Breed Standard?

[BlueTheBrahma]

For clarity, it really helps if you state the name in full at least once in your post, so it is clear what you mean. There are always new people that don't know the abbreviations yet, that make up ones that seem perfectly logical on the instant.

Using Bl for Blue would be logical, but I have seen too many cases when B is clearly Blue. An obvious example is BBS for Black Blue Splash. And there is someone on the site who has Blue Australorps (commonly BA in their posts), while many other people have Black Australorps (BA). So at least for me personally, I do not trust "B" unless it is explained.

Bl is the allele abbreviation as well so Bl always makes sense to me to mean blue (even though B isn’t the allele for black, bl is).

I think the BCM thread’s general consensus is:
BCM= black copper marans
BlCM= blue copper marans
SCM= splash copper marans ???

(B/Bl)SBM= (black/blue) silver birchen marans

(D)CM= (dark) cuckoo marans
SCM= silver cuckoo marans
GCM= golden cuckoo marans

BM= black marans
WM= white marans ???

But these are all specific to one thread, not universal. Like you all say, abbreviations are helpful but beginners need to understand them. I actually think there is an article full of abbreviations.

 

[MysteryChicken]

There's 2 varieties of Marans (American Clean Legged), & French(Feather Legged).

I don't have my book of SOP with me, it's still at the other house, so can't help much currently.

 

[wrathsfarm]

There's 2 varieties of Marans (American Clean Legged), & French(Feather Legged).

I don't have my book of SOP with me, it's still at the other house, so can't help much currently.

To my understanding the 2 are French (Feathered) and UK (Clean) breed standards.
American Poultry Association (APA) follows the French standard.

 

[MysteryChicken]

To my understanding the 2 are French (Feathered) and UK (Clean) breed standards.
American Poultry Association (APA) follows the French standard.

Really? I could've misread something somewhere somehow.

 

[wrathsfarm]

Really? I could've misread something somewhere somehow.

It could be called English Standard not UK. My bad there.
I can't search the APA because of copyright but here's a screen shot.

From this thread....
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/marans-proposed-standards-for-reference-purposes.385769/

 

[NatJ]

His legs are a pale yellow, here are some pics! He has little stubby feathers on his feet that i’m not sure will grow out unfortunately

If his legs are pale yellow, then obviously the people who saw yellow were the right ones, and I was mistaken

If he has stubby little feathers on the feet, and you want to breed ones with feathering on the feet, then he's a bit closer than if he were fully clean-legged. So that is probably a little bit in his favor.

 

[Amer]

Really? I could've misread something somewhere somehow.

American Marans Standard same as French Standard:
https://maranschickenclubusa.com/general-description

Only the UK has clean legged Marans. Everywhere else is feather legged. That’s why American Marans breeders don’t use the word “French.” If they are bred to the American Standard they are feather legged.

 

[Amer]

Also good Marans are everywhere so there is no reason to breed from this one if you want good Marans. But you can if you want.

 

[BlueTheBrahma]

To my understanding the 2 are French (Feathered) and UK (Clean) breed standards.
American Poultry Association (APA) follows the French standard.

@wrathsfarm you are correct my friend. I don’t really know why we changed them when the crossed the channel, but alas it happened.

I think most cuckoo marans in the USA were brought over from the UK, what’s why so many American marans have clean legs. This is one of the infamous traits of ‘hatchery quality’ marans of all varieties.

Note that the two standards vary beyond the legs: the recognised colours and patterns are different, and the table qualities of the English standard are stressed more so than in the American/French standard.
In a way they are essentially different breeds, having about as much in common as Brahmas and Cochins. A clean legged BCM is not an English standard Marans, the pattern is not part of this standard either, as well as other qualities.

 

[wrathsfarm]

@wrathsfarm you are correct my friend. I don’t really know why we changed them when the crossed the channel, but alas it happened.

I think most cuckoo marans in the USA were brought over from the UK, what’s why so many American marans have clean legs. This is one of the infamous traits of ‘hatchery quality’ marans of all varieties.

Note that the two standards vary beyond the legs: the recognised colours and patterns are different, and the table qualities of the English standard are stressed more so than in the American/French standard.
In a way they are essentially different breeds, having about as much in common as Brahmas and Cochins. A clean legged BCM is not an English standard Marans, the pattern is not part of this standard either, as well as other qualities.

Interesting, I didn't realize there was so much difference between the 2 standards. I would have only thought a slight variation.