Blue Copper and Splash Copper Marans Discussion

[One Chick Two]

I'm having the same problem, Blue Copper pullets with no copper. I did get a few this year, so hopefully I'm on my way. But I hatched a LOT of them, and only have one that I really like the color on. I have heard using an over-colored male may help? One that has too much copper on the breast. Then only keep the females from the breeding because all the males will have too much color in the wrong place. Anybody have personal experience trying a breeding like that? I have held back a couple of cockerels this year that I would have culled otherwise because of the breast color. I might try it.

This is where a single Test Mating comes in handy.
Perhaps try some over-colored male(s), but since 10 percent copper on the chest is the max (to standard), IMO, I would probably only try a fellow(s) with only a small amount more of chest leakage, and with a good copper color tone (not golden copper), covering non coppered females who are otherwise nice (with good eyes), and see how their young look (and progress) while taking notes on how many of the young colored, none to well-overcolored... to see if this worked well for your line. I would also either trap nest or get to know each hen's eggs, so you can find out who throws exactly what with those overcolored roosters. I would watch chick down, and oddities, and note any.

We have been test mating all spring and summer with BCM. Our rooster is pretty color-balanced throughout, but a bit dark in the copper hackle (in hue) and he has a slight hackle ticking on edges, but with no chest leakage. The hens we started with are all black, but have correct eye color. We originally assumed we'd have mostly black, or, many overly dark young.

Surprisingly, most of the pullets are coming in with nice copper coming through in the hackles. Perhaps up to 10 percent of the pullets overall are still black- and still could color up as they are young enough. Nearly all of the cockerels are fairly well colored in for their ages, many have light to some acceptable chest leakage contained above curve of chest. So, having chest leakage from darker parents was a surprise. We hope to keep a few cockerels without chest leakage, and a few with a small amount to test mate to the next gen. We will keep a few of the blacker pullets only if they otherwise seem ideal in other ways (such as laying a really pretty egg.) and are big girls.

I think 3 out of 30? of the cockerels are on the dark side, but starting to color in later, but, none are completely dark.

Maybe others have different thought on blues, but test mating is a good thing if you have some time, patience and room.

 

[DMRippy]

I'm having the same problem, Blue Copper pullets with no copper. I did get a few this year, so hopefully I'm on my way. But I hatched a LOT of them, and only have one that I really like the color on. I have heard using an over-colored male may help? One that has too much copper on the breast. Then only keep the females from the breeding because all the males will have too much color in the wrong place. Anybody have personal experience trying a breeding like that? I have held back a couple of cockerels this year that I would have culled otherwise because of the breast color. I might try it.

I had something typed out to reply the other day and the SKY FELL.... the website was down for a bit so it didn't submit.

My experience with copper on pullets..... limited LOL. The roos I had from Pinkchick put copper on my pullets. I was so excited to breed those pullets back to their sire and they both died before I could do that.

I tried to use a roo with some copper on his breast, didn't work. I tried him with some reg BC pullets and it didn't work with them either.

So I have those pullets in my pen now. I had them with my Blue copper cockerel and the chicks didn't have the color I expected. I talked with Vicki and she suggested I swap cockerels and use the Black Copper Roo to set the Copper in the pullets. I have JUST started to hatch from that pen and eggs are sparse but I like these chicks better.

I meant to add that adding copper to blues is harder than black..... per Vicki and I agree. I find far fewer blues with copper than blacks.

You should just plan on testing and see what you get. Document what you get in chicks. It just takes SO LONG to see what you end up with.

 

[desertmarcy]

I had something typed out to reply the other day and the SKY FELL.... the website was down for a bit so it didn't submit.

My experience with copper on pullets..... limited LOL. The roos I had from Pinkchick put copper on my pullets. I was so excited to breed those pullets back to their sire and they both died before I could do that.

I tried to use a roo with some copper on his breast, didn't work. I tried him with some reg BC pullets and it didn't work with them either.

So I have those pullets in my pen now. I had them with my Blue copper cockerel and the chicks didn't have the color I expected. I talked with Vicki and she suggested I swap cockerels and use the Black Copper Roo to set the Copper in the pullets. I have JUST started to hatch from that pen and eggs are sparse but I like these chicks better.

