling. I am still learning the ins and out of how to breed for different traits.

 

[HeatherLH0917]

Hi, welcome to BYC!

What you should do depends on your goals.

If you are breeding to the French standard of perfection.. yes, cull from your flock. However, cull doesn't have to mean dispatch. Selling is perfectly acceptable.

If you're just keeping layers, keep her if you like her. If you aren't breeding, faults are irrelevant.

Even the highest, best quality, show stock will not produce 100% fault free birds. So it's par for the course.

No reason IMHO EVER to dispatch a young female... other than injury, egg eating, illness, behavioral issues, to old to lay, or other physical impairments.

Also note, the American standard (or English), I don't believe calls for feathered legs.

For ME, for Marans.. I require feathered legs because I am BREEDING to the French SOP. Out of my most recent hatch of 9, I got 2 girls and 1 of them doesn't have feathered legs. I do currently have them for sale locally.

But remember the ONLY right way is the way that works for YOU. So weigh it all out with YOUR goals in mind and make the best decision you can with the info you have. If it doesn't work out, switch it up next time.

If dark eggs is your goal, it might be easier to correct non feathered legs, than egg color if breeding. But if just enjoying, I would wait to see egg color before selling. I am still learning the ins and out of how to breed for different traits.

That's good advice. I will wait till she lays and see what color her eggs are. I can always separate the others out for breeding if I decide to hatch.

 

[Lady Chocobo]

Hi, welcome to BYC!

What you should do depends on your goals.

If you are breeding to the French standard of perfection.. yes, cull from your flock. However, cull doesn't have to mean dispatch. Selling is perfectly acceptable.

If you're just keeping layers, keep her if you like her. If you aren't breeding, faults are irrelevant.

Even the highest, best quality, show stock will not produce 100% fault free birds. So it's par for the course.

No reason IMHO EVER to dispatch a young female... other than injury, egg eating, illness, behavioral issues, to old to lay, or other physical impairments.

Also note, the American standard (or English), I don't believe calls for feathered legs.

For ME, for Marans.. I require feathered legs because I am BREEDING to the French SOP. Out of my most recent hatch of 9, I got 2 girls and 1 of them doesn't have feathered legs. I do currently have them for sale locally.

But remember the ONLY right way is the way that works for YOU. So weigh it all out with YOUR goals in mind and make the best decision you can with the info you have. If it doesn't work out, switch it up next time.

If dark eggs is your goal, it might be easier to correct non feathered legs, than egg color if breeding. But if just enjoying, I would wait to see egg color before selling. I am still learning the ins and out of how to breed for different traits.

 

[Lady Chocobo]

This was very helpful I bought a Black copper maran From my hens And thought he was a hybrid because of the feathers His legs. I know it's kinda silly but I like to know What breed

or hybrid chickens that I have on my flock Now that I know that this is perfectly normal Thank you

 

[EggSighted4Life]

This was very helpful I bought a Black copper maran From my hens And thought he was a hybrid because of the feathers His legs. I know it's kinda silly but I like to know What breedView attachment 1992328 or hybrid chickens that I have on my flock Now that I know that this is perfectly normal Thank you

That's not a Marans as noted by his pea comb. I don't recognize his for any pure breed I am familiar with and suspect he is indeed a barnyard cross.

It's not a problem if you are happy with him and he's healthy.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

This was very helpful I bought a Black copper maran From my hens And thought he was a hybrid because of the feathers His legs. I know it's kinda silly but I like to know What breedView attachment 1992328 or hybrid chickens that I have on my flock Now that I know that this is perfectly normal Thank you

That's not a Marans as noted by his pea comb. I don't recognize his for any pure breed I am familiar with and suspect he is indeed a barnyard cross.

It's not a problem if you are happy with him and he's healthy.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

double post from when site was down this morning.