Blue Copper and Splash Copper Marans Discussion

[Chooks man]

I forget to say this splash. blue cop they lay pretty dark eggs 6/8 good shape too Oval . some shiny other flat
they and the cuckoo lay the darkest eggs in the farm. so they are marans ,but what variety?
Thanks Antonio

 

[Chooks man]

Hi Snowman ,Geeb and the rest this thread is going quite what the score.

 

[jojann]

Loving the blue Marans, myself. I suppose I will have to have black or splash to have blues, is that correct?

 

[jojann]

Do u have a roo for these beautiful girls? Do their genetics include splash or black? I am hoping for some blue Marans in 2016. I currently have 4 wheaten, 1 each: pullet, hen roo & cockerel.

 

[Wappoke]

I am assuming the hen in the picture is supposed to be blue and not blue copper.

the hen in the picture carries one blue allele (gene) and only one (or none) gene called melanotic. She should have black neck hackles- if she had two melanotic genes her hackles would be black. If you mate her with a black male she will produce some blues. She does have a flaw because she should have black neck hackles and crossing to a male that has black hackles will produce some offspring with black hackles.

I would find a black male that does not have any red or white in his plumage. Mate him w ith the hen in the picture. This cross may produce blue birds with the proper color; it all depends on if you hatch enough chicks. If you hatch 20 chicks you should get some properly colored birds. To ensure the best genetic out come, back cross the best blue female offspring to the father. The blue offspring from the back cross should have very good color. blue and black from head to tail.

If she is a blue copper- then she should have red in her hackles.

 

[jojann]

I am assuming the hen in the picture is supposed to be blue and not blue copper. 

the hen in the picture carries one blue allele (gene) and only one  (or none) gene called melanotic. She should have black neck hackles- if she had two melanotic genes her hackles would be black.  If you mate her with a black male she will produce some blues. She does have a flaw because she should have black neck hackles and crossing to a male that has black hackles will produce some offspring with black hackles.

I would find a black male that does not have any red or white in his plumage. Mate him w ith the hen in the picture. This cross may produce blue birds with the proper color; it all depends on if you hatch enough chicks. If you hatch 20 chicks you should get some properly colored birds. To ensure the best genetic out come,  back cross the best blue female offspring  to the father. The blue offspring from the back cross should have very good color. blue and black from head to tail.

If she is a blue copper- then she should have red in her hackles.

Ya I think these are copper blue. They are, however, not mine. I did acquire 4 marans today, 3 blue copper & 1 black copper. Maybe not the best greatest ones in the world, but in my LR.

I did appreciate the information u offered. It is the kind of thing I need to learn.

One of my new babies doesn't have feathers on her legs. Is that a problem?

 

[Wappoke]

Ya I think these are copper blue. They are, however, not mine. I did acquire 4 marans today, 3 blue copper & 1 black copper. Maybe not the best greatest ones in the world, but in my LR.



I did appreciate the information u offered. It is the kind of thing I need to learn.

One of my new babies doesn't have feathers on her legs. Is that a problem?

I am not familiar with the american standard of perfection for marans; if the standard calls for feathered legs then the bird does not meet the standard. As far as breeding it will not be a problem, feathered legs in Marans is normally caused by a dominant gene. The inheritance of shank feathering is more complicated than a single locus and to keep things simple, it is best to think of feather shanks in the Marans to be due to a dominant gene.

I would use the non feathered legged bird as a breeder if it has good plumage color, type, egg color (in females), etc. You are pretty much limited with the birds you have and to make the best from what you have I would breed the bird.

Assuming the birds are purebred for leg feathering, if you cross a purebred bird with a bird without leg feathering then the offspring will have leg feathering. If the cross produces some birds without leg feathering, then the parent with leg feathering is not purebred or other genetic factors are causing the results.

 

[jojann]

I am not familiar with the american standard of perfection for marans; if the standard calls for feathered legs then the bird does not meet the standard. As far as breeding it will not be a problem, feathered legs in Marans is normally caused by a dominant gene. The inheritance of shank feathering is more complicated than a single locus and to keep things simple, it is best to think of feather shanks in the Marans to be due to a dominant gene. 

I would use the non feathered legged bird as a breeder if it has good plumage color, type, egg color (in females), etc. You are pretty much limited with the birds you have and to make the best from what you have I would breed the bird. 

Assuming the birds are purebred for leg feathering, if you cross a purebred bird with a bird without leg feathering then the offspring will have leg feathering. If the cross produces some birds without leg feathering, then the parent with leg feathering is not purebred or other genetic factors are causing the results. 

Thanks, this is the plan to try to begin to build a flock with these. I am hoping the blues are all female. If I get some good hens I can acquire a new cockerel less expensive.

The cuckoo Marans come clean&feathered legs. May have a cuckoo in the line some where. Some breeders do that hoping to darken their eggs. I just need to keep learning. I really like the dark brown eggs, but must wait another 4 months to see what these will lay..

My wheaten maran pullet is 3 months old, so I hope she will come into lay in February or March.

 

[Chooks man]

the Blue copper chooks are gorgeous. here few new hatch 2 weeks ago.
to do a good work with a blue you have to cross them to the black copper they will give you 50% blue copper and 50% black copper with a nicest blue tone .

 

[alchemist farm]

Our splash marans are growing out nicely, they are so fluffy they almost look like little clouds hovering over the pasture