I meant to add that adding copper to blues is harder than black..... per Vicki and I agree. I find far fewer blues with copper than blacks.

You should just plan on testing and see what you get. Document what you get in chicks. It just takes SO LONG to see what you end up with.

Thanks for your insight. Yes, it does take a long time. I am getting some awesome copper on my Black Copper pullets this year---finally more of them have copper than those that don't! I crossed a different bloodline into mine and that helped, so maybe I should cross that bloodline into some of the blue coppers. Problem is, that bloodline is small. I knew it would decrease the size of my black coppers crossing into it. Hate to have the same thing happen to the blue coppers, they have nice size. I guess I could do a small trial. I can't hatch and raise the numbers this fall or next year like I did this year. I told myself never again will I hatch those numbers. It is just too much money in feed and space needed to grow out. I need to get a photo of my fav blue copper pullet from this year and post!

 

[sol2go]

I need to get a photo of my fav blue copper pullet from this year and post!

please do, and anyone else who has similar photos. I'm working with two pens of mixed black and blues; one roo each. Both roos have nice copper, not all of the hens do. I'd also like to see pics of blues for type compared to the blacks; is everyone getting consistent type regardless of black or blue?

 

[DMRippy]

Quote:
I run blues and blacks together. They should have the same type. I don't find one to be smaller than the other. I don't think I will ever just have a black pen.... no room and I like the blues more but I will always have blacks too.

I put these two on my business cards

 

[sol2go]

I run blues and blacks together. They should have the same type. I don't find one to be smaller than the other. I don't think I will ever just have a black pen.... no room and I like the blues more but I will always have blacks too.

I put these two on my business cards

thanks for posting your pics, so vibrant and sassy! I really like the contrast of the pullet's copper to her light blue body. Pretty daring, I don't think I would get down at that level with my Marans roos...

 

[DMRippy]

Quote: You mean eye level with him? HAHA he was in a raised cage about 3 ft off the ground when I took that pic. I don't keep mean roos so I would not worry about getting down on their level, now getting down on that level with my knees would be another issue.

 

[sol2go]

You mean eye level with him? HAHA he was in a raised cage about 3 ft off the ground when I took that pic. I don't keep mean roos so I would not worry about getting down on their level, now getting down on that level with my knees would be another issue.

I feel your pain...

 

[Ihilani Coffee]

I'm just a year into it so really still a "newbie." In my limited experience, I have found it can take a YEAR for some pullets (black or blue copper) to show hackle coppering. Not ideal for sure, but we start with what we have available. I was told one of my pullets was a blue Marans (I didn't believe it) and somewhere past a year she does have some coppering now. Same with an unrelated blue copper that I thought would NEVER get any hackle color. I realize in typing this I need to get the camera out there and post some photos!

With the blues the color is all over the map, from almost lavender to very dark blue with "blue splash" or darker-speckled light blue for bodies. Some cockerels are solid copper on their chest at 4 weeks and some are clear breasted. Type however (more important to production) is more consistent. I want my pullets to start showing copper by 8 weeks and those are the ones I keep forward providing the TYPE is there also. I just refuse to breed for color only. What good is it if they won't produce at a level worth the feed it takes to keep them?

I have also noticed that the blues are more difficult to get the darker shade of copper compared to the black coppers, meaning the blue dilution seems somehow to also affect the copper coloring more toward the orange shade. It's always something, isn't it?

I have started crossing the blue hens with the BCM cock hoping to create more consistency, but the BCM isn't the greatest either (that dang "halo" worsens with age, he is now 1.5 years old). Work in progress for sure. I have a promising splash cockerel that I may put over some BCM hens to see if I can come up with some better blues, but I'm still evaluating him in the bachelor pen.

 

[MarshallPrime]

Ok, im asking two questions:
1-Does this look like a blue copper maran?
2-Is it a pullet?

The bird in question is the one in FRONT of the olive egger roo (mix of blue copper and EE im told)



these brown feathers in the saddle area worry me the most. they are more pointy than all my other pullets/hens. The lady i bought her from says she is a pullet,,,im worried.

she has a little coloring in her breast area also but NOTHING near to her hatchmates that are mostly for SURE roos.
thanks